The Punishment of Sin in Hell, Doctrine 3
Doctrine III.
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 expresly named, God [the Father] namely, and the Spirit. That's a Rule, that where the name God, and then some besides other of the Two Persons, Christ or the Spirit, are mentioned therewith, as distinct; There God is put personally (not essentially only) to express the Father. Now here the Spirit, or holy Ghost, is mentioned distinct 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 mentioned, 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; 'Tis 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 self-same 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 stile, 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 I.
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? 'Tis 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 profession of Christianity adds thereunto, by custom and meer Education. An honest Turk professing also and observing the Principles of his Religion, upon the ground of his Education onelyonly (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 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 ver. 3. If so be that being clothed, we be not founded naked of Grace and Holiness wrought, and Christ's Righteousness by spiritual efficacious Faith applied, (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 stript of all things in this World; even the Body and all, shall come afore the great God, and Jesus Christ, what will the enquiry be? as Mat. 22. 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 unto) She was brought unto the King (the very Title which in both these places is given to Christ: see ver. 11.) in Rayment of Needle-work, 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 the first Ʋse.
Use II.
Hath God began 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 III.
Thou Saint, be content to live, for whilst thou livest, thou art under God's working in order unto Glory. Value life; 'tis 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 is it, 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, and all is Acti agimusrather, God hath wrought us, than that we have wrought) All thy righteousness (I say) shall remain for ever. All the time 2 Cor. 9. 9.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 Psal. 139. 15.wrought all that time, in order to its living and subsisting afterwards in this World. 'Tis a dark place, the Womb which the Child is wrought in; and it lives there in a stifled condition, it cannot breath, it takes nourishment but at the Navel, (a way invented and prepared of God meerly 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 scarse worth the name of life: Well, but all this is a being wrought and fitted to live another, freer, and braver life in this Word. And this is your present case, 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 IV.
No matter what befals 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 thy self, thy vileness and corruptions, so it works. Thou hast afflictions that break thy heart, (as reproach broke Christ's Heart, sayes 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 Phil. 3.of Glory for thee: If by any means (says Paul) no matter what, so the work go on. A Carver comes with his Chissels, 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 thy self, and think not much at any condition, whilst (as St. Paul says) it turns to thy Salvation. Phil. 1.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 self-same thing; and if thou seest that Plough a going (though it makes deep furrows on thy back, yea heart) yet so, that this seed be sown therein, rejoyce, for thou shalt bring thy sheaves with thee. For my self, so that I find Election pursuing its design, of making me holy, and blessing me with spiritual blessing in heavenly places, (as Eph. 1. 4.) I care not (I would not care) what befals me in this World.
FINIS.
End of the text · Thomas Goodwin, The Punishment of Sin in Hell (1680)