Part 2
in this world he foresaw would fail him, is evident by what he had imme
diately meditated in the words afore, ver. 24, Thou shalt guide me with
thy counsel ; so in this life, and afterwards (that being ended), shall receive me unto glory. The contemplation whereof makes him cry out again, ver.
* Whom have I in heaven but thee ? for all things else will fail me one
25,
day, when my flesh utterly fails me also. And there is none upon earth, where he had at present many comforts 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 becom
ing 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 Wisdom 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 sublimated spirit, by its being born again by his own Spirit, and so assimilated to God him
self, a pure spark now freed and severed from its dust and ashes, flying up
(or is carried rather by spirits, the angels, out of their like spiritual love to
it as a spirit, Luke xxvi. 22, 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. 16, 17, of the regard he bears to persons of a contrite 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 con
sidered, and them it is which he [is] 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. i. 12, 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 ob served in what is public of mine.*) Now, what moves him to remove his * Child of Light walking in Darkness.
20 AN IMMEDIATE STATE OF GLORY [2 CoR. Y. 5.
* The spirit would fail, says he. Now, doth God thus profess to have a regard to them in this life, and that upon this
wrath from such an one ?
account, that they are spirits, lest they should fail or faint, and shall we not
think that when indeed 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 reviv
ing and ingratiating the remembrance of the first. The souls which I have
made, said he in Isaiah. But in St 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
* Where
account, that he is the faithful Creator of them : 1 Peter iv. 19,
fore, let them that suifer 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 persecution 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 judgment was begun, and
going on upon the house of God, such 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 com mit the keeping of their souls unto God. At death you know it is that when men s bodies are destroyed, and so the season when their souls to be sepa rated therefrom should be committed to God s care ; as our darling (as our
translation) or lovely soul, when separate, as 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, iraga&JMfUH, Luke xxiii. 46 ; and the word commit 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
* faithful Creator. And I understand not the first creation
to this), even of
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 pro vision for such souls, according to his promises. And faithfulness doth
always respect and refer unto promises ; and my reason why thus I under stand 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 : Faith
ful 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 works of thine own 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 something 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 * See Ainsworth, Ps. xxii.
2 COB. V. 5.] FOR THE SPIRITS OF JUST MEN. 21
his eternal love, by grace and election unto the adoption of 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 it 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
his 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 thereunto ; 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 spirits, speaking to such as are his elect, he strongly insinuateth thereby that he is
by grace likewise 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, Heb. xii. 12, 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 explicitly 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 e^xhorteth, and that to move them to be sub
ject 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 interpreted by ver. 14, They shall see God ; that is, be glorified ; and so I conclude all thus, 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 a 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), considered apart in bestowing this life on them. And
truly when is it more proper for him to shew himself as a Father, than when
their souls, after their subjection to him in holiness here accomplished, and
22 AN IMMEDIATE STATE OF GLOKY [2 CoB. V. 5.
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 as sons have served him, and been subject to him.
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 (that is, of man, Job xii. 20, thus in common), and also to his elect, I am your God
by grace, Numb. xvi. 22. And these two relations, God and Father, are
commensurate, and exactly parallel, whether they be applied unto all men in 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, John 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 be cause our Father. And so the proof of this fourth particular will add further
strength and confirmation 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 instance 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.
1. The first is Christ s inference from thence, that therefore Abraham s soul
lives, and Abraham, both soul and body, shall rise again, for God is not the God of the dead, but of the living, Mat. xxii. 31. Thus Christ.
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 country, that is, an heavenly : wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he hath prepared for them a city. To give light to this, Paul had repre sented the story and case of Abraham, and the rest of the patriarchs, in the verses afore, to have been this : that God had indeed promised 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, 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 was thus pitched to look for this city instead of that land of Canaan promised. This was the
2 COR. Y. 5.] FOR THE SPIRITS OF JUST MEN. 23
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 spoken in full answer to
that their expectation at their deaths, to shew that God, in professing him
self 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 death. The words are express, Wherefore God is not ashamed. What should this mean in this coherence, but that his declaring himself to be their G-od 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, nor 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 provision 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 confirm us in all that reason. For poor Abraham to be driven out of his own coun
try 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 G-od, 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 exceecieth 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 para
ble, Luke xi. 5, 6, will not his friends entertain him into their houses, as
ver. 9 of Luke xvi., yea, and rise at midnight to do it ; as ver. 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 God, Father, 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.
The fifth and last consideration is, that these separate souls having done
24. AN IMMEDIATE STATE OF GLORY [2 CoR. V. 5.
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
* 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,
paraphrase hath long since glossed upon it,
it comes unto God for the reward of its faith, as some interpret that 1 Peter
i. 9, which we so largely have insisted on. This is certain, that in that
promise to Abraham to be his God, he intended and included his being to him an exceeding great reward, Gen. xv. 1. 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
G;od, that the wages to a man hired should be given him (by him that set him awork) 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 longsome 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
: And when he had opened the fifth 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
Christ, that whilst they cry for justice on their enemies only
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 ven
geance also was executed on that Roman empire for their blood shed. 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 * See Brugensis, Maldonat. &c., Lev. xix. 13.
2 COR. V. 5.] FOR THE SPIRITS OF JUST MEN25
great God, to do : He that hath wrought us for this thing is God. And
so much for this first branch of this second doctrine.
The second branch of the second doctrine. 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 wonder, 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 aworking 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 lo,
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. !
1. Each singly. If there were no such ordination of the one for the
* He that wrought this is God, to be written under it.
other, yet so considered, they deserve to have each an
2. 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
very word, who hath wrought, and it is this : this word, saith he, d ds xarso-
yaffd/A&vog, as used by the Septuagint, signifies rem expolire rudem et iiiformem, 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 31st and 32d verses speak of him, God hath filled with his Spirit in all wisdom, in
all workmanship, to devise cunning work ). And again, the same word is used of the temple-work (that other was for Moses s tabernacle), 1 Kings
vi. 36, by Solomon, which, how transcendent a structure it was, you have
all read and heard. An infinitely surpassing art, then, hath the Spirit him
self (who is the immediate worker in this) shewn in the framing, and hewing, and curiously carving and engraving those living stones, that grow up into a
* temple unto God, 1 Peter ii. 5, especially considering the utter remote
ness, indisposedness, yea, crookedness and perverseness in the matter wrought upon (our souls filled with the contrary form and workmanship of Satan). Ye are his workmanship, says the apostle, Ephes. ii. 10. And truly, if we could enlarge upon all the varieties of dealings 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; ver. 5, * In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watching, in fastings ; ver. 6, By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kind
ness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned ; ver. 7, By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left; ver. 8, By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good
report : as deceivers, and yet true ; ver. 9, As unknown, and yet well known ; as dying, and, behold, we live ; as chastened, and not killed ; ver. * In his Myrothecium.
26 AN IMMEDIATE STATE OF GLORY [2 CoE. V. 5.
10, As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing ; as poor, yet making many rich ; as
having nothing, and yet possessing all things. Ver. 11,
* ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged. What a glorious em
broidery 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 needlework. 2. For his art and workmanship bestowed in the glory of
the soul in the other world ; if any work (but Christ, God-man) be his mas
ter-piece, it is the framing of that house, and building, spoken of, ver. 1 of
this chapter, We have a building of God, a house not made with hands ; and
the llth of the Hebrews, ver. 10, expressly useth two artificial words, rs^vt-
rq$, the artificer in it, and dqf&iovgybs, the artificer in it, and the builder of it, that is, who hath shewn his art and skill in building of it. So then, in each,
his workmanship appears. 1 do but add this towards the confirmation of
the main point m 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 land
lord 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 then, next, jointly, that it 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 ap pear ; 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. 10, to have
* descended into the lower part of the earth ; that is, to be conceived in the womb of a virgin. When a child is
* curiously wrought,
born, a lump of flesh, animated with a soul, comes forth,
&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 xxxvi. 7. At the end of the sixth day, they saw God to set down into the world this little thing they called man, and then they ceased their wonderment, for they saw all this world (pre pared 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 hath made
2 COK. V. 5.] FOR THE SPIRITS OF JUST MEN. 27
this self-same 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 defer 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 a being clothed upon, and holiness here he compares 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 measure 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, unbeknown 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 plea sant 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 chap. iv. ver. 16, and endeth with my text ; and do you not find it speak (to use the text s language) the very self same 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 afflictions, which are
nothing else but the perishings of this outward man, as also all things and
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 pro portionable weight (for God works all these things in weight and measure),
1 our light affliction works for us a far more exceeding and 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, verse 1 of this chapter, that God himself is at work about this glory, who, as the master-workman, that hath the draught 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
28 AN IMMEDIATE STATE OF GLORY [^ COR. V. 5.
for this inner man, to entertain it when the body is dissolved. 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 G-od. But every soul hath a state of glory proportioned to all these, ready built for it against this time ; even as statues in stone ae 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 this self-same thing isG-od. The apostle s conclusion answers his beginning ; he began in chap. iv. verse
16, and the circle ends in my text. And this is God who is wise in working, and wonderful in counsel.
But there is a third point yet remains. Doct. 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. That is a rule that where the name God, and then some be
sides other* of the two persons, Christ or the Spirit, are mentioned there with as distinct, there God is put personally, not essentially only, to
express the Father. Now, here the Spirit, or Holy Ghost, is mentioned dis
tinct 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 men tioned 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, as it is said here he hath, for
this same thing.
But, 3, you have even Christ also not far off interested in this selfsame
thing, in the next verse, and ver. 8, absence from the Lord whilst in the
body, ver. 6, and present with the Lord when separate from the body, ver.
8. This Lord is Christ ; the phrase of the New Testament concerning Christ runs in this style, to be with Christ, 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 possession of Chris
tianity adds thereunto, by custom and mere education. An honest Turk pro
fessing 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 * Qu. either ? ED.
2 COR. V. 5.] FOE THE SPIRITS OF JUST MEN. 29
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 verse 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 ap
plied, 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 stripped of all things in this world, even the body and all, shall come before 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
utter darkness, ver. 13. The other that were clothed were admitted unto the marriage ; and (as the psalmist, the words of which are here alluded to) she was brought unto the king (the very title which in both these places is
given to Christ ; see ver. 11) in raiment of needlework ; and this clothing is
of God s working ; and so my text falls in with both. There is no admission unto Christ without it. This is the first use.
Use 2. Hath God begun to work this good work in thee ? He will perfect
it : 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.
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 it is 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, acti agimus, and all is rather God hath wrought us, than that we have wrought. All thy righteousness, I say, shall remain for ever, 2 Cor. ix. 9. All the time thou remainest in this
life, thy soul is ripening or maturing for glory.
How great a comfort is that ! In explicating the doctrinal part, I gave instance of a child in the womb curiously wrought, Ps. cxxxix. 15, all that
time, in order to its living and subsisting afterwards in this world. 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.
1 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 speak 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
30 AN IMMEDIATE STATE OF GLOKY. [2 COR. V. 5.
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 they are set awork by the hand that sent them, to work a far exceeding weight of glory for thee, Philip, iii. If by any means, says Paul, no matter what, so the work go on. A carver somes with his chisels, and cuts off this piece, and cuts in to 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 St Paul says, Philip, i., 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 agoing, 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 blessing in heavenly places, as Eph. i. 4, I care not (I would not care) what befalls me in this world.
THE GREAT INTEREST OF STATES AND
KINGDOMS.
TO THE HOXOUBABLE HOUSE OF COMMONS,
ASSEMBLED IN PARLIAMENT.
I HEBE present you with one piece of the counsels of God, next those of his
disposing the eternal conditions of persons of all other the greatest, as which concerneth the temporal salvation or destruction of kingdoms and nations, which, next to his saints therein, are dearest to God, as his patience towards them shews ; a subject which, had it been set out according to the merit of
it, would of itself have fallen at your feet, who are the representative body of this nation and kingdom, and entitled itself to no other dedication than to you. But Providence having brought it forth in the way of an ordinance of God, preaching in your ears (though rudely), and you having been pleased to own it, it is become yours by all sorts of interest.
It is certain that God did not bring that last and fatal desolation upon the Jews until all states and ranks of men amongst them had conspired against the Lord and his Anointed and his followers ; nor did he bring upon them that their first captivity, until all sorts had corrupted themselves, the great men had broken the yoke, the prophets prophesied falsely, Jer. v., the
priests did bear rule by their means, and the people loved to have it so ; and
* What will you do in the end thereof ? and yet therein God did not regard so much what the people as what their rulers did. I said (speaking of the people), Surely these are poor, these are
then, as the prophet adds,
foolish, I will get me to the great men ; but these have all together broke the yoke, and burst the bands, ver. 4, 5. Our comfort therefore is, we can not be undone without you, nor you without failing in this, which is our
greatest interest : an error which, if this kingdom should, after so much
bleeding, err a second time, is like hereafter never to be mended. Your
preservation and guidance in this is, above all other, the constant and daily prayer of,
Your most humble Servant,
THO. GOODWIN.
VOL. XII.
THE INTEREST OF ENGLAND:
A SERMON PREACHED AT THE LATE FAST BEFORE THE
COMMONS HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT.
He suffered no man to do them wrong ; yea, he reproved kings for their sakes;
saying, Touch not mine anointed. Ps. CV. 14, 15.
THE words I have read, and those from the 10th verse, as they hold forth
the first rearing of the church of the Jews in Abraham and the patriarchs, so they are intended as the first primitive instance and original pattern of God s care and protection over his people in all ages, and likewise of his
proceedings with all states and kingdoms, according unto their dealings with
his people, wherever east among them, to the end of the world ; exemplified in what was done for their sakes, and towards them and their families.
The story itself of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, which these words refer
to, and how God reproved Abimelech, king of Grerar, and Pharaoh, king of
Egypt, and others for their sakes, you may read in the 12th, 20th, and 26th
chapters of Genesis ; and of commands given forth concerning them, to do them no wrong, yea, not to touch them ; declaring also of Abraham, Gen.
xx. 7, that he was a prophet, and so not to be injured. Only what in the
story is uttered scatteredly and in several places, is by the prophet David
: Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.
summarily put together
There is a controversy upon these words, Touch not mine anointed, that they should be intended principally of kings, and of these patriarchs as under the notion of kings. I shall but clear it in a word. Whether these patriarchs were kings or no, I will not now dispute. Abra ham is called a mighty prince by the children of Heth, Gen. xxiii. 6 ; yet, however, here the Holy Ghost speaks of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as re
presenting the people of Israel, and his scope is to shew God s care and
protection of his people by their example ; which is clear, 1, by all the
current and stream of the whole psalm. All that goes before, and which
follows after, is wholly to shew his care of the people of Israel from first to
last. But as for kings, or God s care over them as such, we may say, as Paul in another case, Heb. vii. 14, Of that tribe the Holy Ghost speaks
nothing ; that is, in this psalm nothing, as touching monarchy (as he there
says nothing as concerning the priesthood).
PS. CV. 14, 15.] THE GEEAT INTEREST OF STATES AND KINGDOMS. 35
And, 2, then the words in the 12th verse, which speak of the persons of
these patriarchs when they were but a few men in number ; yea, very few,
refer not to kings, nor unto these patriarchs as such ; for he speaks of their
whole families, their wives, children, and servants ; yea, these three patri
archs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, they were all alive at once : Isaac was
above seventy years old afore Abraham died, and Jacob fifteen, and but one
of these could have been king at once ; and yet you see he speaks of them
all complexedly, and as making a company together ; when they were few, and very few, he said,
* Touch not mine anointed.
Yea, 3, it is so far from being meant of them as kings, that it is expressly
said, in the words of the text, He reproved kings for their sakes ; therein
speaking of them as of a sort of people distinct from kings, and yet of a
higher and dearer value with God, than those kings reproved for them.
But it will be said, that if it should not be meant of them under the rela
tion of kings, yet, however, as of persons extraordinary ; and therefore this
charge and instance cannot be drawn into a pattern of God s care and pro tection over all saints, and the people of God, which is the scope which I
have put upon the words.
I answer, that though indeed their persons were extraordinary, yet here
they are withal set forth as representing the people of G-od, whom they were
the fathers of. It is clear by the 8th verse, He hath remembered his
covenant for ever, the word which he commanded to a thousand genera tions ; the performance of which covenant, to confirm the truth of it, he
exemplifies by the story of God s providence over these. What, therefore, he saith of these anointed ones here, it extendeth to a thousand generations to come ; and as Abraham in other things was a common person, in faith
justifying he is made such, Bom. iii. ; in faith as sanctifying, James ii. ; in
being heir of the world, Rom. iv. 13, so is he here also, and Isaac and Jacob with him, in their anointing.
But you will yet say, It is true they may be understood as common per
sons, representing indeed the nation of the Jews ; but yet will what is here
said be warrantably extended to the believers of Jews and Gentiles under
the New Testament to the end of the world ?
I answer, Yes. For the covenant that God made with Abraham was to be
1 heir of the world, as well as heir of Canaan, so Rom. xiv. 13. And ac
cordingly in other things the analogy holds for them with these here. For
as these, so the saints, they are called strangers and pilgrims, scattered and
dispersed in all nations. So Peter speaks of them, even as here he calls
these strangers, verse 12, when they were but few in number, and strangers in the land, as the saints in the world. To give parallel places of Scripture to strengthen this. In the Old Testament, in the 45th Psalm, you have a
prophecy of the Church of the New Testament, under the type of Solomon
taking Pharaoh s daughter, who was a Gentile, into his bed, as Christ, of whom he was the type, one day should do the Gentiles : which church is made that great mother that shall have such multitudes of children, Gal. iv. Now of those children of the church of the New Testament as the mother, and of Christ as the father, the 16th verse of that psalm thus speaks
* In stead of thy fathers shall be thy children, whom thou mayest make princes in all the earth. The meaning whereof is this, that in the stead of these
great patriarchs and other the fathers of the Jews (spoken of in the text), shall succeed others, the children of the New Testament, even all the saints, as successors of them ; and as they were as princes in all lands they came
* so shall thy children be, says the psalmist there. And the 7th verse of that psalm calls them anointed, and so speaks also in the language
into here,
36 THE GREAT INTEREST OF [Ps. CV. 14, 15.
of the text, when under that notion he commands not to touch them. That
verse speaking of Christ, saith, He is anointed with the oil of gladness above his fellows ; namely, these his fellows and children, spoken of verse
16. You have at once, as the great anointed one, Christ, so all his children
called anointed ones also ; and as they are his fellows, so anointed too. Thus you have all meet : Abraham and the fathers, the anointed ones of the Old Testament, Christ and his saints, the anointed ones in the New, in their
stead ; and both princes and strangers in all lands ; and so of the one as
well as the other this charge is here intended, Touch not mine anointed, &c. And to this accords the language of the New Testament : the whole
mystical body is called Christ, 1 Cor. xii. 12 ; and believers his fellows are
said to have received an anointing, 2 Cor. i. 21, 1 John ii. 27; yea, and
elsewhere the reason of this their preservation, and God s protection over
: Isa v x. 27, The burden shall be
them, is put upon this very anointing
taken off thy shoulder (speaking of the oppression of God s people), and the
yoke shall be destroyed, because of the anointing.
Having thus explained the words, I come to those observations which I
shall make out of them, and insist on at this time. I resolve the words into
these three parts.
1. Here is the nearness and the dearness of the saints unto God. They are dearer to him than kings and states, simply considered ; that is, other
wise than as they in their persons are also saints ; for you see that for their
gakes he reproved kings, and so sheweth that ke preferreth them to kings.
2. Here is the great danger to kings and states, to deal with his saints
otherwise than well. Which appeareth many ways ; for he doth not only in words give a charge not, to touch them, but he carries it in a high way
(for so God may do when he pleads their cause), Touch them not ; as if he had said, Let me see if you dare so much as touch them ; and it is with an
intimation of the highest threatening if they should ; upon your peril if you do ; for that is the scope of such a speech. And accordingly in deeds he made this good, for the text saith he suffered no man to do them wrong ; not that he did altogether prevent all wrong and injuries, for they received many as they went through those lands ; but at no time did he put it up at
their hands, or let it go unpunished. In that sense he suffered them not. You know how he plagued Pharaoh, king of Egypt, with great plagues, and
all his household, for Abraham s wife s sake, Gen. xii. And so Abimelech,
king of Gerar, the Lord cometh upon him with a greatness, and his first word is in Gen. xx. 3, Behold, thou art but a dead man, afore he had first
told him why or wherefore, though then he adds the reason ; he brings him
upon his knees, ver. 4, bids him look to it that he give satisfaction to Abra ham, and restore his wife to him again, ver. 7 ; and well he escaped so ; and
tells him also that he must be beholden to Abraham s prayers for his life.
* He is a prophet, saith he, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live/
3. The third is the care and protection which God had over them, set out and amplified, 1, by the number and condition of the persons whom he de fended ; though few men of number, that is soon reckoned, for their power and strength a few, or very small, sig fifaeavt, so the Septuagint in the
parallel place, 2 Chron. xvi. 19; as also, 2, by what he did for them: He
suffered no man, how great soever, to do them any wrong, how small soever ; not without recompence and satisfaction; not to do it, though they had a mind
to it, though the people had an ill eye at them, Gen. xxvi. 11. God causeth Abimelech to make a law on purpose ; Abimelech charged all his people in
Isaac s behalf, and of his family (which I mention, because it gives light to
the text), and speaks in the very words of the text, He that toucheth this
Ps. CV. 14, 15.] STATES AND KINGDOMS. 87
man or his wife shall be put to death, although they envied him, ver. 14,
strived with him, ver. 20, hated him, ver. 27.
I shall pass over the set handling the first of these, namely, the nearness and dearness of the saints to God ; it will after come in well enough under
the second, as the reason thereof.
That main thing which I have singled forth to insist upon is, the danger that is unto states to deal otherwise than well with the saints, God s anointed. And the observation is plainly this,
Obs. That the dealing well or ill with the saints of God, it is the greatest and highest interest of kings and kingdoms, on which their welfare or their
ruin depends.
I have the story of the whole world afore me, to glean demonstrations and
instances out of, to make good this truth ; but I shall endeavour to present
it to you under that prospect that runs through the story of the whole Bible, my observation out of the story of which, and the sum and issue of all, is
this, that God from the beginning hath in his providence so ordered it, that
the greatest and most nourishing kingdoms and states should still have to do with his saints and people in all ages ; and either they have been broken
by their ill using of them, or they have prospered by their well dealing with them. You shall find this, I say, throughout the whole Scripture. My text leads the round to all the rest, and I therefore indeed chose it, rather than any other, though otherwise, as a bottom to this point, I might have
pitched upon others perhaps more full.
We will begin with the very first kings and kingdoms that you read of
after the flood ; how he reproved the king of Egypt and the king of the
Philistines for the sake of Abraham and Isaac, that I mentioned afore. Be
sides those there is mention of four kings, Gen. xiv. : Amraphel, king of Shinar or Babylon, which was the first kingdom in the world after the flood, Gen. x. 10, and was one of, yea, the first great monarchy. There is like wise Chedorlaomer, king of Elam, or Persia, which afterward likewise proved a monarchy ; for as Assyria and Babylon made the first, so you know Persia was the next. You have two other kings more there confederate with these. These four kings they brake in upon, and smote all the countries about. They smote the Rephaims (giants) in Ashteroth Karnaim, and the Zuzims
(terrible ones) in Ham, and the Emims and the Horites in Mount Seir, Deut. ii. 10, 11, and they returned and came to En-mishpat, which is Kadesh, and smote all the country of the Amalekites and also the Amorites that dwelt in Hazezon-tamar, as you may read, verses 6-8. And all the while
they overran these vast countries, where there was not one saint to be found,
they found no resistance, having but to do with nations, not saints in them ; but unhappily to them, when they came to fight against the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah, they light upon one saint, and but one, and that is Lot ; so the 12th verse,
* They took Lot, Abraham s brother s son (who dwelt in
Sodom), and his goods, and departed. Alas to them ; little thought they what a prisoner they had. They took him in the crowd amongst the wickedest people under heaven, a people so wicked, that one would have
thought God should so little have considered this one saint, to save him from perishing, as that his vengeance should have taken the opportunity to
ruin these, though this one poor Lot had been involved in their destruction. But you shall see how tender God is of his saints, Jer. iii. They had un awares devoured an hallowed thing, one righteous Lot, and had taken him but prisoner ; they had drunk poison, and all the riches and all the goods they had taken they vomit up again, together with their own blood : the Lord in this giving demonstration of that his care and skill, which Peter
38 THE GEEAT INTEKEST OF [Ps. CV. 14, 15.
* The Lord knows how to preserve the righteous, and reserve the unjust, 2 Pet. ii. 9. And whom should God use to be the instrument to do this to ? Grod had not many more saints then in the world, but only Melchisedec we read of, and Abraham and his family, and God useth that one Abraham ; and he had an army but of a few, and a very few (even as the text hath it), but three hundred and eighteen men born in his house, ver. 14 ; he pursues them, and smites them, ver. 17, with a great slaughter, and brought back all the
makes observation of upon the story of Lot and the Sodomites:
goods, and his brother Lot and his goods, &c., ver. 18 ; and thus they were
reproved. You see the text made good from the very first beginning of
kingdoms : he reproved kings for their sakes indeed. Thus he began the world at first ; and this very victory is made a leading
case, a standing encouragement to the sons of Abraham, the saints, for ever
* Who raised up (says God, to
after. So you have it applied in Isa. xli. 2,
raise up his people s hearts) the righteous man from the east ? namely, this one Abraham, and called him to his foot. Follow me, I will be thy general, said God to him, gave the nations before him, and made him rule over kings ; he means these very kings you have heard the story of: