Chapter XIII
Whether the state of glory into ivhich separate souls enter after death, and in which they live until the resurrection, be not different from that which they shall possess after that glorious day, and in what the difference consists.
Before I can set forth any positive particulars of their blessedness, I find
it necessary to discuss this question, whether there be not two several
states of glory after this life.
1. Of souls separate, differing from that which is,
2. After the day of judgment. Towards the resolution of this,
1. I give this explanation, that I intend not this difference simply of
440 OF THE BLESSED STATE [CHAP. XIII.
degrees of glory, but of something further, although I confess I know not what term to express it by, as whether I should call them several removes from glory to glory, or several conditions of glory rather than states. However, I think there is more than a difference simply of degrees, for this
reason, because differing degrees of glory, in the several persons that are
glorified, do accompany each of these states (if so I may call them). As for example, one degree of glory is given to Paul, another to Apollos, or to any one is given ordinary, another to more eminent saints. Such degrees of glory are supposed to accompany them, with a various difference accord
ing to their works. The souls of men that die in the Lord have in their
separate condition a variety of degrees of glory among them, according to their works ; for of them it is said, Rev. xiv., that
< their works do follow them, which is all one as to say, as of the last reward of judgment it
is said, they have a blessedness proportionable to what that condition will bear and suit to, or according to their works. For to
< rest from their labours is equal and alike to all; but of the positive reward it is said, that their works follow them (as the measure of God s dispensation), and follow them to procure an answerable and suitable reward unto that condition which such souls are then in. This difference therefore of degrees runs along through all, from first to last, unto eternity; but differing conditions, or differing states of glory is another thing, and of that ia the query to be understood.
The propositions therefore which I assert are these, I. That there are several states after the separation of the soul, or after death, which the souls of saints do run through.
II. That they attain not their fulness of glory, for all sorts of glory, till after the day of judgment.
It is evident from the instance or example of Christ himself, our pattern and forerunner in all ; for that rule which Christ utters upon the point of persecution is general, and will hold true here, that the servant is not above his master, who purchased all that the servant is to enjoy. Now it
is evident that Christ himself, as to his soul, did not attain a glory during its separate estate in any proportion like unto that he had when risen again, nor such as he had after he ascended, and was received up to glory, as Paul s speech is, 1 Tim. iii. 16. Nay, his soul could not have attained it, although all that which his soul was to suffer was, as himself said, It is finished (and unto the consummation of the sufferings of his soul doth that speech refer); yet his whole person, yea, and his soul, remained still under a state of humiliation, because his body, and in respect thereof his person, had not yet satisfied for the utmost farthing, which remained still to be paid ; and therefore it had been improper for his soul to have entered into a fulness of glory whilst that part of the man Jesus, viz., his body, the copartner of that soul, yea, of that person, was under that first curse, which was, To dust thou shalt return. His soul also was in its widow hood or separation, and thereby as yet so far partaker of that first curse,
viz., of being severed from the body, which was a part of the curse, and is a forlorn estate of itself in respect to the primitive ordination of God at the
first creation of man.
Yea, Christ when ascended had not his full glory, neither hath it until that great day of the resurrection ; for he is in expectation of his glory being more completed in the entire conquest of all his enemies, Heb. x. 13. Likewise till then he wants his body, which is the church, which is his
fulness, Eph. i. 23, and therefore doth come then to be admired in all his
CHAP. XIII.] OF THE SAINTS IN GLORY. 441
* When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and admired in all them that believe. Only this privilege indeed falls on
saints : 2 Thes. i. 10,
his part, as he is Lord, and the first fruits of all, that as he rose on the
third day, to the end that he might not see corruption, so being ordained our forerunner, Heb. iv., and to prepare a place for us, he therefore was
first in the mean while to govern the world, and to enter into glory long afore us, he yet expecting our accomplishment, and we being expectants of
that full glory he in the mean time enjoys. Hence, therefore, it may well become us, and it may well be entertained by us poor creatures, as to
follow our Lord wherever he goes, so to pass through whatever conditions he run through; and that not only whilst our souls are widows to that other part of manhood, according to nature (and it is becoming that the
soul without it should not be perfect), but withal, in respect of that curse
I will not call it now, but sentence of death pronounced against us all in Adam, which arrested the soul when it was first separated /rom the body, and is continued during its separate condition. The soul, therefore, cannot be supposed in this estate to have that full enfeoifment unto
glory, whilst the other half of man, and itself too, remains under such a
sentence.
Hence the stream of the New Testament runs and centres in the great day as carrying away the glory from all afore it ; and also, as being that
day for the misery of the wicked, as if there were none else till then. All
is everywhere almost referred unto that day, both for punishment to the wicked and reward to the godly. The bad are but as kept in prison, 1 Peter iii. 19, though with some torment, Luke xvi, but the great punish ment is to follow after the resurrection and judgment, which is called
therefore the resurrection of damnation, John v. 29. I will name but one scripture common to both : 2 Thes. i. 7-9, And to you who are
troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ : who
shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the
Lord, and from the glory of his power. Insomuch as it was the occasion
to the fathers almost generally to speak so low things of this interim con
dition, and is an occasion unto others either wholly to deny any glory to
souls separate, or greatly to diminish from it with respect to the generality of the saints departed, as the papists and others do. And it is certain
that the glory of the last day will comparatively rise to be so great, as this
of the soul separate hath no glory in comparison of it. And the principles of our common Christianity (which are related in Scripture concerning this
point) afford this responsible ground for it, harmonious to reason.
1. For then, and not till then, Christ hath all his saints about him, and himself (as was said) is complete every way. 2. Then, and not till then, it is that the soul and body are united
together again, for Christ redeemed the body as well as the soul; and if
the fathers were not perfect without us, Heb. xi. 40, then by the same
reason is not the soul perfect without the body. God s charge to Christ
was, as to lose none of his number, so to lose ou<5b, nothing of them, and
therefore not only to entertain their souls, but also to raise their bodies. John vi. 39, And this is the Father s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. God hath the soul of Abraham with him, but still he
reckons he hath not Abraham, that is, the whole of him, until the resur-
442 OF THE BLESSED STATE [CHAP. XIII.
rection; for from thence Christ argues that Abraham must rise, because God is called Abraham s God, Mat. xxii. 82.
I 3. At the latter day, and not till then, there comes to be a full assembly of all saints : 2 Thes. i. 10, When he shall come to be glorified in all them that believe. He shall then have all about him, and his body com
plete; and till then, before that time, it will still be said, as in another
case, there are brethren not yet fulfilled. A general assembly there falls not out until then ; and if it was reasonable to quiet the separate souls to
stay till the rest of their brethren should be killed, then it is as reasonable to quiet them to stay out their full glory, till all of the saints (whether to be killed or not) are fulfilled, or their number accomplished, crA^wrfoi/ra/, that so, as Christ says, All may rejoice together, John iv. 36.
4. There is the solemnity, the pomp of Christ s entrance, when (as the
apostle to the Hebrews, Heb. i. 6, speaks), where God bringeth his first
begotten into the world, attended with all the angels, and appearing in the utmost glory of his Father, on purpose to be admired in his saints, and by the glory he bestows upon them. No wonder, then, if the great glory be reserved to that day, whereas this admission of our souls in the mean time
unto glory is as a secret entrance incognito, as we say, which is done every day, and apart singly.
5. The glory of our souls in the mean while is but an occasional dispen sation for a short time, and brought in by death the fruit of sin. They are in the case of friends, who by some present disaster are put out of house and home, and come to us unawares and on the sudden. This condition is occasioned by the curse upon Adam s fall, Thou shalt die. Souls thereupon returning to God, do recommend themselves into his
hands, as driven out of house and home. He therefore bestows them, as
it were, in the mean while, as well as may be for that condition. He
lodgeth them in beds, Isa. Ivii. 2, conveniently, suitably to that their estate, but this is but for a shift, and till they shall be better provided for ; but the glory after the latter day was the great thing designed afore sin or death fell out, or redemption from sin. That fulness of glory the body and soul was ordained unto is the centre of all God s decrees concerning us. It is regnum antemundanum, and it shall remain for ever without any accident "or change to intervene or interupt it. ,We shall be ever with the Lord, whereas afore, though our souls were with the Lord, yet so as Christ and we seem for a season to part, and our souls come down into our bodies, and rise to meet the Lord (as the same place shews), but this latter dis
pensation of glory is once for all, and to hold to eternity one and the same
unchangeably, 1 Thes. iv. 16, 17. The dead in Christ shall rise, and then be caught up to meet the Lord : And so we shall be ever with the Lord. That is the condition afterwards, which admits not (no, not for the twinkling of an eye) so much as any looking off from him, much less a
parting for ever. No wonder then, if God hath so reserved the splendour of glory for that day, and then makes a new state of glory, as if there had been no glory afore.
The third is, 1, to find out what is common to the estate of glory of a
separate soul, [what it] hath in common with the state after the day of
judgment.
2. To find out what is properly belonging to the state of its separation. 1. That we may find out what is common to both states, it is meet for ns here to know and consider that under the same expressions found in
Scripture common unto both, there is yet intended a vast difference and
ClIAP. XIII.] OF THE SAINTS IN GLOBY. 413
disproportion in the glory vouchsafed either to the one or the other. Therefore we must be aware of such expressions, and not presently think that the same are used common to both, therefore the same state of glory is indifferently intended. Two great errors I conceive have been committed about this matter.
(1.) That the New Testament speaking so high and great things of the
glory both at and after the day of judgment, the glory of the souls separate hath been too much eclipsed to some apprehensions, and utterly denied by others, and but carelessly and negligently spoken of by most, especially the ancients.
(2.) Others treating of it do hand overhead, and confusedly shuffle
together,* or apply what is said of the one unto the other, in such a manner as if there were not any difference as to the soul s condition in either state, but only that the body is glorified at last ; whereas certainly, by what the
Scripture speaks, there must be found a vastly differing disproportion between those two states, and that not alone in respect of the conjunction of the body to the soul (which alone would not be so much, if the soul s
happiness in itself were not in its proportion therewith also advanced), but in respect of God s communications of himself to the soul itself, the proper vessel of glory. I may safely say of this difference what the apostle in
comparing the estate of the law and gospel doth, 2 Cor. iii. 10, That which
is made glorious in this separate estate, hath no glory in respect of that which excelleth at and after the day of judgment. Now that which hath occasioned this promiscuous or confused way of
handling the blessedness of both estates (as in respect to the soul), as if
they were one and the same, hath been this, that the Scriptures utter the
happiness of each estate in many things under one and the same expres sions as common to both, and therefore it is inferred from thence that the
thing itself is but one and the same, without any such excessive dispropor tion to be found between them, especially seeing that in that state after the
day of judgment there is but only an addition of glory to our bodies then
conjoined, but that of the soul is one and the same in both states. As, for
instance, it is said that the state of separate souls is a being with Christ, which, as Paul says, is best of all, and what is there said more of that state
after the day of judgment ? The place also wherein the souls are afore the
day of judgment is said to be the heavens, and the same is said of the place after that day ; and therefore it would seem that there should not be any such difference between the one and the other. This is a common appre hension and inference therefrom. I shall endeavour to contribute some
things in general unto the clearing of these confused entanglements about
this matter, by these three assertions or conclusions.
1. That indeed the same expressions are used of the blessedness of the
soul in both conditions, yet,
2. That these expressions must still be understood with a vast difference and disproportion. Which,
8. I shall confirm from this, that the very same expressions are used in
Scripture of extraordinary communions with God and Christ in this life, that are used of the state of souls either separate afore or after the day of
judgment ; between which yet and that in heaven all do acknowledge a vast
difference. And the inference from all will be, that notwithstanding the same expressions of these two states in glory, yet a great and exceeding difference may be found between them.
* See M. on Kev. xiv. 13.
414 OF THE BLESSED STATE CHAP. XIII.
1. The same expressions indeed are used of both states.
(1.) Both are called a crown, which is given to that state of souls imme
diately after death : Rev. ii. 10, Fear none of those things which thou
shalt suffer : Behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried, and ye shall have tribulation ten days
: be thou faithful unto
death, and I will give thee a crown of life. And yet a new crown shall be
set upon our heads at the latter day, 2 Tim. iv. 8, 1 Pet. v. 4, 2 Tim. i. 18 ;
all which places refer to our crowning at the latter day.
(2.) Both states are a being present with Christ. The condition of the
soul, when absent from the body, 2 Cor. v. 8, is said to be present with
the Lord, and to be with Christ, which is best of all. In like manner, of
that state after the day of judgment it is said, We shall ever be with the
Lord, 1 Thes. iv. 17. That expression also in John xvii. is spoken of both states, that they may be with me, says Christ, where I am, that
they may behold the glory which thou hast given me.
(3.) Both are termed the sight of God and Christ. That state after the
latter day is so called: 1 John iii. 2, Beloved, now are we the sons of God; and it doth not yet appear what we shall be : but we know that, when he
shall appear, we shall be like him ; for we shall see him as he is. When he shall appear, namely, at the latter day. And he speaks it as if we had never seen him afore, and as if then only we began to see him, and then
also only began to be like him. And therefore a late writer doth boldly restrain that sight (1 Cor. xiii. 12, For now we see through a glass darkly; but then face to face : now I know in part ; but then shall I know even as
also I am known ) unto that of the latter day, for this reason, that Paul
there not expressing whether he spake of the resurrection or the state in
the mean time, therefore John here determines it, and confines that also
spoken by Paul unto our seeing him at the latter day.* But it is certain
that our souls shall see him afore, 2 Cor. v. 6, 7. Then it is, when we are
in the body, that we walk by faith, and not by sight ; but when absent from the body, we are so present with the Lord, as we walk by sight, as the
opposition of sight unto faith there shews.
2. I now come to shew, that though the same expressions are used, yet we are to understand the latter state of the soul after the resurrection, as
still exceeding the former, with a vast difference and disproportion, which
will much reconcile Scripture, and dissolve doubts about this doctrine ; the
assertion is made out many ways.
(1.) All the saints are in the mean while presented as expectants, and so
to have their eyes fixed on the last day, as if they overlooked this middle
state between. And yet this interim of the soul s blessedness is a part of
their eternity, 2 Cor. v. 1, Luke xvi. 9, where in both places that eternal
house, and those eternal habitations, are spoken of the separate soul s con
dition. Thus in the Old Testament, David s expectation was, Ps. xvii. 15,
* When I awake (that is, at the resurrection),
* I shall be satisfied with his
image. And thus Job also speaks, Job. xix. 23-26. And again, in the New Testament, the character of a believer is, a person waiting for the
coming of the Lord Jesus. Thus the Corinthians are described, 1 Cor.
i. 7. Thus the Thessalonians are deciphered, 1 Thes. i. 10. It was
Christ s coming that their hope fixed and terminated on.
(2.) Yea, the separate souls that are in heaven wait for it, Rev. vi., and
are comforted with this, that they shall stay but till the number of God s
elect is fulfilled. That place also in Job xiv. 14, If a man die, shall he * Thornedyke s Epil., 3d Book, page 308.
CHAP. XIII.] OF THE SAINTS IN GLORY. 445
live again ? All the days of my appointed time will I wait till my change come. Ainsworthin his book entitled Communion of Saints, interprets of
the soul s waiting after death, till that great change shall he at the resurrec
* he shall change our vile
tion ; of which change it is elsewhere said, that
bodies, like unto his glorious body, Philip, iii. 21, and 1 Cor. xv. 51. It was that which the eye of Job s soul was then, and should all along the
time of his lying in the grave, be fixed upon.
(3.) Yea, Christ s hope whilst his body lay in the grave (although his soul was in paradise), was fixed on the glory after his resurrection : Ps. xvi. 9, 10,
* Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth ; my flesh also shall
: for thou wilt not leave my soul in hell ; neither wilt thou
rest in hope
suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
(4.) Yea, the whole creation is brought in as waiting together with us : Rom. viii. 19, 23, For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for
the manifestation of the sons of God. And not only they, but ourselves
also, which have the first-fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our
bodies. The apostle here holds up that glory which is that day to bo
bestowed, as the great glory indeed ; in the fore-view of which it was, that
* reckoned not the sufferings of this present time
those primitive saints
worthy to be compared with the glory then to be revealed, ver. 18; namely, at the redemption of our bodies spoken of, verse 23.
(5.) The reward of the saints is so spoken of, as if not any at all were
* Henceforth there is laid up for me
given until that day ; so 2 Tim. iv. 8,
a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day ; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his
appearing; which is also called Christ his day, or the day of the Lord
Jesus, 1 Cor. i. 8, chap. v. 5, 2 Cor. i. 14, Philip, i. 6, chap. ii. 16 ;
< that day, 1 Thes.
the day of redemption, Eph. iv. 30 ; and Kar efyxflv,
v. 4, 2 Thes. i. 10, 2 Tim. i. 12, 18; and the day unto which our
reward is referred, as in those places is withal held forth ; and in like manner Peter also speaks, 1 Epistle i. 4, that their life of hope lies in
expectation of an inheritance reserved in heaven for them, ready to be
revealed in the last times.
(6.) The punishments of wicked men in hell, as well as this glory to be
revealed, are both one and the other alike spoken of as then only, and not
* In flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus
afore to begin. 2 Thes. i. 8-10,
Christ, &c. And this is spoken of that time when the Lord Jesus shall
be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, which is at that day. And the spirits of wicked men are said to be in prison, 1 Peter iii. 19, and
tormented, Luke xvi. 25, and the soul is said to be killed and cast into
hell after the body is killed, as well as soul and body at the latter day, Luke xii. 4, 5. That which is inferred from hence at least is, that there
is a superexcelling weight of glory then to be revealed, and communicated, which is hid in God till then (as in Col. iii. 3, the apostle speaks), even as
there was a surpassing glory of things of the gospel, that lay hid in God
during the times of the Old Testament, as Eph. iii. 9, and it may raise up our hearts unto an infinity of expectation of what this glory will rise up to
in the end, by what we yet hear and read is the glory of souls separate
afore that day. As Job saith of God, How little do we know of him !
so as little can we know what he can or will do for his children, and what
entertainments he hath for them in the other worlds, he who hath an in-
446 OF THE BLESSED STATE [CHAP. XIII.
comprehensible power to effect, and an eternity of time before him to perform all in. When we hear of this next state of souls, and the glory thereof, we cannot imagine what better thing there is, or can be yet behind which shall so much exceed ; and yet there is so great an one as this fore going comes not into remembrance, as the prophet speaks.
3. The third assertion, which tends to reconcile these two, is, that the like or some* expressions are used of such special manifestations of God and Christ to the soul, through faith here on earth, that are used of either of these states of glory. And therefore look, as a vast difference is found between such dispensations on earth from those in heaven, so why upon the premises may not such a disproportion likewise be understood in an analogy between those two states of glory, under one and the same ex
pressions ? Especially, if we make up the parallel, that look as there is a vast difference between those special dispensations on earth, and such other as are ordinarily vouchsafed to faith whilst we are on earth, so in a
parallel way may in their spheres the like be found between those two states. Now the instances that prove the same expressions to be used of God s special manifestations in this life, that are also used of the state of
glory, are many.
(1.) These manifestations are styled the sight of God. Thus Job. speaking of an extraordinary manifestation of God unto him, Job xlii. 5J and comparing therewith his experiences in former times, I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, saith he, but now mine eye seeth thee. Thus in like manner the prophet speaks : Isa. vi. 5, Mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts, which Christ interprets of seeing his own
glory, John xii. Now, Job plainly termeth that his own last and present manifestation vouchsafed him sight, in so vast a way of difference from all former ways of knowledges of God vouchsafed, or whatever foregone discoveries had been made unto faith, that he terms those but as an hear ing of the ear, as if it were by another sense, at least a lower sense, but this latter was by sight. And indeed such revelations, which he thus terms sight, are of the highest kind of those vouchsafed in this life, having
joy unspeakable and full of glory to accompany them; which we yet find denied by the apostle Peter to be sight, in comparison of the lowest state in heaven, 1 Peter i. ver. 8, in those words, In whom, though now you see him not, yet believing, you rejoice with joy unspeakable, and fuli of
glory. This therefore of Job s and Peter s was indeed but faith, and not
sight, in comparison to that of the soul s after this life, of which Peter speaks, verse 9, terming the salvation of their souls the next end and reward of their faith. Take any Christian that walks by ordinary faith (which is but as walking in the common daylight of the sun, be it over
cast), and let him be set down with Job s light, and his spirit be raised up to that presence and revelation that was made of God to Job, and that soul will instantly say, Now I see God so as I never did afore. And yet his former faith must be acknowledged a sight of God ; but this latter to differ as much from the former as a man walking in a clear sunshine day, that looks full upon the sun itself, doth differ from his walking in the ordinary daylight in a dark, cloudy day. Thus far doth faith thus elevated differ and transcend itself at such times, and yet at this its highest elevation it
is still but faith, but yet so far exceeding that ordinary converse with God by faith, that it is as no sight in comparison thereunto ; for faith at this
its highest elevation is but of things not seen, Heb. xi. Why then may * Qu. same ? ED.
CHAP. XIII.] OF THE SAINTS IN GLORY. 447
it not without offence be said, that vision or sight of God and Christ which we shall have at the latter day, shall be so far raised and elevated above what our souls enjoyed afore, as it will in comparison be as if we had never seen them ; and yet both may be justly termed (as they are) the sight of God and Christ, utterly differing from that of faith in this life ; for the
sight is not as in a glass only, as that of faith is said to be, but face to
face, each of them, as the apostle, speaking at once of the sights of both those states to come in the other world in opposition to that of faith, expresseth it, 1 Cor. xiii. 12. The sun, if it were further removed up into the heavens, would seem but as a star ; and therefore some have fancied each star to be a sun, though at such a distance they seem so small to us as they do. Or if one looks through an inverted optic glass to view the sun, yet then it appears but as a star ; but turn the other end, and it appears the sun indeed. Now, unto the souls separate (though in heaven) Christ is but as the morning star, Kev. xxii. 16, in comparison of what at the latter day God and Christ will appear to be.
(2.) A second instance, that the same expressions are used of com munions with God in this life that are used of those after, is the phrase of
seeing God s face, which all acknowledge the highest expression of that glory in which the utmost of the blessedness in heaven doth consist ; yet even this is attributed to an high communion with God in this life. Thus it is said of Jacob, Gen. xxxii. 30, And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel : for, says he, I have seen God face to face. It was spoken of an extraordinary drawing near of God to him ; and so Moses also express eth himself, Exod. xxxiii. 11, And the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend, &c. And yet he saw but his back
: ver. 23, And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts ; but my face shall not be seen.
parts
(3.) In this life, under the gospel, we behold the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, 2 Cor. iv. G ; which yet is made the difference between what is vouchsafed to us in the state of glory, 1 Cor. xiii. 12, and what we see in this life ; and yet again the same is used of the kingdom of
Christ, Kev. xxii. 3. In like manner in that holy of holies in the heavens, where Christ now is, and where we shall be with him after the day of judg ment, the sight of God is termed a seeing his face and enjoying his presence. So Christ, Ps. xvi. 11, speaks of it: In thy presence is fulness of joy; and therefore, Heb. ix. 24, he is said to appear adfaciem Dei, before the face of God (so Beza renders it), or in the presence of God, as our transla tion hath it.
(4.) The phrase of being ivith God and Christ is alike used of strong communion with God in this life, and also of that happiness in both states hereafter. David having his heart for some time taken up amorning with
strong fellowship with God, says of it, Ps. cxxxix. 18, When I awake, I am still with thee, even in this life. And of the soul s state in paradise the like expression is used ; To-day, says Christ, shalt thou be with me in paradise. To be with Christ, says the apostle, is best of all. It is spoken of the state of the soul after dissolution. Then, again, the same phrase is also used of the state after the day of judgment, 1 Thes. iv. 17, Then we shall be for ever with the Lord.
(5.) The phrase of dwelling in God is alike used of all states. In this
life we dwell in God by ordinary communion : 1 John iv. 15, Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God ; and in extraordinary manifestations the soul dwells in God : John
448 OF THE BLESSED STATE [CHAP. XIII.
xiv. 21, He that keeps ray word, my Father will love him, and I will love
him, and manifest myself unto him. And, ver. 23, We will come to him, and make our abode with him. The same expression is used of the states
of souls, 2 Cor. v. 1, We have an house of God, which is interpreted, Kev. vii. 15, that God shall dwell upon ; so it is in the Greek. Finally, and above all, after the day of judgment, Christ will then give up his present kingdom to his Father, and God shall be all in all, 1 Cor. xv., and the king
dom he shall then give up lies in the dispensation and communication of
himself to the souls now in heaven ; for during the time allotted his king dom, he is as much in heaven as in earth, Mat. xxviii. 18. And how much
this communication of God, when he is all in all, will exceed what is the communication of himself to the blessed saints now, none but God and
Christ himself do or can know.
If further unto these several sorts of dispensations, through pure faith vouchsafed to Job and others, (serving to illustrate the like difference in the
other world, we shall also add those visions and revelations made unto
Stephen and Paul, whilst they were in this life, it will much conduce to enhance the disproportion between two states of glory. For Stephen, to whom the heavens were opened, saw otherwise than by faith the glory of
God, and Christ standing at his right hand ; and yet this sight was but
afar off, and but with his bodily eyes. Now, assuredly, when his soul was
out of that his body, he had a sight of both God s glory and of Christ, that transcended this, which his soul had, whilst abiding in flesh and
blood, or indeed was capable of; seeing flesh and blood cannot inherit the
kingdom of God in that manner, as when the soul is unclothed thereof. Some of the fathers, speaking of the receptacles of souls, term them atria d longd, but as the courts or suburbs of heaven, and as afar off in compa rison ; and those separate spirits they style souls sub altare, under the
altar, as signifying, that in that state they do not see, nor can see the
glory of God, and Christ at the right hand, in that manner as after the end of the world they shall see them ; whereas of that other state their
expressions are, that they shall be super altare, placed above the altar ;
yea, in the holy of holies (say I), and so behold God and Christ in a
nearer manner.
If this comparison made of Stephen s sight, which was above the sight of faith, and yet below what his soul after enjoyed, be not sufficient to demonstrate the difference aforesaid, then let us climb a step higher. Paul
at his conversion had seen Christ appearing in his glory, Acts ix., as
Stephen had done, and yet his soul was preferred to an higher sight, whilst he was rapt up into the heavens ; and yet during that while also he remained and continued but an appurtenance of this world, an inmate
belonging thereunto, and was to come down and live here again as formerly ; and yet this his rapture, and revelations, and visions, did far exceed either
that of his own vouchsafed him at his first conversion, or that of Stephen s ; so as his face shining with it he was a candidate or rather inceptor of
glory. And yet still we must say that Paul s separate soul, when it was
carried into heaven and made perfect, did and doth to this hour enjoy that
fruition of God and Christ which all his visions amounted not unto. For why ? He was not then admitted into the state and number of the blessed
ones, but only taken up as a stander-by, that overheard things unspeakable; and yet this vision infinitely exceeded any revelation of any kind or degree
formerly made to his faith or afterwards.
I conclude then, if God s manifestations in this life admit such variety
CHAP. XIV.] OF THE SAINTS IN GLORY. 449
of ascents as we see by all these instances they have done, why may not God s dispensations yet remaining for us in the other world be framed unto so vast a disproportion as I have been arguing for ?