Spiritual Refining, Religious treatise · Section 12 · Sermon 115
SERMON CXV.
Of the Glorious Eſtate of the Saints in Heaven to which God cals all ſinners repenting and believing.
1 PET. 5. 10.
The God of all grace, who hath called us into his eternal glory by Christ Jeſus, &c.
THe Apoſtle Peter concludes his Epiſtle with a Petition in this verſe, and a doxology in the next. In the Petition we have theſe parts:
Firſt, The Object to whom this Petition is addreſſed, viz. God, deſcribed by a glorious property ſutable to the matter of the prayer, The God of all grace; he was to pray for grace, and therefore mentioneth the fountain of grace. This is of great conſolation, the people of God want more and more grace, and God is cloathed with allſufficiency: if you want it, you know where to be ſupplied.
Secondly, God is deſcribed by a gracious effect of this grace, Who hath called us: This fountain was not ſealed up, but diffuſeth it ſelf.
The term to which, of this grace, deſcribed in its nature to be Glory. Believers ſhould lift up their heads at the very hearing of this: and there is the adjunct of it, eternal glory.
Fourthly, There is the meritorious cauſe of this grace, By Chriſt Jeſus.
Fifthly, The matter prayed for, which is in the accumulation of many words together, Make you perfect, ſtabliſh, ſtrengthen, ſettle you. Some do curiouſly enquire after a difference between every one of theſe: but I take them to be nothing but the vehement and holy Oratory of Paul affectionately expreſſing himſelf in his prayer for them, and they are moſt of them metaphorical words from the Artificer, who is careful to ſettle and eſtabliſh his building. Now by the matter prayed for, viz. further perfection and eſtabliſhment in grace, we may ſee even the beſt godly men, do need further addition and ſtrengthning in grace. As he cried out, O me nunquam ſapientem, ſo mayeſt thou, O me nunquam pium, ſtill there is a further degree in every grace to be obtained. There is imperfection, and there muſt be continual correcting; but this is not the matter I intend, I come therefore to my purpoſed ſubject in this Text; and that is the term to which, of Gods gracious effect mentioned in the Text, Who hath called us to eternal glory; That which the eye hath not ſeen, nor hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive; that we are now to treat of, or rather to ſtammer about, viz. that infinite and everlaſting glory which God cals wretched ſinners, but repenting and believing unto. He hath called us into it: This ſheweth how cloſe and intimate that fruition is we have of this glory. It may never trouble a man to part with his beloved luſts and ſins, which are but for a moment, for this eternal glory; it is to part with dirt and dung to have gold and precious ſtones.
For the further opening of this you muſt know there is a two-fold end of Gods calling us, the near and proxim one, and that is, Repentance and Faith: So the firſt thing God cals wicked and ſinful men unto, is truly to repent of their ſinne, and ſtedfaſtly to believe in him; But ſecondly, There is the remote and further end, which is Salvation and Eternal Glory. Of this we are to ſpeak at this time.
God cals ſinners repenting and believing, to no leſſe then infinite and eternal Obſerv.Glory.
This point certainly may much affect you; for did the Devil think by ſhowing the glory of the world to tempt Chriſt to worſhip him? and ſhall not we by the diſcovery of this heavenly glory, make you fall down and worſhip, and obey God who hath promiſed to give this unto all thoſe that do ſo to him? There is a parallel place, 1 Theſſ. 2. 12. Who hath called us unto his kingdom and glory. What unſpeakable condeſcention is this, that God ſhould take us, and put us into a communion with him of kingdom and glory, to ſet us upon thrones next to Chriſt and him, yet the Scripture doth frequently inſiſt on this glory that God intends to put on thoſe that obey his calling. To open this, if they were ſo many dayes to purify and prepare themſelves for hearing the Law, which was a miniſtration of death, and there was ſuch glory on Moſes his face in the delivering of it, that the people could not ſtedfaſtly behold him: Certainly there ought to be more cleanſing and preparing of the ſoul to receive the Doctrine of this Goſpel-glory. We can onelyonly ſhew you the back-parts of it, for we cannot comprehend it in all its fulneſſe, no more then a little ſhell can hold the Ocean.
We ſhall firſt ſpeak of the Nature of this Glory, and then the Properties. And
Firſt, The Nature of it is ſeen in diſcovering the object to be enjoyed by us to all The nature of Glory.eternity, and that is God himſelf, the perfect, univerſal and ſufficient good. Our glory is in this, that we enjoy God to all eternity, who is the inexhauſted ſea of all heavenly happineſſe. See how David doth triumph in that enjoyment he hath of God in this life, which yet is but the cluſter of grapes to that heavenly Canaan. Whom have I in heaven but thee, and whom in earth but thee? Pſal. 73. 25. And in other places, The Lord is my portion and my inheritance. So then, if God enjoyed by faith do give ſo great a bleſſedneſs to the ſoul in this life, how much more when he is enjoyed by immediate viſion? This the Scripture cals, Seeing of God face to face, 1 Cor. 13. 12. So then, herein lieth this unſpeakable glory, that whatſoever goodneſſe, excellency, fulneſſe and bleſſedneſſe is in God, the ſame is communicated unto the glorified Saint according to its capacity. Deus meus & omnia, ſaid he: but this will be much more in Heaven, where not only our ſinful, but our animal lives will be ended; Then ſhall we be with the Lord for ever, ſaid Paul, that is ſpoken, as the compleat perfection of all happineſſe.
Secondly, This glory which may be called formal or ſubjective, as the former objective, 2.lieth in the intellective and affective part of a man cloſing with, and enjoying of God. When we ſay we are made glorious by enjoying of God, the meaning is, the intellective and affective parts of the ſoul are wholly fixed upon him to their utmoſt deſire and capacity; for the glory of a man muſt conſiſt in his rational part, his underſtanding, will and affections, which are the beſt faculties, muſt be united to the beſt good, in the beſt manner. And
Firſt, For the intellectual or knowing part of a man, its plain there can be nothing Of knowledge in heaven.of this happineſſe, if that be not preſent. For as of an unknown thing there can be no deſire, ſo neither any love or delight: and the more clear and intuitive this knowledge is, the more is our glory. Now the Scripture ſpeaks, that we ſhall then ſee him face to face, not as in a glaſſe, 1 Cor. 13. 12. We ſhall know him even as we are known of him; and our glory is expreſſed in this phraſe To ſee God. So then, herein will our bleſſedneſſe and glory be, that we ſhall fully and clearly know and behold all the excellency that is in God, all the objects and motives of love and delight. That as the bodily eye deſcrying the pulchritude of a ſenſible object, preſently kindles love in the heart, Ut vidi perii; So it is here, The ſoul of a man glorified, beholding all the admirable lovelineſſe and excellency in God, that holy and pure nature of his, thoſe gracious and free acts of his love to us, is hereupon ſet on fire, and made glorious; That which the Apoſtle prayeth for us here to attain, will then be compleated, To know the breadth, and length, and depth of the love of Chriſt Jeſus, Epheſ. 3. 18.
Again, This glory lieth in the affective part of the ſoul, whereby it takes infinite complacency and delight in God, who is thus made known; and certainly, if good be the object of the will and love, then God being infinitely, univerſally and in an unlimited manner good; the will and affections of a man muſt needs be drawn out to the full.
Thirdly, That the ſoul of a man can thus gloriouſly enjoy God, its neceſſary that all the filth and loathſome ſpots of ſinne ſhould be wholly cleanſed away: For as 3.long as there is any relique of this noiſomneſſe, as it is not fit or ſutable for ſuch a glorious object, as God is; ſo neither hath it compleat and full glory it ſelf. The bloud of Chriſt was ſhed, that we might be without ſpot or wrinkle, or any ſuch thing; but this lovelineſſe cannot be obtained in this life. Its true, Chriſt in thoſe ſpiritual Songs of Solomon, cals his Church, His Love, his Fair, his undefiled One, that ſhe is altogether Lovely, but that is meerly becauſe of the lovely Ornaments, and Excellency Chriſt put upon Her. But in Heaven this Lovelineſſe will be inherent, ſhe will have all this Glory inexiſtent, not imputed: Oh then what Tongue can expreſſe the gloriouſneſſe of ſuch a condition, when there ſhall not be the leaſt imperfection, or defect in thy Grace, thy Love perfect Love, thy Delight in God a full and perfect Delight! Paul in Heaven doth no longer complain, When I would do good, evil is preſent with me, Rom. 7. No, his heart is as godly and as holy as he can deſire. This then is the glory that the called ones of God ſhould breath after; when will the time come that all my ſpots and blemiſhes will be done away? I am as yet aſhamed to ſee ſo much droſſe and filth in my ſelf; I bluſh becauſe of my nakedneſſe; but the day is coming, when all things that are imperfect will be done away. This ſhould exceedingly ſupport them for the preſent in their conflicts and combates with ſinne: Oh what ſhall they doe! Their hearts ſuffer violence within them, they are loathſome beaſts in their own eyes; they doe not love to ſee themſelves in the pure Glaſſe of Gods Word. Well, comfort thy ſelf, the time is coming, thy Graces will be made perfect, thy Soul will be glorified with all fulneſſe, not the leaſt ſpot or blemiſh in it.
Fourthly, This Glory will be in the enlarging and extending of all the faculties 4.of the Soul to partake of God: For God being infinite, and the Soul of a limited and finite Nature, hath no proportion till God raiſe and elevate it up to that which of it ſelf it could not doe. Hence the very Soul of an Infant dying a member of Chriſt, and glorified in Heaven, is ſtretched out to an actual capacity for the full enjoying of God. The Apoſtle Hebr. 12. calls them The ſpirits of juſt men made perfect. So that God doth widen and enlarge the Soul of a man, whereby it doth partake of God, and hath communion with him in a more powerful and tranſcendent manner, then of it ſelf it could have.
Fifthly, This Glory doth not onelyonly ſtay on the Soul, but reacheth to the body 5.alſo. Which the Scripture 1 Cor. 15. and in other places doth often ſpeak of, Our vile bodies ſhall be made glorious bodies; That as the Artificer by his Art out of earth can make curious and reſplendent glaſſes, ſo God much more out of the duſt of our bodies, will make immortal, incorruptible and even ſpiritual bodies, as the Apoſtle cals them. The glory of our bodies is, Firſt in the perfection of them; all the Defects, Imperfections, Deformities will then be quite removed. Secondly, In impaſſibility, there will be no pains, no Diſeaſes, no bodily Grief, no Paſſion from, or ſuffering of, any offenſive object. Thirdly, In Immortality, it will be no more mortal, no more ſubject to fears and pains of Death. And laſtly, In Agility, in quick Motions, We ſhall be ſnatched up into the Clouds, and be there with the Lord for ever: Oh who can believe that this vile houſe of clay ſhall ever be made ſuch a golden Palace! who can ever think that ſo much glory ſhould be put upon ſuch veſſels of diſhonour and infirmities?
Sixthly, This Glory is not onelyonly thus real and inherent, but it is alſo manifeſted and revealed Glory in the eyes of others; For Glory is properly illuſtris 6.& clara notitia, the knowledge and favour of an excellency, the manifeſtation of it to others; and thus the glory of called perſons will be a known manifeſted Glory. It will be ſeen by the eyes of the whole world, God will put the Robes and Crown of Glory upon them, in the midſt of all perſons at the Day of Judgement; Lo theſe are the perſons whom I have thus honoured, the Angels they will bear witneſs of it; The Devils and wicked men condemned, they ſhall ſee it and gnaſh their teeth. Thoſe men whom we ſcorned, derided, oppoſed, how doth God honour them? So then, God will hereafter put ſuch viſible glory upon his people, that all the world ſhall be witneſſes of it; As yet it doth not appear, ſaith the Apoſtle, 1 Joh. 3. 2. but it ſhall be made manifeſt. That as precious jewels have that naturally which covers their excellency, and the choice gold lieth in the earth, and at firſt ſheweth not its full luſtre, till by Art made ſo: So the godly who in this preſent life are deſpicable and uncomely by their weakneſſes, by their afflictions, by the outward meanneſſe of their Condition, will hereafter have all theſe rags pulled off, and the day of their glorious Coronation will appear. This is for the Nature of their Glory, and for the Adjuncts and Properties of it they are admirable.The adjuncts and properties of glory. 1.
Firſt, Its eternal Glory, it abideth for ever and ever. All the greateſt outward Glory and Pomp, is but like the burning of the Torch, Sic tranſit gloria mundi, but there needs no M…mento te hominem eſſe, Then ſhall we be with the Lord for ever: Oh that phraſe For ever ſhould aſtoniſh us, What is for ever? What is eternal glory? After thou haſt ſate down and thought, and thought ſtill; Eternity is above thy thoughts. The fear of death is like Jonah's Gourd that eateth up all our outward Glory. You are but glorious Gloe-worms that ſhine for a night; but glorious Flowers that preſently fade: Give me any worldly glory, of which you can ſay, it is eternal, that it is for ever; yea men of the greateſt glory in this world have found it to be like a ſhadow, the longeſt before the night come upon them. King Solomon in all his glory was not above a Lilly, and a Lillies glory endureth but for a day, when cropt from its root. The Scripture ſaith, Act. 24. 23. Agrippa and his wife came to the Court of Judicatory with great pomp, foreign, it was a great fancy that preſently paſſeth away.
Secondly, This Glory is ſpiritual and heavenly as well as viſible. The glory of 2.the body is indeed viſible, and Heaven is a glorious viſible place, but yet that which is the greateſt glory is ſpiritual, the ſoul made holy and perfect; God who is the object of our glory is inviſible; and although it be diſputed, yet many conclude, that God is not ſeen with the bodily eye there, onelyonly Chriſt becauſe of his humane nature is; So then, the greateſt part of this glory is ſpiritual and holy. And thus it is farre above the glory of the world, which is in outward ſenſible objects, that tend onelyonly to a bodily and carnal delight. If the Queen of Sh…ba was ſo overwhelmed to ſee the external glory and pomp of Solomon, How can we be able to bear all that heavenly glory?
Thirdly, This Glory is ſound and ſolid, it is that which hath a true bottom… Paul cals it, The eternal weight of Glory; and the Hebrew word for Glory ſignifieth 3.weight: So that the glory of believers is ſubſtantial and real, it will inwardly and deeply poſſeſſe the whole man: whereas if you look upon the outward glory of the world, its but a puff, a bladder, an empty nothing. This is a true ſolid glory, which is accepted of by God, to which he giveth his witneſſe, that it is true; What is it to have glory among men, and to be abominable before God? What is it for a while to have external pomp in this world, and then God to raiſe thee out of the duſt to everlaſting contempt and reproach? Thou glorieſt in thy wealth, in thy beauty, in thy honours, but what is this to the glory in Heaven?
Laſtly, This is an univerſal and entire glory. There is nothing of glory …o be deſired which is not here; In the world all their glory hath ſome gall 4.or other to bitter it. Haman had much outward glory, yet becauſe croſt in his ambition about Mord…chai, all his glory did him no good; Solomon that made it his buſineſſe to have all external happineſſe, yet found a vexation and vanity in it. No worldly glory did ever ſatisfie a man, no more then the air or the winde will an hungry ſtomack: yet this heavenly glory is ſo perfect and compleat, that there is nothing to marre it, to corrupt it; and it hath this admirable effect that it doth wholly ſatisfie the deſire, and yet excites it to deſire it more: they deſire no other happineſs, no other glory, they are in their centre, yet they are never wearied, as they were of the Manna; but this glory is as admirable, as raviſhing, as ever it was at the firſt moment they enjoyed it. This may be greatly improved practically.
Uſe. What good reaſon is there for every ſinner called by Gods grace to part Uſe 1.with any luſt or ſinne, though never ſo profitable, ſo pleaſant, ſo delightful; for what is that ſinne thou art ſo ende…ed unto? Is it comparable to this eternal glory? Oh the madneſs and folly o… men! Sinne and the devil, they call by their luſts to eternal horrour and torment, and men readily obey; but God cals to eternal glory, and they ſtop the ear. Hear, O heavens, and be aſtoniſhed, O earth! wicked men do not believe or conſider theſe things, or elſe the matter is ſo evident that it needs no deliberation, no diſpute; for what is the chaff to the wheat, droſſe to gold, gall to honey? Do then wicked men know what they do? Theſe luſts are dear luſts to thee, they will deprive thee of this eternal glory, they will hinder thee of all this happineſſe, and yet thou imbraceſt them.
Uſe 2. Of Inſtruction. How ſad a thing it is to be moved to any good action Uſe 2.out of humane and vain-glory, when yet this ſolid eternal glory doth not affect thee. What is more ordinary, though nothing ſcarce more abominable; you ſhall have men to get glory and repute in the world, be diligent in the external profeſſion of religion, when the true glory of God doth not at all move them; The Phariſees they prayed, they gave alms; why? out of vain-glory to have repute with men. Thus its ſaid of ſome that believed, but would not confeſſe Chriſt, that they loved the glory of men more then of God, Joh. 2. Oh let this meditation make thee even a loathſom beaſt in thy own eyes; Shall I pray, preach, have religious conference, give alms, do juſtly, that men may praiſe me, that I may be exalted with humane glory, and neglect that eternal glory which we ought principally to ſeek after?
Uſe 3. Are people called out of their ſins, and endued with grace to partake Uſe 3.of this eternal weight of glory? then what vanity is it to glory in any earthly thing, and yet to want this? Thou glorieſt in thy birth, in thy proſperity, in thy outward greatneſſe: but oh miſerable wretch, if deſtitute of this eternal glory. Oh ſay, Its not for me to hold up my head, to go proudly, to fare deliciouſly every day, but rather to throw my ſelf in the duſt and tumble upon the ground, and to cry out, Oh me miſerable ſinner, worſe then beaſts, undone for ever, till God fit me for this glory! Do not then glory in thy rich apparel, for that is but the excrement of an unreaſonable creature; not in thy beauty that is the ſpoil of time and years; not in thy riches, they are winged birds that quickly flie away: No not in any thing, but in grace and the knowledge of God, which is accompanied with everlaſting glory.
Uſe 4. Of Comfort unto the godly, who though deſpiſed, contemned, vilified Uſe 4.and rejected as the off-ſcouring of the world, yet are ſure to inherit eternal glory: Oh this ſhould ſweeten every affliction! this ſhould make every bitter …ll to be ſwallowed down! Doth not the Apoſtle bear up himſelf with this? We account not theſe light afflictions, which are but for a moment, comparable to that eternal weight of glory? See how he leſſens his afflictions, they are but light ones, but the glory to come is weighty and eternal; Could the people of God live in a lively faith of this, make theſe things real to them, they would be above the fear of any outward loſſe, or the love of any unlawful advantage. He that hath the Sun needs not the ſtar, or the Ocean, a drop.