IV. To observe, the comfortable assurance that believers may
IV. To observe, the comfortable assurance that believers may
And should have, that the souls of their pious friends will be brought along with Christ
And that their bodies will be raised from the dead at his second coming; in which they may be confirmed by his death, and resurrection from the dead. We may hope, and should believe, that them that sleep in Jesus, God will bring with him; that is, either Jehovah the Father will bring them with his Son, or Jehovah the Son will bring them with himself; for the Lord our God shall come, and all the saints with him (Zechariah 14:5). When Christ shall move from the third heaven, where he now is in his glorified body, all the blessed spirits of men made perfect shall attend him; when he shall descend into the region of the air, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God, the dead bodies of the saints that sleep in him shall awake and rise out of their dusty beds, and be reunited with their souls; when they shall proceed with Christ, at the close of that day, to the judgment of the world: For not only the twelve apostles shall be seated on twelve thrones, to judge the twelve tribes of Israel; and all the holy martyrs shall have thrones set for them, and judgment shall be given them; but even all the saints shall be some way or other concerned in that awful work: Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? (1 Corinthians 6:2).
And when Christ has presented all his elect ones to himself as a glorious church without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, and has taken a full view of them, he will take them up with him into the third heaven; he will introduce them into his father’s house, and fix them eternally in those mansions which he has prepared for them; when he will see and enjoy with satisfaction the whole fruit of his labor, blood, and purchase, and have all his prayers and intercessions effectually answered; which have been made in such form as this, Father, I will, that they also whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory (John 17:24).
Now of all this the death and resurrection of Christ are a pledge and confirmation; for If we believe that Christ died and rose again, which are things beyond all doubt and question; these are the principal articles of the Christian faith, that Christ was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification; then we ought to believe, that Christ will bring the saints with him, for whom he died, and raise up their dead bodies to everlasting life. He himself is risen from the dead, and has the keys of hell and death; he can and will unlock the graves of his people, and set them free; he is the resurrection and the life; he is both the efficient and meritorious cause of the resurrection of the just: He is the first-born from the dead, and the first-fruits of them that sleep in him. His resurrection is a pledge and earnest of the saints resurrection. As sure as his dead body is raised, so sure shall theirs be raised also, and be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself (Philippians 3:21).
Since therefore, from Christ’s resurrection, we may strongly conclude the resurrection of the saints; then we ought not to sorrow as those who are without hope of it, and may firmly believe, that those of our dear friends, of whom we have good hope through grace, that they have had an experience of the grace of God, that these sleep in Jesus, and shall be brought with him, and shall come forth to the resurrection of life. And, blessed be God, this is the case before us, which has been the occasion of this discourse; we have not only hope, but faith, even full assurance of faith, as to the truth of the work of grace upon the soul of our dear child My affections will not permit me to give you an account of the ground and reason of this hope, this faith, this confidence; perhaps I may communicate it to you in another way. I find I must break off at once. Consider what has been said, and the Lord give us understanding.