Chapter XII
The glory unto which the separate soul is received, demonstrated from this
consideration, that God is the efficient of it.
_ God hath
But lo ! a greater matter is here. It is not simply said,
wrought us for this; but, he that hath wrought for this thing is God,
thereby calling upon us to consider, how great an hand or efficient is here, even God, who hath discovered in a transcendent manner his glory, in the
ordaining and contriving of this work unto this great end. Take it not,
therefore, as a bare demonstration given from God s working us to this end, such as is common to other agents (as hath been said) ; but further, a
celebration of the greatness and glory of God, in his having contrived this
with so high an hand, like unto the great God ; and is as if he had said, There is a design in this worthy of God ; he hath shewn himself in this
to be the great God indeed. He that hath wrought us for this is God. When God s ordinary works are spoken of, it sufficeth himself to say, God did thus or this ; but when God s works of wonder, then often you
find such an illustrious note of reflection upon, and pointing at him, to have
done as God. And it is ordinary among men, when you would commend
the known worth of the artist, to say, He that wrought this, is such a man,
so to commend the workmanship.
And thus both when the Holy Ghost speaks of this glory itself (which
is the end for which here), his style is, whose builder and maker is God, Heb. xi. 10. And in like equipage here of preparation to that end, he
saith, He that hath wrought us for this thing is God. In this very
chapter, 2 Cor. v. (to go no further), when the great work of salvation, in
the whole of it, is spoken of, he prefaceth thus to it, All things are of
God, who hath reconciled us to himself, &c. ; that is, in this transaction he
hath appeared like that God of whom all things else are, and so more
eminently in this than in all, or at least any other, work. What^ there is
said of salvation in the whole, is here of that particular salvation of a
separate soul. You have the like emphasis put, Heb. ii. 10, of bringing many sons to glory ; it became him, says the text. Now put all together, and the result is
Obs. That to have provided a glory for separate souls of just men, wrought
upon in this life, is a dispensation becoming the great God ; yea, and that
there is an artifice and contrivement therein worthy of God, and like unto
himself, such as he hath shewed in other his works of wonder.
426 OF THE BLESSED STATE [CHAP. XII.
There are two branches of this doctrine, \vhich I set otherwise out thus:
1. That it is a thing becoming the great God, thus to deal with such a
separate soul, having been wrought upon.
2. That God hath designed, and brings forth, therein a glorious artifice and contrivement, such as argueth him a God wise in counsel, and wonder
ful in working.
1. It becomes God. The account of this becomingness is best made
forth, by comparing and bringing together into an interview, both the in ward and outward condition of such a soul, and then the relations which God bears to it, such as should thereupon move him (through his good pleasure) thus to deal with it. You know I at first undertook chief!} reasons of congruity or becomingness, and such always consist of two parts ; and when the one answereth and suiteth to the other, then the harmony of such a reason is made up.
(1.) Let us therefore consider on the soul s part,
[1.] The species, the kind, and intrinsecal rank of being, which this creature we call the soul, thus wrought upon, stands in afore God.
[2.] The outward condition or case this soul is left in upon its parting with the body, unless God take it up into glory.
[1.] For its rank or kind of being, there are two things. First, This soul was by its first creation a spirit, and that in the sub stance or native kind thereof, and in that respect (considered apart from
its union with the body) is in a more special manner allied unto God than
all other creatures (but angels) are. You have the pedigree of man both in respect of body and soul set out, Acts xvii., the extract of our bodies in
* He hath made of one blood all nations of men ; so then on that
ver. 26,
side, as we say, in respect of our bodies, there is a consanguinity of all men, being made of one blood, between one another. But then, in respect of our souls, we are God s offspring, ver. 28, and so on that side there
is an alliance (not of consanguinity) unto God, upon the account of having been created immediately by him, and in the very substance of our souls made like him, and in his image ; and yet we are not begotten of his essence or substance, which is only proper to his great Son. And in a correspon dency unto this God is styled, Heb. xii. 9, the Father of our spirits, in distinction from the fathers of our flesh, or bodies (see the words); which
alliance or fatherhood, take it as in common with all men s spirits, lieth in
this, that he not only created our souls immediately out of nothing, but in his own image, as to the substance of them, which image or likeness other creatures did not bear, which yet were made out of nothing, as the chaos was ; both which appear by putting two places together
: Zech. xii. 1, He frameth their spirits (speaking of the souls of men), and that altogether, saith the psalmist, Ps. xxxiii. 15 (so Ainsworth and others read it) ; that
is, both, each of those spirits, and also wholly and totally every whit of the substance of them, creatio est prodnctio totius entis ; for creation differs from
generation in this, that it is a raising up or producing the whole of a being out of mere nothing, that is to say, altogether; whereas generation presupposeth pre-existent matter, as in the generation of our bodies, which are not wholly and every whit of God immediately, but the parents afford the
stuff, the matter, and the formative virtue besides by which our bodies are framed. So, then, in respect of our first creation, our souls (apart con
sidered) are thus allied to God, which our bodies are not, being spirits in the very being of them, that altogether do owe that their being to him. But
CflAP. XII.] OF THE SAINTS IN GLOEY. 427
Secondly, There is a taint come upon the souls of all men by sin, so as
this alliance is thereby worn out, yea, forfeited, until it be restored. Now,
therefore, these souls (the only subject of our discourse) being such as God hath wrought, and are become his workmanship by a new and far
nobler creation, and thereby created spirit anew, according to what Christ
says, that which is born of the Spirit is spirit, John iii. 6. Hereupon these souls are spirit upon a double account ; as you say of sugar it is
double-refined, so this is now become a spiritual spirit, or spirit spiritualised and sublimated ; yea, and thereby the inward sanctuary, the holy of holies, the seat of God s most spiritual worship, Rom. vii. 22, 25, which the body
is not, but only as it is the outward temple or instrument of this new-made
spirit.
And hereupon that original affinity to God of spirit is not only restored, but endeared ; for now there is both the stuff, or the groundwork, and then
the workmanship or embroidery upon it, and both of them the works of God ; that so look as the gold wrought upon commends the enamel, and then again the enamel enhanceth the value of the gold, so as both are con
sidered in the price, so it is here with this soul wrought by God in both
respects.
[2.] Consider we now again the case and outward condition of such a
soul, that of itself would fall out to it upon the dissolution of the body.
First, It fails of all sorts of comforts it had in and by its union with the
body in this world : Luke xvi. 9, When you fail, says Christ, speaking of
death ; it is your city phrase when any of you break, and perhaps are
thereby driven into another kingdom, as the soul now is.
Secondly, Then if ever a man s flesh and his heart fail, Psalin
Ixxiii. 26.
Thirdly, And, which is worse, a man s faith faileth or ceaseth after death, and all his spiritual knowledge as in this life ; it is the express phrase used
1 Cor. xiii., at the 8th verse, and which is prosecuted to the end of that
chapter. And so all that communion it had with God in this life is cut
off. It is of all creatures left the most destitute and forlorn, if God pro vides not.
And yet, fourthly, it is now upon death (which it never was afore) immediately brought into the presence of God. Naked soul comes afore naked God : Eccles. xii. 7, Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was ; and the spirit shall return unto God that gave it. It is put out of house and home, and turned upon its Father again. Thus much as to the
soul s condition.
(2.) But, secondly, let us consider what it becomes God on his part to
do. This is a special season for God to shew his love to such a soul, if
ever afore or after ; an opportunity, such as falls not out, neither afore, whilst it was in the body, nor after, when it is united to the body again at the resurrection. If ever, therefore, he means to shew a respect unto a
poor soul, which is his so near kindred and alliance, it must be done now. We read in Ps. Ixxiii. 26, My flesh and my heart faileth, as at death to
be sure it doth, but God is the strength of my heart, both in this life and
at death, to support me, and my portion for ever, in the life to come, without any interruption or vacant space of time, as that ever imports. And
that David spake this with an eye unto the glory to come, when heart and
flesh, and all in this world he foresaw would fail him, is evident by what
he had immediately meditated in the words afore, ver. 24, Thou shalt
* and afterwards, that being
guide me with thy counsel ; so in this life ;
428 OF THE BLESSED STATE [CHAP. XII.
ended, shall receive me into glory. The contemplation whereof makes him cry out again, ver. 25,
< Whom have I in heaven but thee? For all things else will fail me one day, when my flesh utterly fails me also, and there is none upon earth (where he had at present many com forts and comforters) in comparison of thee. You see God is the portion of the whole of his time, even for ever, as ver. 26, and his estate in heaven and earth divide that time and portion between them, and no middle state between both, but when the one ceaseth the other begins, for between them two must be the for ever ; and when all fail him, which he had on
earth, then God alone becomes his happiness in heaven. But this only in
general shews what God is and will be to a soul in this condition.
But I having undertaken to proceed by way of congruity, I must further more particularly shew how, in a correspondency to this inward and outward state of this soul, he shews himself God, and how meet and becoming a
thing it is for God to receive it into glory, upon the consideration of many relations, which he professedly beareth to such a soul.
1. God is a Spirit, and thereupon, in a special manner (as Wisd. xi. 26), the Lord is a lover of souls above all his other creation. So it is there, Thou art merciful to all because they are thine, Lord, thou lover of souls. God is a Spirit. When therefore this naked and withal subli mated spirit (by its being born again by his own Spirit), and so assimilated to God himself, a pure spark, now freed and severed from its dust and ashes, flying up (or is carried rather by spirits, the angels, Luke xvi. 22, out of their like spiritual love to it as a spirit, Heb. i. 14) unto that great Spirit, that element of spirits, it will surely find union and coalition with him, and be taken up unto him ; for if, as Christ speaks, John iv. 23, God being a Spirit, therefore seeks for such as worship in spirit and truth ; that is, he loves, delights in such, as a man doth in a companion or friend who suits him. And doth God seek for such whilst they are on earth ? Then, surely, when such spirits shall come to him, and have such a grand occasion, and (indeed) the first occasion in such an immediate way to appear before him in such a manner, and upon such a change as this, as they never did before ; these spirits also having been the seat, the inner temple, of all this spiritual worship and sanctifying of him in this world ; surely God, who sought such afore, will now take them into his bosom and glory. We also read, Isa. Ivii. 15, 16, of the regard he bears to persons of a con trite and humble spirit, to revive them, upon this superadded consideration, that they are souls and spirit, and so thereby allied to him, the lofty One. Hear how in this case he utters himself: The Spirit would fail afore me, says he, and the souls which I have made. He speaks of their very souls properly and respectively considered, and them it is which he considering, and it moves him unto pity, for he speaks of that in man, whereof God is, in a peculiar manner, the maker or creator : The spirit which I have made, says he ; and it is one of the eminent titles he takes into his coat, The framer of the spirit* of man within him, Zech. xii. 1, as in many other places. This is argued also in that he speaketh of that in man, which
is the subject sensible of his immediate wrath : I will not contend for ever ; nor will I be always wroth. (This I have observed in what is public of mine.*) Now what moves him to remove his wrath from such an one ? The spirit would fail, says he. Now doth God thus profess to have a regard to them in this life, and that upon this account, that they are spirits, lest they should fail or faint ? and shall we not think that when indeed * Child of Light Walking in Darkness. [Works, Vol. III. of this edition. ED.]
CHAP. XII. J OF THE SAINTS IN GLORY. 429
otherwise they do fail (as after death you have heard, even now, Christ himself expresseth they would), and would, upon all these considerations
before-mentioned, sink into utter desolation, unless they were received
into everlasting habitations, as Christ there also speaks, do we think that God will not now entertain them ? The time is now come, the full time
to have pity on them.
2. God at this season forgets not, but full well remembers his relation of
being their creator both by the new, and also first creation, the new reviving and ingratiating the remembrance of the first : The souls which I have made, said he in Isaiah ; but, in our Peter, this is more express, and men
tioned as that which indeed moves God (and should be accordingly a
support to our faith) to take care of our souls when we come to die, even
upon this account, that he is the faithful creator of them, 1 Pet. iv. 19 :
Wherefore, let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the
keeping of their souls to him, in well-doing, as unto a faithful creator. He
speaks this specially unto such as were continually exposed unto persecu tion unto death for Christ in those primitive times ; which therefore ver.
12, he terms the fiery trial, and ver. 17, forewarns them of a time of
* the house of God, such
judgment which was begun, and going on upon
as they had not yet felt ; who yet, Heb. x. 32-34, had suffered reproach and spoiling of their goods, as Peter writes to the same Jews ; hereupon Peter pertinently instructs them to commit the keeping of their souls unto God ; at death it is that, when men s bodies are destroyed, and so the season when their souls to be separated therefrom, should be committed to God s
4 (as our translation) or lovely soul, when separate (as
care, as our darling-
others), as Christ in David speaks, Ps. xxii. ; and Peter had in his eye Christ s example, and pointed them thereunto, who at his death committed
his separate soul or spirit into the hands of God, Luke xxiii. 46 ; and the word
* commit (iragaQrisoftai) is one and the same in both these places, only there is this difference, that whereas Christ says, Father, I commit, Peter substitutes another title of God s (there being more than one relation
moving God, and strengthening our faith to this), even of faithful creator. And I understand not the first creation only or chiefly here meant by Peter, but the second creation chiefly, which brings into repute and acceptation with God the first again together with its own, and so God is thereupon engaged to be faithful in his care and provision for such souls, according to
his promises. And faithfulness doth always respect and refer unto pro mises. And my reason why thus I understand it, is, because I find God s
faithfulness still annexed unto his calling of us ; that is, converting us, which
is all one with this new creation: Faithful is he that hath called you; that is, made you new creatures, 1 Cor. i. 9 ; 1 Thes. v. 24 ; and I find
that David also urges it upon God as a motive, as in other psalms, so Ps.
cxxxviii. 8, Forsake not the work of thine hands ; that is, this double
workmanship of thine, of the first, and then superadded unto that of the second creation, which he urgeth thereby to move him to perfect the work
begun, and to be merciful unto him for ever, in the former part of that
verse.
3. God professeth himself the Father of spirits ; which relation,
though it speaks his being the Creator of them at the first, yet hath some
thing more of bowels in it. It says withal something further, when it falls
out that such spirits as he is a Father unto by the first creation are also
the subjects of his eternal love, by grace and election unto the adoption of * Psalm xxii. See Ainsw.
430 OF THE BLESSED STATE [CflAP. XII.
children, as Eph. i. 3-5 ; see the words ; which love having accordingly taken hold of their souls by a work of grace wrought upon them in this life,
thereby owning them as his in this case, that God that is a Father of their
spirits by the law of the first creation, is in a more transcendent manner become the Father of the same spirits by grace, and the second creation
superadded. Hence it falls out, in a parallel way, that (as was said) such
souls were become spirit upon a double account ; that is, spirits for the
substance of their being, and again spirit by being born again of the Spirit ; so answerably it is, that God stands in relation unto them as a Father of
their spirits upon the like double respect. And this is equitable upon a
very great account ; for this relation of Father is more eminent to his
grace by election, and then again by the grace of his second creation, than
it could be any way supposed to be by the first creation ; and therefore is
set and pitched in like singularity and eminency upon the same object, that is, their spirits. And hence it may well, yea, must, be supposed and
acknowledged, that if God did make such a darling of the soul, such an account of it by creation as to entitle himself so specially the Father
thereof, then certainly this love of grace much more hath in like equipage taken up the same gracious special relation in its kind, of Father there
unto. Not only because nature shall never be found to exceed grace in its
favours, but that indeed the motives are far greater, that God should extend
the like and greater privileges, where he meant to love, by election and
choice, than he did where he loved only by a due and meet law of creation. So that when God shall profess himself a Father to their spirit, speaking to such as are his elect, he strongly insinuateth thereby that he is by grace like
wise the Father of their spirits in a peculiar manner. And truly that speech of our Saviour at his death confirms it : Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit. It was not barely as a Father of his spirit by creation (as you
all know), but by everlasting love, and so in that respect also in a peculiar manner the Father of his spirit ; and therefore as to a Father he commends
his separate spirit unto him. And this he did, although he was to rise again in less than three whole days space. Now we read, -neb. xii. 9, the apostle, to hold forth this very relation of God s being a Father of spirits, with this promise thereunto annexed, that
they should live ; which relation of Father, &c., although it be there expli
citly spoken in respect of their first creation, which is common unto the
saints with others, yet being uttered of and unto men in the state of grace
(as those were supposed whom he there exhorteth, and that to move them
to be subject unto him as such, with promise that they should live), it
evidently respecteth not merely the relation of Father in respect of what was past, the act of creating them, but it looketh to the future, that they depended upon him, as children do upon fathers for their future livelihood; so these, for to live in him, and with him, as a Father to their spirits by
grace, for I take hold of that word, and live. This life is well inter
preted by verse 14, They shall see God ; that is, be glorified. And so
I conclude all this, that if he would have them be subject unto God in
holiness, as upon that relation, as unto the Father of spirits, with this
promise, that they should live, then surely one special aim of the promise
is answerable, and hath this eye, that God, as the Father of their spirits,
will therefore take care of their spirits singly, and so when separate, that
they shall live ; and that accordingly he will give demonstration of this
special relation borne to their spirits (when the occasion shall be), con
sidered apart in bestowing this life on them. And truly when is it more
CHAP. XII. J OF THE SAINTS IN GLORY. 431
proper for him to shew himself a Father, than when their souls, after their
subjection to him in holiness here accomplished, and when that as naked
spirits they come to stand in need, and stand afore him in his presence, being now turned out of house and home, and quite cashiered out of this
world, and come stripped and naked of all but holiness unto their Father
(for it is said, They return to God that gave them ), who proves to be
their Father by grace ? And doubt not of it but he will certainly then own
them, and give them a Father s blessing, and not reject them as if they were but bastards and no children (as that chapter to the Hebrews speaks), but as spirits, who [are] as sons that have served him, and been subject to him.
4. Add to this, fourthly, God his being our God, which is more home to the demonstration of this point than all the former. The text says,
* He
that wrought us for this is God. I add, he is your God. And this alone,
if we will take the Scripture s verdict, will carry it ; and, lo, as he is styled the Father of spirits in common, and yet withal a Father of their spirits out of special love, so in like manner he is styled both the God of the
spirits of all flesh, Num. xvi. 22 (that is, of man, Job xii. 10), thus in common ; and also to his elect,
* I am your God by grace. And these two relations, God and Father, are commensurate, and exactly parallel, whether they be applied unto all men common, or to the elect in special ; he is termed the God of the spirits, and likewise the Father of the
spirits of all men; so in common answerably he is your God, and your Father by special grace to his elect, both which in this latter respect you find yoked hand in hand, Job xx. 17. Look how far he is a God of the
one, so far a Father also extendeth in the other ; and look how far that he
is our God, so far reacheth also that he is our Father. If therefore the God of our spirits to provide for them, because he is our God, then answerably the Father of our spirits in the like peculiarness, because our Father. And
so the proof of this fourth particular will add further strength and confir mation to that we presented in the former.
Now, that his being our God (which is the substance of the covenant of
grace) doth engage him to provide glory for separate souls, that one in stance of Abraham (the father of the faithful, and we all his sons personated in him) is a sufficient evidence. God did profess himself the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and unto Abraham, Gen. xv. 1, personally, I am thy abundant reward (which respected the life to come), and his
friend, 2 Chron. xx. 7.
Now, the Scriptures of the New Testament do improve this relation of God s unto us unto two inferences drawn from Abraham s instance, whereof the one is the point afore us.
The first is Christ s inference from thence, that therefore Abraham s soul
: for God is not the God of the dead, but of the living, Mat. xxii. 32. Thus Christ.
lives ; and Abraham, both soul and body, shall rise again
2. Paul s collection from, the same promise is, that God had provided in the mean time for Abraham s soul, afore the resurrection, a city and an house therein for him. Thus Heb. xi. 16, But now they desire a better
: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called
country, that is, an heavenly
their God ; for he hath prepared for them a city. To give light to this: Paul had represented the story and case of Abraham and the rest of the
patriarchs in the verses afore to have been this, that God had indeed pro mised the land of Canaan to him and them, ver. 8, 9, whereupon, ver. 13,
it is said, that these all died in faith, not having received the promises,
432 OF THE BLESSED STATE [CHAP. XII.
being strangers in the land ; yea, not having a foot of land in the land of
promise, as Stephen speaks, Acts vii. 5-7. And also Paul, in the 9th verse of this Heb. xi. Now, then, when they died, what was it their faith
expected instead thereof? The 10th verse tells us, He looked for a city, whose maker and builder is God ; from which compared observe, that when he died, his faith is thus pitched to look for this city, instead of that land of Canaan promised. This was the expectation of their faith on their
part. Well, but how doth it appear [that this flowed from God s having professed himself to be the God of Abraham, &c., his reward, and his friend? You have this clear in the 16th verse, where you have the whole summed up as the conclusion of the story, and as the proof and ground hereof,
* but now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly ; there
is their faith and expectation when they should come to die. Then it
follows, Wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God ; for he hath prepared for them a city ; which is spoken in full answer to that
their expectation at their deaths, to shew that God, in professing himself
to be their God, he had thereby engaged himself, according to his own
intent, in that promise, to make this provision for them at their deaths. The words are express
: wherefore God is not ashamed. What should
this mean, in this coherence, but that his declaring himself to be their God did import and carry this with it, that he had provided this estate for them at their death, even an heavenly ; and that otherwise (as the apostle
glosseth upon it) he had not come up unto the amplitude of, not filled full
this covenanted engagement and profession of his being their God. Will
you have it in plain English (as we speak) ? If he had not made this provi sion for their souls, he would have been ashamed to have been called their God. Thus deeply doth this oblige him, that he is our God and Father, which is the point in hand.
And judge of this in the light of all that reason we have hitherto carried
along ; and again, let this inference of the apostle mutually serve to con firm us in all that reason. For poor Abraham to be driven out of his own
country by God, who called him to his foot, and said no more, but as a master to his servant, Take your cloak and follow me (who must presently, without more ado, trig and foot it after his master), as Isa. xli. 2, and then to live a stranger in the land of promise, upon the faith that God would be his God : which faith in him was also to cease when he came to
die ; if this God in this case should not have taken care to answer his
faith in some greater way, instead of the possession of Canaan, and that
after, upon his being turned out of that country too, which he sojourned in
during this life ; if God had not provided another house, or country, or city for his soul, that was to live, to bring it into, when it should be deprived of all in this world, the apostle tells us, God (in this case) would have been ashamed to have been called his God : which now, having provided so abundantly for him upon dying, there is superabundant cause to say, God is not ashamed ; for that is a diminutive, implying that he infinitely exceedeth that their expectation could be supposed to be.
Let us but view the force of this inference of the apostle s (and so of all
the reasonings hitherto read) but according to man, or what is found
amongst men (and God will be sure infinitely to surpass men in his ways of favour). Take an ordinary friend ; if his friend be turned out of house and home, plundered, banished, driven out of all, as the steward in that
parable, Luke xvi., was, and comes to his friend at midnight, as in that
other parable, Luke xi. 5, 6, will not his friends entertain him into their
CHAP. XII.] OF THE SAINTS IN GLORY. 433
houses, as verse 9 of Luke xv. ; yea, and rise at midnight to do it, as verses 5, 6 in that parable of Luke xi. Shall profession of friendship engage and oblige men to do this, and shall not God s professing himself to be our G-od, father, and friend, engage his heart much more ? Nay, will he not so entertain them, as shall exceed all wonderment ? What need I say more than this ? Wherefore he is not ashamed to be called their God. He will therefore give you an entertainment that shall be worthy of his being your God.
5. The fifth and last consideration is, that these separate souls having done and finished all their work, that in order to glory God hath appointed them for ever to do, they now at death appear afore him as a judge and rewarder. And that is the fifth relation moving God to bestow at this season such a glory on them. How that then the soul returns to God, you have heard again and again out of Eccles. xii. 7, and that it is upon the account of his being the judge thereof at the end of their work in this life. The Chaldee paraphrase hath long since glossed upon it : It returns to God, that it may stand in judgment afore him. In this life it came unto God by faith, as the apostle speaks, believing that God is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him, Heb. xi. 6 ; and now at the end of its faith it comes unto God for the reward of its faith, as some inter pret that 1 Pet. i. 9 (which we so largely have insisted on). This is cer tain, that in that promise to Abraham, to be his God, Gen. xv. 1, he intended and included his being to him an exceeding great reward. And so we come to connect this fifth head with the foregoing. And, therefore, if the being his God moved him to prepare that city against his death (as hath been said), then surely his being his reward doth also then take place. I shall not omit it, because it falls in the next chapter, Heb. xii. 23, that in that stupendous assembly of heaven, God the judge of all is mentioned between
< the church of the first-born which are written in heaven : this afore ; and the spirits of justified men made perfect
: this after it ; for there are none of these first-born, or the spirits of just men, do come to sit down there, but they pass the award of this judge first, for they sit down by him ; and surely, having done all their work in the time of that day is allotted to each man to work in, it is a righteous thing with God to give them a reward in the evening of this day (which is Christ s time set for rewarding, and it is the twelfth and last hour succeeding the eleventh of the day,* Mat. xx. 6 and 9 compared), which is when the night of death comes. Now there is a law given by God, Lev. xix. 13, that the wa^es to a man hired should be given him, by him that set him a-work, in his day, that is, says the Septuagint, the very same day, so as his work, or the wages of his work,
< abide not with thee all the night until the morning, says God, Deut. xxiv. 15. Did God take care for hirelings, when their work was done, not to stay any space of time, no, not a night ? and doth he not fulfil this himself unto his sons that serve him ? Surely yes ; he defers not, nor puts them off to the morning of the resurrection, as the psalmist elegantly calls it, Ps. xvii. 15. It abides not with him all that dark and lonesome night, or space after death, in which their bodies rest in the grave, which is termed man s long home, Eccles. xii. 5 : and, The days of darkness are many, says Solomon. No ; he rewards them in the evening of the day, besides what he will add to it in the morning. It is observable that Rev. vi. 9, 10, concerning the separate souls slain for Christ, that whilst they cry for justice on their enemies only
< And * See Burgensis, Maldonat., &c. VOL. VII. E e
434 OF THE BLESSED STATE [CHAP. XII.
when he had opened the sixth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them
that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held :
and they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, Lord, holy and
true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the
earth ? that they had white robes given them to quiet them in the mean
time : ver. 11, And white robes were given unto every one of them ; and
it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season ; till
they heard that vengeance also was executed on that Koman empire for
their bloodshed. And thus to deal is a righteous thing with God.
Thus you have seen the point confirmed from all sorts of relations that God bears unto us, by congruous reasons, that so it becometh God, the
* He that hath wrought us for this thing is God. And
great God, to do.
so much for this branch of this second doctrine.
2. The second branch of it is this, that there is a glorious contrivement
and workmanship carried on in this dispensation of his, like unto the great God indeed. This carries on this point yet higher ; for it is not only an
ordination becoming God (upon the respects mentioned), but there is an
artifice, a workmanship in it, such as he useth to shew in his works of won
der, even in this, that he should work upon men s souls in this life, and
then bring them into a glory he had in the mean space been a-working also
for those their souls. This is the great God indeed. When God secretly bestows cost and curiosity in preparing matters for
such or such an end, and then again as hiddenly hath laid out a greater
art, skill, and workmanship upon that end itself; and then hath exactly
suited and matched the one to the other : when all comes to be finished,
and both wrought and brought together, then will an infinite surpassing
glory arise unto God out of all, which deserveth to have this notoriety,
that is here put upon it, he that hath wrought this for that is God. And
10, this is found here, which is demonstrated, if we view,
(1.) Each of these workmanships singly and apart.
(2.) Jointly, as designed and fitted each to the other.
: If there were no such ordination of the one for the
(1.) Each singly
other, yet so considered, they deserve to have each an He that hath
wrought this is God to be written under it.
[i.J For his artifice in working us in this life. Learned Cameron* hath
but one note upon this whole fifth chapter, and it falls to be upon this
< who hath wrought, and it is this : This word (says he), as
very word
used by the Septuagint, signifies rein expolire rudem et informem. 6 ds xarse-
yaffapsvos, to polish a thing that is rude and without fashion ; for which
he gives instance out of Exod. xxxv. 33, in Bezaleel s work (whom, as the
* God hath filled with his Spirit in all wis
31st, 32d verses speak of him,
dom, in all workmanship, to devise cunning work ). And again, the
same word is used of the temple-work (that other was for Moses s taber
nacle), 1 Kings vi. 26, by Solomon, which how transcendent a structure it
was, you have all read or heard. An infinitely surpassing art then hath
the Spirit himself (who is the immediate worker in this) shewn in the fram
ing, and hewing, and curiously carving and engraving those living stones,
that grew up into a temple unto God, 1 Pet. ii. 5; especially considering
the utter remoteness, indisposedness, yea, crookedness, and perverseness in
the matter wrought upon (our souls, filled with the contrary form and work
manship of Satan), Ye are his workmanship, says the_ apostle, Eph.
11. 10. And truly, if we could enlarge upon all the varieties of dealings
In his Myrotliecium.
CHAP. XII.] OF THE SAINTS IN GLORY. 435
God useth to each soul to work it, the several sorts of gracious dispositions he impresseth and carveth upon it, the manifold actings of every soul drawn forth by him, you may take a view of some in the very next chapter to that of my text, 2 Cor. vi., from the 4th verse : In much patience, in
afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings ; by pureness, by knowledge, by long-suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, by honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report : as deceivers, and yet true ; as unknown, and .yet well known ; as dying, and, behold, we live ; as chastened, and not killed ; as sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing ; as poor, yet making many rich ; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things. ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged. What a glorious embroidery upon the soul of a poor believer will in all these things appear, when finished ! Ps. xlv. 13, 14 :
< The king s daughter is all glorious within : her clothing is of wrought gold. She shall be brought unto the king in raiment of needle work.
[2.] For his art and workmanship bestowed in the glory of the soul in the other world; if any work (bat Christ, God-man) be his master-piece, it is the framing of that house and building spoken of verse 1 of this chap ter. We have a building of God, a house not made with hand : and the llth of the Hebrews, ver. 10, expressly useth two artificial words, riy/irn$, the artificer in it, and dq/uovpyls, the builder of it, that is, who" hath shewn his art and skill in building of it. So then in each his workman ship appears. I do but add this towards the confirmation of the main point in hand.
Hath the great God perfected both works upon the soul, as much as he means to work, in heaven ? also prepared* a building for it ? and will he then (think we) let both lie empty ? Of the one, says Heb. xi. 16, He hath prepared for them a city; of the soul, in like manner, he hath wrought us for this self-same thing. Will God (think we) leave this his house to stand desolate, when he hath been at such cost in both ? Doth any man or landlord build or repair an house, and then let it lie empty, when he hath a tenant fit for it? God is said not to be a foolish builder in respect to perfecting ; and he is much less a careless builder, to neglect to take his tenants into it, when both are ready and fitted each for other. This for the first, viz., the consideration of each singly.
(2.) Let us consider them next jointly ; that is, as they are in such a manner wrought apart, so as to suit and match one the other, when brought together in that manner, as it must be said of them,
< For this thing hath God wrought us ; yea, and therein it is he hath appeared to be the great God.
For therein, even to wonderment, doth the glory of God in his works appear, and that he is wise in counsel, and wonderful in working, when he hath hiddenly contrived one thing for another, whenas each are in them selves and apart glorious. It is said by David of himself (and it is true of all men in their measure), Ps. cxxxix. 15, I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth ; that is, in my mother s womb, as the context shews; which are termed the lower parts of the earth, as when Christ is said, Eph. iv., to have descended into the lower parts of the earth ; that is, to be conceived in the womb of a virgin. When * Qu. to work? In heaven also prepared ? ED.
436 OF THE BLESSED STATE [CHAP. XII.
a child is born, a lump of flesh animated with a soul comes forth curiously
wrought, &c., but wrought for what? In David s person (in which this
was spoken) it was for a kingdom, the supremest condition of enjoyments
in this world. But in every other man that is born, it is, that he was
curiously wrought, in a fitness and capacity to all things that are in this
world, made and prepared exactly for it, long afore it came into the world ;
you may see it in Adam (our first pattern) more lively. God was busy for
six days in making this world ; the angels all that while stood wondering
with themselves to what end, or for whom all this was prepared, Job
xxxviii. 7. At the end of the sixth day they saw God to set down into the
world this little thing called man, and then they ceased their wonderment ;
for they saw all this world (prepared aforehand) set in man s heart, and all
in man curiously wrought and fitted for all things made in this world, richly
to enjoy, as 1 Tim. vi. 17. We may apply that in the text to this ; it
appeared, that he that made man for this selfsame thing is God ; both
works of wonder apart, and yet as fitted to each other. All wonderment
exceeding I might much more enlarge upon the suiting of Christ the head
and husband, and the church his body and wife, wrought and growing up
to him in all ages, both apart secretly and hiddenly prepared, and each so
glorious in themselves, and yet put together. Let us refer our admiration
hereat until the latter day. Just thus it is in fitting the soul for that glory ;
and again, that glory in heaven for that soul : God works the one for the
other apart. The very similitude in the former verses do import so much ;
he styleth glory in heaven being a clothed upon, and holiness here he com
pares to an under garment, which that of glory is to be put over, or upon. There was never a curious artist in making garments that ever took mea
sure of the proportions of an upper and under garment, to fit the one to
the other, as God hath in proportioning his work upon us here, and his
preparation of glory for each of us in the world to come. He hath took
exact measure, and his law is (that designed his own workings on both
hands aforehand), that every man shall receive his own reward according
to his own labour, 1 Cor. iii. 8. Now the artifice of God in both these lies in this, that each are hiddenly
contrived apart, and yet so gloriously matched, as wrought one for the
other ; which is an argument as if two artificers, the one in the East Indies,
the other in the West, should the one make the case, the other make the
watch, unknown each to other, and both workmanships of the highest
curiosity in their kind, and when both brought together they exquisitely
fit the one the other.
And what, have I been telling you all this while an artificial pleasant
story ? Doth not this scripture tell the very same ? For a close, do but
now at last take a view and prospect of our apostle s whole discourse, the
round and circle whereof begun at ver. 16 of chap, iv., and endeth with
my text ; and do you not find it speak (to use the text s language) the very
selfsame thing ?
1. He tells us there of an inward man renewed whilst the outward is
a-perishing, to the end it may live and subsist alone, when the body is
wholly dissolved (there he lays his foundation). And is not this all one
with what the text says ? God works us (these souls) day by day, even as
the child is curiously wrought in the womb, to subsist of itself alone in
this world ; so this inward man in that other.
2. He then immediately subjoins, ver. 17, that all afilictions (which are
nothing else but the perishings of this outward man), as also all things and
CHAP. XII.] OF THE SAINTS IN GLORY. 437
dispensations else that do befall us, they are secretly at work too all that
while ; so set to work by God (who works the inner man daily unto such
a measure of grace) and these to work, and by his ordination procure a
proportionable weight, for God works all these things in weight and
* our light affliction works for us a far more exceeding and
measure ;
eternal weight of glory as shall in a comely and in the exactest manner
answer and suit that curious workmanship on the inward man ; and it is
observable that the same word for working is used in that verse that is used
in my text ; but yet these are but outwardly a-work, as inferior artificers
or instruments. Therefore,
3. He .further declares, ver. 1 of this chapter, that God himself is at work about this glory, who as the master-workman that hath the draft and
platform of all afore him, drawn by his own designing, he viewing the
inward work on us, the outward work of means and dispensations, and knows aforehand what degree of holiness to bring us ultimately unto ; he
according unto these, as patterns, is a-framing a building for us in heaven,
exactly suited to the working of all the other, which building he prepares and makes ready for this inner man to entertain it when the body is dis
solved : If our earthly house were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, of either men or means, or of our own
graces, but of God. But every soul hath a state of glory proportioned to
all these, ready built for it against this time ; even as statues in stone are
framed and carved to be set up in such a curious arch framed for them by
the builder. Now then,
4. Add but the words of my text, which is the close of this his discourse, and it opens all the scene, He that wrought us for the selfsame thing is
God. The apostle s conclusion answers his beginning ; he began in chap,
iv. ver. 16, and the circle ends in my text. And this is God, who is wise
in working and wonderful in counsel.
Obs. 3. That it is the interest and engagement of all three_ persons to
see to it that a righteous separate soul be brought to glory at dissolution. And this carries it yet higher, even to the highest, and gives the most
superabundant security and assurance of this thing that can be given, and
superadds above all the former. But you will ask me how I fetch this out
of my text ? Thus,
1. You see here are two persons expressly named, God the Father,
namely, and the Spirit. This is a rule, that where the name God, and
then some other besides of the two persons, Christ or the Spirit, are men
tioned therewith as distinct, there God is put personally (not essentially
only) to express the Father ; now here the Spirit or Holy Ghost is men
tioned distinct from God, for it is said that this God hath given the
Spirit, which also Christ so often speaketh of the Father as I need not
insist on it.
2. It is another rule, that in any scripture where two persons are
mentioned as concurring in any thing or matter, there the other third
person also must be understood to have his special share therein also, as when he wisheth grace and peace from God the Father, and from Jesus
Christ ; it is certain the Holy Ghost is as specially understood, as indeed we find him in that apostolical blessing as distinctly spoken of^ as the
Father or Christ. Thus it must be here, Christ must be taken in, who
also in John is so often said to give the Spirit when the Father gives him,
* for this same thing. But, 3, you have even Christ also not far off interested in this self-same
as it is said here he hath
438 OF THE BLESSED STATE [CHAP. XII.
thing in the next verse and verse 8 : absence from the Lord/ whilst in the body, ver. 6 ; and presence with the Lord, when separate from the body, ver. 8. This Lord is Christ ; the phrase of the New Testament
< this day with me, to be where I am and see my glory; so Christ. To be with Christ, is best of all ; and we shall be ever with the Lord. So Paul. Use 1. Doth God work us for this thing ere he brings us to it ? What hath God wrought hitherto upon thee or thee in order to this end ? It is a blunt question, but the text puts it in my mouth, How many souls are there living in the profession of Christianity that know not what this means, to have a work wrought on them, anew upon them, over and above what moral honesty, which was nature s portion, and the common profession of
concerning Christ runs in this style, to be with Christ,
Christianity adds thereunto by custom and mere education ? An honest Turk, professing also and observing the principles of his religion, upon the ground of his education only (and a religion every man must have), will as soon go to heaven as thou, for all thy religion is founded but upon the like foundation that his is. I tell thee, that Christian religion is not a thing so cheap, nor salvation by Christ at so low a rate. Thou must have a work upon thy soul suited unto all the truths thus professed, in the power and
efficacy of them. They must enter thy soul by a spiritual faith and frame, and mould it anew to a likeness to them. Carry home therefore the caveat our apostle hath put in ver. 3, If so be that being clothed, we be not found naked of grace and holiness wrought, and Christ s righteousness by spiritual efficacious faith applied (faith in earnest), bowing the soul to be obedient unto Christ, as heartily and as honestly as it expects salvation by Christ, as without which thou wilt never be saved. This is our religion ; and when at death thy soul, thy poor lonesome soul, being tstripped of all
things in this world even the body and all shall come afore the great God and Jesus Christ, what will the inquiry be ? as Mat. xxii. 11, When the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man had not the wedding-garment, he spied him out ; and the man was speechless, ver. 12 ; Take him and bind him, says he,
< and cast him into ntter darkness, ver. 13. The other ^that were clothed were admitted unto the marriage ; and as the
psalmist, the words of which are here alluded unto, She was brought unto the king (the very title which in both these places is given to Christ, see ver. 11)
< in raiment of needle-work, and this clothing is of God s working, and so my text falls in with both ; there is no admission unto Christ with out it. This is the first use. Use 2. Hath God begun to work this good work in thee ? He will
;^ whereof the text gives this assurance, that he hath wrought it for this thing, that is, for this end, and God will not lose his end. Besides he says he hath given earnest.
perfect it
Use 3. Thou saint, be content to live ; for whilst thou livest thou art under God s working in order unto glory. Value life ; it is a season of being wrought upon ; and to be sure thou shalt live no longer than whilst God is some way or other a-working this. What an advantage is it that
all thy sins, occasioned by living long, shall surely be forgiven, and nothing of thy score be uncut off for thee, but all the righteousness that is wrought upon thee, and wrought by thee, and therefore wrought by thee because upon thee, for being wrought upon we work, and all is rather, God hath wrought us, than that we have wrought all thy righteousness (I say) shall remain for ever. All the time thou remainest in this life thy soul is
ripening or maturing for glory.
CHAP. XIII.] OF THE SAINTS IN GLOKY. 489
How great a comfort is that ! In explicating the doctrinal part, I gave instance of a child in the womb curiously wrought all that time in order
to its living and subsisting afterwards in this world, Ps. cxxxix. 15. It is a dark place the womb which the child is wrought in ; and it lives there
in a stifled condition, it cannot breathe, it takes nourishment but at the navel (a way invented and prepared of God merely for that season), it lies
boiling, tossing, and tumbling, and sleeping away the most of its time, and
gives now and then a faint stirring to shew it is still alive, and it is a life
scarce worth the name of life ; well, but all this is a-being wrought and
fitted to live another freer and braver life in this world. And this is your present case : your life is hid, it is to come ; all that you find in this world
is but that God hath wrought you for the self-like thing. And if this
child we spake of should be forced out of the womb afore the due time,
it would have the more imperfect life in this world ; so here, if you could
suppose a saint should die afore the full birth of his soul s being wrought on. Therefore be content to wait God s leisure until your change shall come.
Use 4. No matter what befalls thee, so it works towards this end ; let whatever be, so thou findest God to go on with this design, that he works
upon thy soul ; be it upward, in communion with himself, or downward, in disowning thyself, thy vileness and corruptions, so it works. Thou hast
afflictions that break thy heart, as reproach broke Christ s heart, says the
psalmist in his name ; no matter, so they work upon thy soul. Know then
that they are set a-work by the hand that sent them, to work a far
exceeding weight of glory for thee: If by any means (says Paul), no matter what, so the work go on. A carver comes with his chisels, and
cuts off this piece, and cuts into that part of the stone ; no matter, a stately
statue, bearing the image of some person of honour, is to be set up for
perpetuity, and is accordingly a-framing ; so, though God carves his image out of thy flesh, no matter. Comfort thyself, and think not much at any condition whilst (as Paul says) it turns to thy salvation. Election sent thee not into this world to have a great name (perhaps God will load it), nor to be rich, or to have power, but to work thee for this selfsame thing, and if thou seest that plough a-going (though it makes deep furrows on thy back, yea, heart), yet so that this seed be sown therein, rejoice,
* for thou
shalt bring thy sheaves with thee. For myself, so that I find election
pursuing its design, of making me holy, and blessing me with spiritual
blessings in heavenly places, as Eph. i. 4, 1 care not, I would not care, what
befalls me in this world.