The Punishment of Sin in Hell, Part 2
TEXT.
Verse 5. Now he that hath wrought us for the self-same thing is God, who hath also given us the earnest of the Spirit.
THe Current of the four former Verses running thus steadily along in this Chanel, the Stream in this Verse continues still the same.
There is one word in this Verse, [foreign, For this self-same thing God hath wrought us,] which serves us as a Clue of Thread drawn through the Windings of the former Verses, to shew us, that one and the same Individual Glory hath been carried on all along, and still is in this Verse also. So then we see where we are.
What this self-same thing should be, ask the first Verse, and it will tell you, it is that House eternal in the Heavens, a Building of God, prepared by him against the time that this earthly House is dissolved. Ask the second Verse, it is the same House we groan to be cloathed upon with, when the other is pulled down. Ask the fourth Verse, and more plainly: It is that Life, which succeeds this mortal Life the Soul now lives in this Body, and swallows up all the Infirmities thereof. And then here it follows, Even for this self-same thing, &c. So then, if the Glory of the separate Soul be the Subject of any of these Verses, then of all, and so of this Verse also.
And to be sure it cannot be that extraordinary way of entrance into Glory, by such a sudden Change, both of Soul and Body into Glory at once, without dissolution, should be the self-same thing here aimed at. For it was not the Lot of any of those Primitive Christians, of whom the Holy-Ghost here speaks this, [He hath wrought us for this thing,] that they should be in that manner changed, and so enter into Glory: but the contrary. For they all, and all Saints since for these 1600 years, have put off their Tabernacles by Death, as Peter did, and speaks of himself, 2 Pet. 1. 14. and therefore the Scripture (or Holy Ghost) foreseeing, as the Phrase is, Gal. 3. 8. this change would be their fate, would not have uttered this of them, [God hath wrought us for this] whom he knew God had not designed thereunto.
Neither is it that those groaning desires, spoken of in the foregoing verses, 2, 3, 4. is [that self-same thing] here (as some would) for indeed as Musculus well: If the Apostle had said, He that hath wrought this thing in us, &c. that Expression might have carried it to such a Sense: But he saith, He that wrought us for the self-same thing: And so 'tis not that desire of Glory in us is spoken of: But us, our selves and Souls as wrought for that Glory.
If it be asked, what is the special proper scope of these words, as touching this Glory of the Soul? The answer in general, It is to give the rational part of this Point, or demonstrative Reasons to evidence to Believers, That indeed God hath thus ordained and prepared such a Glory afore the Resurrection. And it is as if the Apostle had said, Look into your own Souls, and consider God's dealings with you hitherto, viz.
First, the operation of his hands. For what other is the meaning or mystery (says he) of all that God is daily so at work with you in this Life? What else is the end of all the workings of Grace in you, and of God that is the Worker? This is his very design, He that hath wrought us (that is, our Souls) for this very thing, is God.
Besides the evidence the work gives, there is also over and above the earnest of the Spirit given to your Souls now whilst in your Bodies, in Joy, full of Glories of the same kind (as Earnests are) of what fulness of Glory they are both capable of then, and shall be filled with, when severed from your Bodies, Who hath [also] given us [the earnest] of the Spirit.
§.
We Preachers have it in use, as to allege Proofs of Scripture for the Points or Subjects we handle: So to give Reasons or Demonstrations of them. And so doth our Apostle here of this great Point he had been treating of: and such Reasons or Demonstrations run often upon Harmony and Congruity of one Divine Thing or Truth kissing another. Also upon Becomingnesses or Meetnesses, that is, what it becometh the great God to do. For instance; In giving an account, why God in bringing many Sons to Glory, did choose to effect it by Christ's Death, rather than any other way. It became him (says he) Heb. 2. 10. For whom are all things, and by whom are all things, &c. And so in the point of the Resurrection, 1 Cor. 15. 21. Since by Man came Death, by Man came also the resurrection of the dead; that is, it was congruous, harmonious, it should thus be; the one answering correspondently to the other. The like congruity will be found couched here, in God's bringing Souls to Glory, afore that Resurrection.
Now there are two sorts of harmonious Reasons couched in the fore-part of these Words, He that wrought us for this, is God.
I. That it is Finis operis & operantis, The End of the Work it self upon us; and of God as an Efficient working for an End: God hath wrought on us for this very thing.
II. It is Opus Dignum Deo Authore, A Work as he is the great God, and as a thing worthy and becoming of God as the Author of it: He that hath wrought us for this thing, is God.
There is a third point to be superadded; and that is, It is the Interest of all three Persons: Which how clearly evidenced out of the Text, will appear, when I have dispatched these former Doctrines.