Chapter VIII
The words of the text explained, and their coherence with the first and second
verses.
For wftthat are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up
of life. 2 COR. V. 4.
The first verse expresseth the common faith of the primitive Christians
in this great point, that, when their bodies should be dissolved, they ex
pected a glory for their souls afore the resurrection.
The second verse expresseth the lively and vehement working of their
affections, in groaning desires thereupon, by and through dissolution to
arrive at that glory ; which groans are the immediate eifect of that faith. The third verse is a caution intermingled by the apostle, as by the way, unto all that professed this expectation, to be sure to get and keep their
garments, lest they be found naked at their dissolution, and so frustrated
of that glory, and exposed unto shame and wrath, Rev. xvi.
In this fourth verse he returns afresh to sigh forth the groaning desires
of himself and other saints after the same glory, with a greater vehemency and enlargement of affection than was afore expressed. That he assumed
the uttering the former desires expressed in verse 2 is evident in the very
reading of the words, and confirmed by this parallel between them.
1. He had said, ver. 1, If this earthly house of this tabernacle, &c., here in ver. 4 he says,
* We that are in this tabernacle, &c.
* We in this do groan to be clothed upon with
2. He had said, ver. 2,
our house, he speaks the same in ver. 4 ; so that he brings down, we see, the first and second verses into this fourth verse ; and therefore the sub
stance, spirit, and scope of both verses is by infusion soaked into and con
tained in this fourth verse, and is further impregnated and heightened.
If the question be, what in this repetition of his is added to what had been expressed afore in verse the second ?
The answer is, that in this fourth verse he farther gives the true and
genuine account upon which a sincere believer is moved thus to groan, with a most accurate distinction from what are the false grounds where
upon all other sorts of men are moved to wish or groan for death, as
Christians used to do. And so the thing which is new in this fourth verse
is both the manner of these desires, together with the explicit ground
thereof, neither of which had been so nakedly and distinctly expressed in
that former 2d verse.
The scope which by many interpreters is put upon the words is, that many Christians knowing and believing that, in that ordinary way and
course which is set and appointed by God, we are to wait until the resur
rection for the accomplishment and perfection of our glory ; and also, that in the mean time our bodies must first be dissolved ere we can come
to or arrive at that consummated glory of soul and body together ; and that
nature in us shrinking at this dying (all men naturally abhorring death), that therefore it should be here intended that the saints do groan as being burdened with the very thoughts of dying, and therefore do secretly desire
not to die at all ; which (say they) is expressed in those words, not to be
unclothed, that is, not of their bodies at all. But instead thereof their
392 OF THE BLESSED STATE [CHAP. VIII.
desires do vehemently soar to this, that they might, both bodies and souls
(whilst they remain yet imparted), be glorified together without any more ado ; and that thus at one leap they might, without taking the degree of
death, be clothed upon with their house from heaven, in full consummated
glory the first instant, whilst yet they were clothed with their bodies ; and this they would have effected and by virtue of such a change as is men tioned in 1 Cor. xv., We shall not all die, but we shall be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. And this change, which is answer able to the resurrection of others from the dead, will swallow up all mor
tality of the body so as we shall be at once completely swallowed up of
life. This interpretation they give under the countenance of the foresaid
change, which will yet be but the lot of some saints, and indeed of those
only who shall be found alive at the instant of the resurrection, which
privilege yet these would have to be the desires of all the saints here, as that which they would rather wish ! As also because of that seeming
parallel between those two following words of the apostle here, 1 Cor. xv.
* For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. And then shall be brought to pass the saying, Death is swallowed up in victory ; which words they judge exactly parallel with these words here, clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.
53, 54,
But the scope and sense which I contend for runs upon a clear contrary supposition (which supposition the apostle did begin his discourse with, ver. 1), founded on those words, if our bodies be dissolved, &c., wherein he doth not only tacitly imply that the ordinary course set by God for the
saints arrival at glory is the dissolution of their bodies, and that the saints
generally know and make account of this, but he further makes the sup position of this as de facto in the event, that when that this shall once be done and come to pass, that our bodies be dissolved, and then we have an house, &c. And this he lays as the foundation whereunto he suits the
rest of his building, in this following discourse, to their relief against the time of this their dissolution, and the groanings and desires after the glory which shall follow that dissolution. And as in the second verse he had begun to express their general desires after it, so here in this fourth verse he persisteth with a reiterated vehemency to set out their groanings con tinued still upon the same supposition, that if their bodies be dissolved
once, they know they have an house to be clothed upon with ; they look
ing upon dissolution only as the common gate and passage appointed by God, whereby their souls, in their several ages and generations, shall first and soonest come to that blessed attainment which is their first entertain ment in heaven.
Now, that the words of this fourth verse will comply with and give them selves up to this sense and interpretation, and fully suit with it, will appear when I come to open every particular in the words. In the mean while we may aforehand take up a new general reason for the confirming this our
grand assertion, that the glory of the soul separate upon dissolution is in
this fourth verse continued by the apostle to be set out as the object of a
believer s groanings, as well as it had been in the second verse. And the reason hereof is drawn from the series and straight current that runs through all in a succession from the first verse, with the other verses down to this fourth verse, and likewise which this fourth verse retains with the former, and then descendeth down to the fifth verse also ; which reason you may frame in this mould. That look what glory it is, and what subject in man
CHAP. VIII.] OF THE SAINTS IN GLORY. 393
it is, that is the object of a Christian s faith in the first verse, and of a
Christian s groanings in the second verse, the very same glory, and the same thing in us, is that which the apostle intends as the object of a
Christian s desires and groanings here in this fourth verse. But the glory of the soul separate upon dissolution is that glory which is held forth in
verse the first and second, &c. Therefore the same is intended in this
fourth verse also. That the glory of the soul separate, &c., is the house
intended, ver. 1, 1 have before largely, and I hope invincibly, proved. And
that the same glory in verse 1 is intended also in verse 2 as that which
1 we groan for, desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from
heaven, is evident also. For as in the first verse he declares what their
faith was We know that if this be dissolved, we have, &c., so in the second he shews what their affections were pitched upon, this their groan
ing being the effect of that faith. And indeed it is impossible in this con
dition but that the glory which by faith they expected, ver. 1, it should be
the very same they groan for, ver. 2 ; for affections follow knowledge home
to the door of that object which knowledge apprehending doth propose unto
us. And the other main proposition, viz., that the glory we are said to
groan after, ver. 2, is the very same with the object of our groaning here, ver. 4, is evident.
1. Because this fourth verse is a reassuming, for the substance, of what was said in the second verse, and also in the first verse, as uttering the same groaning desires, though with a fresh renewed vehemency. But yet
it is a groaning after one and the same glory, which glory is therefore in
the fourth verse continued to be expressed under the same metaphor he had used afore, ver. 2, namely, to be clothed upon ; even as ver. 2, Desiring to be clothed upon with our house, which is from heaven ; of which house
also he had first spoken in ver. 1, We have an house in the heavens ;
although herewith he over and above adds a further and more plain explanation what that house and glory we are clothed upon with is, even a
1 swallowing up this mortality of life.
2. Again, secondly, he utters the present condition of the saints till
dissolution under one and the same metaphor which he had used in ver. 1 and ver. 2. In ver. 1, he speaks of our earthly house of this tabernacle ; in ver. 2, he says, in this, (namely, this tabernacle) we groan; and then he useth the same word again here in ver. 4 more indigitately, We that
are in this tabernacle, still to refer us to the first verses, as speaking to
the same thing which this fourth verse speaketh to. For otherwise he
might have simply said, We that are in the body ; but by repeating this
metaphor of tabernacle, he again would mind us of the short continuance
of the soul s abode therein, and also of that existence the soul, the
indweller, is to have when that tabernacle shall be dissolved.
3. And thereby, thirdly, he shews he would have us carry down those words in ver. 1, We knowing, that, if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, &c., as in common to be repeated and supplied in the
fourth verse. And then the connection will thus run current through all
* We who are in this tabernacle, knowing that, if this
the four verses :
earthly tabernacle were dissolved, we have a house in the heavens to be
clothed upon withal, do therefore groan to be clothed upon therewith, and
therefore do also groan for dissolution in order thereunto ; for we know
that if this tabernacle were but once dissolved, we have another house
ready, &c. Thus those words in ver. 1, if this earthly tabernacle were
dissolved, will still follow us down hither into this fourth verse, and will
394 OF THE BLESSED STATE [CHAP. VIII.
challenge that it should be admitted and taken into the interpretation thereof; and thereupon this will inevitably follow, that the glory of the soul upon dissolution is that which is the object of this groaning in this fourth
verse.
4. Lastly, That one and the same glory is steadily and homogeneally thus carried along through the 1st, 2d, 4th verses, the very first words of the 5th verse do conclusively shew : He that hath wrought us for the self same thing is God. What is this but that one and the self-same glory before spoken and treated of, whether under the metaphor of an heavenly house, and being clothed upon therewith, or more plainly expressed as a
life that swallows up mortality ? This glory is one and the selfsame thing that he had been speaking of in the fourth verse, and in all the rest of the former verses. The apostle s whole discourse is a woof of thread, and one and the same runs through all ; and the want of attendance unto this strict uniform connection of the matter of these verses one with the other hath been the cause of those mistakes in those fore-specified interpretations, wherein some expositors have taken liberty to interpret these verses of
several sorts, or subjects rather, of glory, as of the soul separate in one, and in another verse of the glory that shall accrue upon the resurrection of the body, and of that glory only ; and then in another verse they inter
pret it of a third way of coming to glory, viz., that change of body and soul without either dying or rising again ; whereas the apostle s discourse doth
speak of one and the self-same thing, as in ver. 5 he on purpose and
professedly speaketh. And so the whole discourse is spun of an even thread, and it is apparent that he speaks of the glory of a separate soul all along.
Only I shall prenionish the reader in this place once for all, that this plea of mine put in of the glory of the soul separate, as now it hath been stated,
is far from excluding that consummated glory at the resurrection to be also intended. For a believer may have in the first place, as next in prospect, the glory of his soul when separated, in his eye and desires, and yet withal he may have ultimately in view that further glory of the resurrection to come after, as that which he expects and longs for also, but yet each in
their due order. These two, both the things themselves and our desires
after them, may and do well successively both stand together, and there fore I oppose that opinion of the glory at the resurrection no further than as any would have that resurrection glory solely to be meant, and would exclude altogether the apostle s intendment of the separate soul s glor}
7 in the mean time. But as for the other sense of a believer s having desires not to die at all, but to be changed, if this sense I have now given be the
genuine purport of the words, it will indeed (I confess) perfectly overthrow and exclude that other interpretation of a desire of non-dissolution; for that is contradictory to this of mine, and indeed unto the apostle s suppo sition at first, if our earthly house be dissolved, that leads on to all that
follows, as hath been observed.
I shall now give a general division of the words of this fourth verse. The groanings of a Christian after dissolution being the common scope and
subject of this verse, the rest thereof, as belonging to and setting forth those groanings, may be divided into general parts, whereof some will admit of lesser divisions after.
1. The persons that groan are set out with their present condition, We that are in this tabernacle.
2. The occasion of their groanings, and the cause why they groan, is
* being burdened.
expressed to be their
CHAP. VIII.] OF THE SAINTS IN GLORY. 395
3. There is a vindication of Christians in their groanings after dissolu
tion with difference from all other men, in these words, Not for that we would be unclothed.
4. There is the true account itself why they groan
: Being burdened, not that they would be unclothed, but clothed upon with their house in
heaven.
5. That glory is signified by that metaphor more plainly expressed :
that mortality might be swallowed up of life.
1. I shall first consider the persons and their present condition, as
represented in those words of this fourth verse, We that are in this
tabernacle. Some restrain the word we unto the apostle himself, and his
brethren the apostles, and those eminent fellowlabourers with him in the
ministry, because of these he had spoken in the persons we, and us, and
our all along in the fourth chapter, in his setting out their sufferings,
labours, and persecutions; and this, with some difference (as to the fre
quency and hazard of them) from other ordinary saints (as appears in
verses 12, 14, 15), and so proposing themselves in all .their sufferings, and
in this their confidence of glory, as examples unto the vulgar ordinary Chris
tians. And truly if we should measure this by the ordinary temper of
Christians in our times, we would be induced to think that what the
apostle speaks of groanings and desires after dissolution, and the glory that follows, should have been intended only of some of those eminent
saints then, who had received the first fruits of the Spirit, Rom. viii.,
beyond what in comparison other saints have received. And indeed, how
remote are saints now-a-days from those desires to be dissolved, but on the
contrary are fearful of dying. But yet, considering that the apostle speaks of and sets out those persons or subjects who were intended by the general character common to all saints in the next words,
* we that are in this
tabernacle ; and also holds forth that assurance of salvation, and a joyful
waiting for that day ; and also considering that an establishment, and
anointing, a sealing, and the earnest of the Spirit, were privileges common
to those Corinthian Christians, and other primitive Christians, together with the apostles (as he expressly says, chap. i. 21, 22 of this Epistle) ; this
warranteth us to judge that this word ice was intended of the body of saints
in those days ; and if there be any (as in our days there be many) that do
not thus desire and groan, it is yet their duty in this their condition, as
well as it was the duty of the apostles. We, for unto the saints he had
both intended it and appropriated it all along, appears from these words,
* We know we have an house, expressing the common faith of believers ; and in verse the 2d he says, We groan after our house ; and he terms it
our house, as being the proper demesnes of them as saints, their freehold and distinct property, and accordingly he annexeth their present condition
in common as was said, we in this tabernacle. The truth is, the popish commentators would fain carry it unto apostles and eminent Christians
alone, who they say went immediately to heaven. And they assign a middle place, purgatory, for the vulgus sanctorum., for the common vulgar saints ; whereas if the Scripture should be intended generally of them, and
of their being taken up into glory at dissolution, that middle state would
utterly fall to the ground. We that are in this tabernacle ; that is, that have our present existence
or being in the body, which is our present tabernacle, we that lead as yet a tabernacle life. He says not merely we groan in this tabernacle, but we that are in this tabernacle do groan ; putting a further and more
396 OF THE BLESSED STATE [CHAP. VIII.
especial emphasis upon it. And thereby he doth not only tacitly insi
nuate,
(1.) The soul to be the person that indwells in that tabernacle our bodies at the present for a while ; but,
(2.) He intimates withal that there is another state, existence, and con dition of other saints, namely, of souls out of this tabernacle upon dissolu
tion, whose condition these tabernacle saints had in their eye, whilst they utter their desires after such a state, as far more desirable, and which
they are aspiring unto, and thereby they are provoked the more to groan after the same ; and indeed our attendancy to this very discrimination of one sort, we in this tabernacle, and of another sort implied, expressed by the word we in the word they, who are out of it, may have a great influence into this our interpretation, and add a mighty confirmation to it. And to this purpose it is to be noticed that, as by that fore -mentioned character of the ground and manner of their groanings, he intended to
distinguish saints from other men, as has been said, and will be demon
* we that are in this tabernacle, he intendeth to difference the state of saints on earth from their brethren and
strated, so by this periphrasis,
fellow-citizens in heaven, so styled Philip, iii. 20, Rev. vi. 10. It is as if he had said, Some of us are already housed in heaven, in our standing house there (as ver. 1 and ver. 4 he calls it), whilst others of us dwell yet in tabernacles to be dissolved. God s family is said to consist of some on earth and some in heaven, Eph. iii. 15. The words there,
* of whom
(namely, Christ) the whole family in heaven and earth are named, speak of two parts of the same family, whereof some are in their country-house, some in the city-house. Thus in like manner here, he by way of discrimi nation setting out that one part or company of them abiding on earth, we that are in this present tabernacle, he thereby insinuates another part or company that are in heaven, both making up the whole society and
fraternity of saints belonging to God. And there is a further differencing character, and note of this distinction, which follows and confirms this,
viz., that we only in this tabernacle are those that groan, whereas the other have their desires satisfied in a great measure, Rev. vi., and do not
groan, not being burdened as we on earth are.
And this difference of state between the saints on earth and those in
heaven, other scriptures do in phrases similar to this in like manner
insinuate. Thus in this very chapter, ver. 10, he says, Every man shall receive (at the day of judgment, namely) the things done in this body. That clause of limitation imports, as another state to be of their souls out of their bodies till that day of judgment, so that they shall be responsible and answer only for the things done whilst in their bodies, and not for what they shall do when out of them in that separate state. Between men s deaths and that judgment day there doth intervene a long space of
time, as for instance take Cain s soul, it hath been perhaps five thousand
years out of his body in hell, and during all that time both his or others
souls so existing separate out of their bodies have not ceased to act some way or other ; but yet (says the apostle) he or they shall answer only for what was done in their bodies, in distinction from what they do in the
* we in this taber
separate state of their souls ; and thus the distinction of
nacle is in a like analogy to be understood. And now if in this place, ere we go further, we shall look round about us and set all things together, but so far as hitherto we have gone, unto what other intent or purpose more imaginably congruous, and more arti-
CHAP. VIII.] OF THE SAINTS IN GLORY. 397
ficially fitting one thing to the other in this his discourse, should the apostle
* we that are in this taber
insert, yea, reiterate and inculcate this clause,
nacle, than that which we have been proving. For having begun his
discourse in ver. 1, We know, if this tabernacle were dissolved, we have an house or glory ready for us, he (in this verse 4) doth again once more remind them of their souls being the inmates, and that their bodies were
but temporary tabernacles, shortly to be taken down and dissolved, and
that then their souls are to exist out of them. And he also makes this
superadded insinuation, that other of their brethren who have been dissolved have taken possession of those eternal habitations, whilst themselves remain
still in this tabernacle life burdened and groaning ; and why should they be brought in hereupon (in ver. 2 and in this ver. 4) again groaning, and
groaning again, but because they have in their eyes and hearts, whilst they thus groan, that other state of glory which those blessed souls, that are
out of those tabernacles, are in actual enjoyment of? And if they sigh and
groan because themselves are burdened, they put forth another in the con
sideration thereof. And besides, what glory is this they groan for, but
that which at the first was begun to be set afore them as a mark of their
high calling ? We know, that if our earthly tabernacle be dissolved, we have an house in heaven. And what other house is it they groan to be
clothed with (as it there follows), but that same very house which upon dissolution their other brethren that are out of this tabernacle have already taken possession of afore them ; and with the thoughts of which house
ready for them, they in the first verse had comforted themselves, that if
this (their) tabernacle were (in like manner) dissolved, we have, &c. For
it stands prepared for us, were we but once dissolved and absent from the
body, as in Rom. viii. we find it more plainly spoken. And the considera
tion of those things do whet our desires, and make them more eager to be
at home (as the 8th verse expresseth the state of glory of the soul separate),
* at home, that is, in our aforesaid houses of glory, and in our own country, as that word importeth. How congruous and concinnate are all those
passages round about us, from first to last, in such their mutual reflections one upon another, and connections one with another, as to this sense we contend for.
We do groan earnestly, as ver. 2 it is translated. And have we not
reason, think you, when not only by sense we feel such heavy loads as we
that are in this tabernacle do hourly sustain and suffer ; and whilst withal
by faith we know what blessedness there is ready for us in the other world,
and which we know our elder brethren are admitted into, and do now
enjoy (they having got the start of us by their being dismissed and got out
of this tabernacle afore us), and have their mortality swallowed up of life, whilst we (poor souls) are the oppressed ones of the earth, under all sorts
of miseries, and do carry about with us a body of death, and are restrained
the while from that other enjoyment only by our existence in this taber
nacle ; and nothing else lets or is between us and so great an happiness, which is our inheritance ?
The fresh and renewed thoughts of these things set together, as by the
apostle they are on purpose penned, how mightily, may we well think, would they move the heart of Christians, that are assured of their salva
tion ! No wonder if he says at once, We groan, desiring, ver. 2, and then says it twice in this 4th verse again. Even as on the contrary he
* Rejoice ; and again I say, rejoice ; as with a joy of all the most
doubles it,
intense and vehement. Oh, thinks such a soul, if I were but dissolved
398 OF THE BLESSED STATE [CHAP. YIII.
once, it would not barely quit me of these burdens ; but it would instantly put me into that possession my fellow-brethren are already in. And what
is dissolution ? it is but the shooting the bridge, the gulf between the one state of a dying life here, and that other of glory, when the mortality of this dying life shall be swallowed up of that which is life in the fulness of it. And thus, upon those terms, as it is thus stated and apprehended, the saints being surrounded with those thoughts, a dissolution becometh the joyful object of their groanings, as it is of the apostle s desires, Philip, i. ; and though dissolution be not explicitly ; said, yet it is virtually and impli
citly in the scope, or in the strength of all manifestly intended, and desired as a means to that further end. We that are in this tabernacle, and the
rest that follow, from the making a not-dying at all, or an absolute nondissolution to be the object of their desires in this place, which the other
interpretations would put both upon it and us. Thus much for the descrip tion of the persons that groan, &c., and what may be argued therefrom. I shall now consider the occasion of their groaning.
2. Groan, being burdened ; that is the second head, and is brought in here as the approximate occasion of their groanings, but chiefly as con
ducing to his illustrating that difference (which follows) between the saints and others in their groanings after dissolution. The words, being bur
dened, come in between these two speeches: 1, after the words, we that groan ; and, 2, before those latter words, not for that we would be unclothed ; and so pays contribution to both, and hath its aspect to and influence upon both. That is, first, it hath a respect unto their groaning as some occasion of it, though a less principal one ; for then, having done that service, it serves another, viz., that from thence the apostle should take rise to explain how and why it is, and how and why not, that we Christians do groan for dissolution, with difference from other men.
Two things are herein to be attended.
(1.) A tacit concession or grant, that indeed a Christian is a burdened creature ; and comparatively to other men, the most burdened of any other, which in the foregoing chapter he had related of himself and others his brethren.
(2.) That they are sensible enough of those burdens, and are unto their own sense and feeling thus burdened. For hereupon they groan, which must be out of a sense thereof.
[1.] There is this concession or grant, that indeed of all other sorts of men a Christian is the most burdened, in respect of the multitude, variety, and greatness of his grievances
: we having not only all the miseries that are tributa vivendi, the common and ordinary taxes and tributes of life in
this world, that come upon us in common with others, as sickness, loss of
friends, and the like ; but further, we have all sorts of persecutions, that are tributa Christi, the double, yea centuple imposts for our religion. As to our names, all men speak evil of us, and we are as the offscouring of the world to this day. And then, in real damages, in estates, &c., we are by reason of persecution without a certain abiding place, we suffer hunger, nakedness, imprisonments, banishments, deaths (all which he recites in
chap, iv.) ; and all which he sums up into that total, in 1 Cor. xv. 15, 19,
1 In this life we are of all men most miserable, not to mention the burden
they carry about with them in their own souls, from sins, which other men make the greatest comfort and happiness of their lives, and therefore are said to live in them, but which make us to cry out,
* Oh, miserable men
that we are, &c.
CHAP. IX. J OF THE SAINTS IN GLORY. 399
[2.] He would have all men know that they are as sensible of those bur
dens, as any other men are or can be supposed to be : and that the rea son why they do bear them so patiently and silentty as they do (only with
groanings and sighings), is not from a sturdy stoical principle, as if they professed a want of sense and affection, which was the counterfeit and pal liated profession of their wisest philosophers, who would be esteemed emi nent and singular for wisdom and virtue amongst men. No (says he) ; in
opposition hereunto, we acknowledge that we are burdened, and are sen
sible to the quick ; and groan after death, yet not like unto other men, but have another kind of relief which supports us.
CHAPTEE IX.
The true and eminent grounds of a Christian s groanings after dissolution, severed from the false grounds of other men. That a Christian doth not
desire death merely on this alone account, that it will give him ease in free
ing him from all the miseries and sorrows of this present life.
3. Of all other sorts of men that were, or had been ever heard of in the
world, the Christians in those primitive times were observed to be the
greatest undervalues of life, and ambitious aspirers after death and disso
* They loved not their lives to death; and it was our great apostle s public profes sion of, and concerning himself : I count not my life dear to me, so that
lution. It is made the common character of them: Eev. xii. 11,
I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry which I have received
of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God, Acts xx. 24. It was observed that those first Christians came to martyrdom as young men and maidens use to do to their weddings ; yea, as to their own marriages. They cheerfully, being called thereto, exposed themselves to death. t As we
are always delivered to death, says the apostle, 2 Cor. iv. 11, so we are
willing, says he, 2 Cor. iv. 8. And those heathens that were observators
of this, being strangers to the principles of Christianity, not knowing the
grounds and motives which inspired their souls hereunto, imputed these
high most raised actions and aspirements unto false principles, or such
causes as they found in themselves, and that might any way be supposed to be in the hearts of men.* And as in judging of a Christian s ways and
general course of life, they attributed the singularity thereof unto pride,
hypocrisy, affectation, so in like manner in this point, of not loving their
lives, they ascribed this eagerness after dissolution partly to stoicism and
insensibility, which some of their own philosophers professed (of which sect
you read, Acts xvii.), or to a wearisomeness of life, because they were so
persecuted and spoken against, or (as the apostle hath spoken of their con
dition) because they were in this life of all men the most miserable. And
so they were looked upon in that respect as men that wished for death and
could not find it. And this (besides what might therein concern the spirits of Christians themselves) gave a just occasion to the apostle to lay down
here that account of the principles Christians go upon in this particular, with difference from what are or were found in others, who at any time wish and groan for death. But although the apostle also acknowledgeth that these burdens have some influence (as there is all reason they should)
* For these things I refer you to heathen writers of the primitive times, as also
the apologies made for Christians.
400 OF THE BLESSED STATE [CHAP. IX.
into their desire after dissolution, yet then take the case as it is truly stated
in our hearts, and all these burdens arise not so high, or prevail not so
far upon us, as to cause us to desire death simply (as the heathens or others use to do) for an avoidance of present miseries ; but know (says he) that our religion, and that alone, presents us with, and holds up to our faith, and assures us of a glorious crown and estate of life, when this mortal is
ended, whereby mortality shall be swallowed up of life, whereof we have
the earnest, ver. 5 ; and this is it that raiseth and ennobles our spirits to
this height of confident willingness to die, as in the following verse 6th he
expresseth.
He presenteth such a principle, ver. 4, in the name of Christians, as never was found in any carnal heart, nor is, nor can be understood by them. He presenteth this principle in these words,
* not for that we would be
unclothed, but clothed upon.
These words shew why and why not, how and how not, a Christian
groans after dissolution, and so do of themselves fall into two parts.
(1.) Negative, or a removal of what might be supposed the ground
: not
for that we would be unclothed, or not that that alone would ever cause such a desire in us.
(2.) Positive, or the true prevailing utmost ground why and from which
: but for that we would be clothed upon. And this centres
it proceedeth
in the highest thing that the object of their aims could centre in : that
mortality might be swallowed up of life.
It is of moment to know the meaning of the phrase for that, since it is
the hinge upon which both the negative and positive do turn ; concerning which observe two things.
1. That in the Greek e<f $,for that, is so placed as it indifferently per tains to either of these ; for the tenor or station of the words in the Greek run thus :
* For that, not we would be unclothed, but to be clothed upon. And thus read, it, having first served the negative (which is the first part),
it stands as fairly ready, and was in its posture reserved to be carried to, and joined also with, the affirmative or positive part, and is so to be joined therewith thus : But for that we would be clothed upon. 2. The true import of the phrase is known to be to render the reason or the
because why an act or action is said to be done or not done. It imports the OK %ag/v, or the ou svtKa, for the sake of which,
1 or the respect upon
which, or the end or aim for which, anything is done. * And so here it serves
to set forth the genuine aim or meaning of the spirit of a Christian, and
the true reason or inducement whereby he is prevailed upon as to the point of
desires of his dissolution. We ordinarily use the like way of speech. Suppose a brother or some other near relation, presenting a suit against a murderer of his friend or relation, should by way of account or vindication
of his act, and his sincere aims therein, utter himself to this purpose
: I
prosecute this suit, being thus nearly related and concerned in the person, not for that I seek the death of this man simply as a man, nor for that I have been injured by him, that so I might be revenged, but that public justice might be done, and that both divine and human law, that he that sheds man s blood, by man shall his blood be shed, may have its due course and
be satisfied ; in this speech this particle for that, though it be placed in
the forefront, viz., the negative part of his speech, yet is what in common
* See Stephani Thesaurus upon the preposit. evri cum dat. (as here), put for ea legc,
ea conditione ; and effi for propter. See also Francisus Vigerius in prepositione tfti. Also
Glossius, Philologia, lib. 3. tract, 6.
CHAP. IX.J OF THE SAINTS IN GLORY. 401
is carried to the other, but for that I would justice should be done, &c. The parallel between that and this in the text is easily discerned.
1. Now then, I shall first consider the negative: Not that we would be unclothed. These words are a professed renuntiation of such lower ends and motives from having the sway in a Christian s desires of dissolution, by which other men are induced thereunto, and which yet they, finding no other
in themselves, were and are apt to impute unto Christians. The motives
negative herein are two.
(1.) In these words, not to be unclothed, being taken singly and alone, that is, we Christians do not groan to die merely to be unclothed or rid of our bodies, which was one of the noblest and highest grounds the wiser and
great spirits among the heathens did pretend unto and gloried in, as that which made them willing to die. They had such valuation for that diviner
part, their souls, and thought so contemptuously of the worst part, their
bodies, that they looked on death as a freedom from the cumber of them. And thus under the metaphor of being clothed, the apostle hits and meets with that principle, which the sagest of them cheerfully embraced death
upon, which was to put off the body, as a man would do a heavy garment, that clogs and hinders him, to the end to be more agile, nimble, lightsome, and active, as they thought their souls would be, when they had their mittimus from their bodies.
They taught the immortality of the soul as well as we Christians, and also the free acting of the soul without the body; but withal they taught their disciples to contemn the body, and complained of the con
junction or immersion of our souls with it and into it, as if the great God had done it wrong, to put so divine and vigorous a spirit into so dark and damp a dungeon or prison (that was their ordinary word, cupa quasi
<ttj/joa, so Plato*), and in the Book of Wisdom you may see how the effects
of this principle had tainted the Jews themselves, for Solomon is brought in there saying, Was a soul put into a defiled body ? They thought the
soul s high-born aspirements, and soarings, to be captived, depressed, obstructed, and kept down (as a soaring bird kept in a cage), and its activeness to be confined and interrupted by the soul s conjunction with the
body. Like as a man in prison sees but out of a loop-hole or through a
grate, so (thought they) the captived soul takes in things by outward
senses, and therefore they look upon being unclothed and out of it, and look consequently upon death as a gaol delivery, or as the letting a bird
fly loose in the open air, the native element for it. The apostle contradicts
this principle, and insinuates that we Christians have learned otherwise, that the conjunction of the body and soul was a happy match, when God
first made it, and made man a living soul, Gen. ii. ; that is, a soul ordained
to live in a natural body. This was that which originally from the first and for ever the soul was ordained for, although we do find that by being fallen into sin it is not only appointed for all men once to die, and were
it not for our hope that is renewed in the soul, and for the glory which upon separation from the body it shall be therefore clothed upon, the soul of itself subsisting alone would be a most lame, weak, and imperfect, and
inactive creature. And further, that the body is thus a clog to the soul,
is but accidental through man s own default; and hence we Christians dare not simply wish for a freedom from our bodies, or groan for death. There
fore we dare not in our desires wish for death, and so contradict and
blaspheme God s ordination, as their best philosophers have done; but we
<r//,a, . e. } corpus quasi ffjj/xa, i. e , sepulchrum. VOL. VII. C C
402 OF THE BLESSED STATE [CHAP. IX.
wait God s pleasure, to whom we live, and to whom we die. That the
apostle in this passage should have some glance and eye upon those prin
ciples of the heathen, we perceive by the honourable elogium he presently
gives of the soul s dwelling in the body, whiles he terms it a being at home
in the body; for so indeed it is in the ordination of God, and its natural
institution and make ; and therefore to be rid of it, and simply to be
unclothed, is not that for which we desire to die. This is the first motive disclaimed in this negative.
But it will be replied, that the burdens that you otherwise bear in the
body (which you confess) do yet raise up these eager desires in you. For answer to this there is,
(2.) A second negative wherein this other low and under motive more common to man, and which was more ordinarily imputed to Christians, is
disclaimed, and that is, not for that we are burdened ; that is, our being burdened is not the reason whereupon alone we would be unclothed, which word had immediately preceded ; and now put that into the balance with the former, yet both that and the former weigh not unto such a
prevalency as would alone excite and draw forth those vehement desires
in us.
This word burdened is placed (as you may well observe) purposely between *hese two, we that are in this tabernacle, the words before it, and those that follow, not that we would be unclothed. It is placed so on purpose (I say), that it might illustrate the more, and render the
genuine desires and aims of a Christian herein the more illustrious. It first,
referring unto our being in this tabernacle, declares, that whilst we are in
it, we are and shall be burdened. But then again, its reference unto these
words, not that we would be unclothed, serves to this sense, that although we be thus burthened, it is not upon the load hereof, that the saints do
determinately desire to be unclothed, no ; if that were all, this alone would not be prevalent with us. And so it is as if he had said, We groan being burdened : not that we would be unclothed simply for ease from them, not upon that consideration alone or chiefly. Thus Beza renders the coherence : Non tcedet nos vita ipsius, not that we are weary of life, viz., by reason of our burdens, sedfutura desiderio ardemus, but we are inflamed with desires
after that other life to come. So as though it be said, we groan being burdened, as we have reason, and that may also be taken in to help forward such our desires, even as lesser aims, that alone would not be effectual to move unto such or such a thing, do yet contribute together with a greater one.
So here, our burdens are but the less principal ; they are not that which alone
or chiefly do sway, they are far from making up the full motive, why we should desire to die. They indeed may and ought to be considered, and
it was fit the apostle should make mention of them, for the reasons before
specified, when we opened the import of what was in that word ; yea, they are some kind of ingredient motives thereunto, especially when we have so
great a glory, as the certain consequence of death, in our view ; but yet otherwise these hold no balance. And you may observe how these words,
* not for that we would be unclothed, come instantly in as treading upon the heels of the before-mentioned, being burthened, as a correction and
allay, as if he had spoken too much in saying, we groan being burthened. And this would seem as if he were there upon the point of calling in again that word, at least, that though he let it stand, being (as we say) out, yet that he might not be misunderstood in it, as if that did cast the balance, he corrects the sense of it. No, says he ; we would not be unclothed for
CHAP. IX.] OF THE SAINTS IN GLORY. 403
that we are burdened, since that bears no weight comparatively in the scale. But more generous and glorious aims in the positive part weigh most, viz., that mortality should be swallowed up of life. As if he had said, That of our burdens is not worthy of consideration in comparison of the other ; they are but the smaller dust of the balance, too light to cast the scale ; but it is that eternal weight of glory, which being dissolved we shall be assuredly possessed of, and which we have in our hearts and eyes, that mainly turns the balance ; whereas other men, especially the heathens in those times, if they were in a distress, and burdened, there was no other ho with them, but presently to die, so to avoid and escape out of their burdens, and so in a pet they were wont to die. This was ordinary amongst the great spirits among them.
^ But the Christians, who are more noble, have not so learned Christ, who himself gave us an example in this particular, who though a man of sorrows more than all other men, yet waited until he had finished the work his Father had given him to do, and until his time was come, yea, and also prayed not that we should be taken out of this world, namely, until the time appointed by the Father. Therefore, we that are in this tabernacle by God s appointment, set and placed there, as sentinels or perdues in war, are patiently to endure those burdens, as chastisements for our sins, which God brings upon us, or which by sinning we have brought upon our selves. We are to endure them also to honour the profession of our
religion, and with submission to the will of God to wait his time of deliver ance, which we ought not to anticipate ; we ought to attend the time which he hath fore-appointed, being well assured that of all things outward (which God hath taken upon him to determine in this world), the time of saints their being in the body is the most wisely set and fixed of all others. For if of men in general it be said, Job. vii. 1, Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth ? then especially of holy men, that are so dear to God, whose death is said therefore to be precious to him, and therefore the time of their lives must needs be so too ; for in relation to their lives, their death is said to be precious, when and how he will appoint it. My times are in thine hand, says David;; Our breath and all our ways, says Daniel. Thus of all mankind the saints, whether they live, or whether they die, are the Lord s, Eom. xiv. 8 ; the Lord s in a special manner, and by a
special property, and interest in them. ^He is a sovereign Lord both of time and of them, as he that is the grand*master, and lord, and disposer of
life, who hath the keys of death, and to whom belong the issues of death, and therefore the saints are quietly to wait all the days of their appointed time ; and for this cause they do not, nor dare not, out of a weariness, or burden of life, desire to be unclothed ; though when death shall come, and God s will therein be manifested, they then will and do relieve themselves with the thought of being eased from those burdens, which are therefore in this argument here mentioned. And this, as it is the true posture of a_truly instructed Christian, especially when assured of God in Christ, so it is the meaning and drift of the apostle in this place. It is to this purpose observable, how to the end to shew that those per secutions and burdens are not the predominant incentives, or fomenters of such vehement desires of death, he in the 6th and 8th verses doth in his own name, and in the name and behalf of true Christians, in the conclusion utter their spirits thus :
< Therefore we are always confident, or daring, as the word imports. Then he says it a second time, verse 8 ; that is, our
spirits do indeed rise up the more, and are steeled against all encounters,
404 OF THE BLESSED STATE [CHAP. X.
come what will come through the will of God upon us. Indeed, we have
a boldness in all, because if the worst come that can come, we know the
certain issue. So far then are true Christians from pusillanimity, or
shrinking of their spirits into that hole of death, as an evasion from their incumbent burdens, that there is a boldness and erection, or insurgency of
spirit raised up against all these, as more than conquerors in them, and all
* If our earthly taber
by reason that we know (as he had said, verse 1),
nacle be dissolved, we are secured and insured, we have an house in
heaven. And this speech in verse G and verse 8 doth come in as an in
ference from this doctrine, taught from the first verse downwards.
We being then set in this world by God, to live to him and unto his
glory, and to abide his time and will for so doing, as Christ did ; nay, we being set in the midst of sufferings, ought to eye him, his will, his glory, and to have our desires so poised by our judgments, that though our desires run out in groanings to be swallowed up of life for our own happiness, yet our wills, as they are thus poised by our judgments, will return this modest answer which immediately follows in verse 8, We are willing rather to be
* to be present with
absent from the body, though as it follows there, it is
the Lord. Unto this last issue and determinate upshot doth all come, to
be willing rather. Indeed, the affectionate part in their groans is vehement and ardent, but the determining and resolving part in their wills is moderate, and is uttered but by a rather, a little more than indifference. And therefore, as if he had uttered too much confidence in the other word, we are always
confident, he corrects it by a softer expression, we are willing rather ;
for this consideration, after mentioned by their wills, deliberately rises in
the greatest vehemency by the breakings in of glory upon them, as being men in a strait between two, like as a needle equally distant between two
load-stones. As the apostle speaks of his own desires, Philip, i., there is such a mixture of considerations meet in it, as though they have great affections rise up one way, yet they are checked again with the thoughts of
God s will, that they should do him service by their lives, which make them
but
* willing rather. And the opening of this negative part of the apostle s vindication and
renuntiation of these lower ends, argues a more noble, elevate, and gene rous temper and frame of spirit. And we gave* a character of a true
Christian, worthy of the profession of our Christianity, whereof all other
professions do fall short ; and answerably this interpretation, that I have
driven in this 4th verse, speaks of far greater spiritualness, suited to a
gospel spirit by far, than that they should be supposed to desire a change without dying at all, such a desire having a foundation only in that loathness
to die, which is so natural to us.