A State of Glory for Spirits of Just Men Upon Dissolution, Body of text

A State of Glory for Spirits of Just Men Upon Dissolution · Body of text

p. 6TEXT.

Ver. 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 chanell; the ſtreame 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 as a clue of thred drawn through the windings of the former verſes to ſhew us, that one and the ſame Individuall 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 eternall 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 grone to be clothed upon with, when the other is pulled down. Ask the fourth verſe, and more plainly: It is that life, which ſucceeds this mortall life the ſoul now lives in this body, and ſwallows up all the infirmities thereof. And then here it followes, 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 p. 7of 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 Tebernacles 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 generall, It is to give the Rationall 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 Gods dealings with you hitherto, viz.

Firſt, the operation of his hands. For what other is the meaning or myſterie (ſayes he) of all that God is p. 8daily ſo at work at 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.

2Beſides the evidence that work gives, there is alſo over and above the earneſt of the Spirit given to your ſouls now whileſt in your bodies, in joy, full of glories of the ſame kind (as earneſt are) of what fulneſſe 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 alledge 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 Chriſts death, rather than any other way. It became him (ſayes 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 Gods bringing ſouls to glory, afore that reſurrection.

p. 9Now 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 & operntis, 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.

I. Doctrine.

That it is a ſtrong Argument, that God hath provided a Glory for ſeparate Souls hereafter, That He hath wrought us, and wrought on us a Work of Grace in this life.

Ere the Reaſon of this will appear, I muſt firſt open three things, natural to the words: which will ſerve as materials, out of which to make forth that Argument.

Firſt, that the Thing here ſaid to be wrought, is Grace or Holineſs; which is a preparation unto Glory. (1.) Grace is the Work. And ſo, Phil. 1. 6. termed, The good Work. A frame of Spirit, created to good Works: Eph. 2. 10. We are his Workmanſhip, created unto good Works. The Text here ſayes, Who hath wrought us: There ſimilarly, We are his WORKMANSHIP. And (2.) Secondly, this Work is a preparation to Glory. For, for one p. 10thing to be firſt wrought in order to another, is a preparation thereunto. Now ſaith the Text, He hath wrought us for this thing; and Rom. 9. 23. it is in terminis, The veſſels of Mercy, which he had AFORE PREPARED TO GLORY; which was by working Holineſs: for it follows, ver. 24. Even us whom he hath called. Likewiſe. Col. 1. 12. Who hath MADE us MEET to be partakers of the inheritance of the SAINTS in light: Meet by making us Saints. So then, Had prepared, Hath made Meet, is all one with, Who hath wrought us for this thing. Here

2The ſecond, what is the principal Subject wrought upon, or prepared and made meet for Glory: 'Tis certainly the Soul, in analogie to the phraſe here. We uſe to ſay (when we ſpeak of our Converſion) Since my ſoul was wrought on. And though the Body is ſaid to be ſanctified, 1 Theſſ. 5. 23. yet the immediate ſubject is the Soul; and that primitively, originally: the Body by derivation from the Soul. And hence it is, the Soul (when a man dies) carries with it all the Grace by inherency: All fleſh is graſs which withers; that is, the Body with all the appurtenances, ſaith Peter, 1 Epiſt. c. 1. v. 24. But you, having purified your Souls, being born again of incorruptible ſeed (our Bodies are made of corruptible ſeed, which is the oppoſition there) by the Word of God, which lives and abides for ever: And this is the Word (he ſayes he means) which by the Goſpel is preached (every day) unto you, ver. 25. and by preaching is engrafted in your Souls, purifying [your Souls] ver. 22. In no other ſubject doth that Word (as preached) for ever abide. For the Body rots, and in the grave hath not an inherent, but a relative Holineſs, (ſuch as the Epiſcopal Brethren would have to be in Churches conſecrated p. 11by them) becauſe once it was the Temple of the Holy Ghoſt, who dwells in us.

And that it is the Soul the Apoſtle hath here in his eye, in this diſcourſe of his in my Text, as that which he intends the Subject here wrought upon, appears, if we conſult the Well-head of his diſcourſe about the Soul, which is the 16 ver. of the 4 Chap. Our inward man (ſayes he) is renewed, &c. (there is your wrought upon here) whilſt the outward (the Body) periſheth. Which Soul, in being call'd the inward man, connotates at once both Grace and the Soul conjuct together, and diſtinct from the Body, as well as from Sin and Corruption. Elſwhere it is declared the ſubject firſt and originally wrought on, Eph. 4. 23. Be renewed [in the Spirit of your mindes.] Look round about the Text, and what is the [US] wrought on? plainly this Inward man, by the Coherence afore and after. Ask ver. 1. If our earthly tabernacle (that is, our Body) be diſſolved, WE have, &c. that is, This inner man, our Souls, have; for the Body is ſuppoſed diſſolved. So likewiſe, ver. 4. [WE] in this tabernacle, that is, our Souls in theſe Bodies. More expreſly after, ver. 8. our very Souls not onelyonly whilſt in our Bodies but when ſeparate from our Bodies, have the [WE] given them; We are willing to be abſent from the body, and preſent with the Lord. The We preſent with the Lord, and abſent from the Body, is nor can be no other than a ſeparate Soul in its eſtate of widowhood. And ſo here, ver. 5. Hath wrought US: The Soul bears the Perſon, carries away the Grace with it.

3Add to this, the Time here ſpecified in the Text, in which we are wrought upon: It is but this life, and during the term thereof. Hath wrought us, ſayes p. 12the Apoſtle;Obſerva quòd non in futuro dicit, Parabir nos. Non demum parabitur; ubi jam induendum eſt, &c. Muſc. in lucum. not in the future. Who ſhall work us for it: That [hath wrought] referring to the work of Converſion at the firſt, Who [HATH MADE] us meet to be partakers, &c. Col. 1. 12. and who doth continue ſtill to work us; the Preterperfect being often put by the Apoſtle for the Preſent, God renewing the inner man DAY BY DAY, Chap. 4. 16. So working upon it, in order to this ſelf-ſame thing, continually. Unto which words there, theſe here have an evident aſpect; yet ſo, as that time of working is but during this life: For it is whilſt the outward man is mouldring, and that by afflictions, which during this moment work an eternal weight of glory, ver. 17. and that is expreſly ſaid to be but this preſent time, Rom. 8. So then, there is NO PARABIT in that other world: But as Solomon ſayes of man, There is no work after this life; No remembrance, ſayes David: Eccle. c. 9. v. 10Eccl 9:10namely, which hath any influence into a mans Eternity.Pſal. 6. v. 5.Ps 6:5 So there is no working upon us in order thereunto, after death: God hath done his Do [hath wrought] and man hath finiſh'd his courſe; as Paul of himſelf, and in this Chapter of my Text, ver. 10. Every man receiveth the things done in his body, be they good or evil. Thoſe things that are done in this Body onelyonly; therefore onelyonly what in this life he hath wrought. And for this he hath wrought us, (ſays the Text.)

§.

Theſe things premiſed, I come to the Argument to be raiſed out of them, to prove the Point in hand.

1Firſt, that Grace or Holineſſe, becauſe they are immediately wrought in the Soul, that therefore when the p. 13body dyes the ſoul ſhall be taken up into life. That this is a meet and congruous ordination of God, the Scripture it ſelf owns, and ſeems ſo to pitch the reaſon of it, in Rom. 8. 10, 11. And if Chriſt be in you the body is dead, becauſe of ſin: but the Spirit is life, becauſe of righteouſneſse. But if the ſpirit of him that raiſed us Jeſus from the dead dwell in you, he that raiſed up Chriſt from the dead ſhall alſo quicken your mortall bodies by his ſpirit that dwelleth in you. He gives an account of what is to become hereafter both of the bodies and ſouls of them in whom Chriſt is. (1.) Firſt, for the body, that is condemned to die, The body is dead becauſe of ſin. By Body I underſtand the ſame which he in the 11. verſe termes the mortall body to be raiſed up, which (ſayes he) is dead, that is, appointed to die, as one ſentenced to death you term a dead man. And this [becauſe of ſinne.] It was meet that that firſt threatning of dying ſhould have ſome effect to evidence the truth of God therein. OnelyOnly God is favourable in his ordination in this, that he arreſteth but the Body, the leſſe principall debtor. But that (to be ſure) ſhall pay for it: It is appointed to all men once to die, even for men that are in Chriſt, as this place of the Romans hath it. Then (2.) followes, what remains the ſoul of ſuch an one when the body dyes. [But] ſayes he, (ſpeaking by way of exception, and contrary fate too) The Spirit is life, becauſe of righteouſneſſe. The Spirit is the Soul in contradiſtinction to the Body. This, when the body dies, is [Life] He ſayes not living onelyonly, or immortall; but is ſwallowed up into life: And why? becauſe of righteouſneſſe, which is Chriſts image; and ſo preſerves, and by Gods ordination upon dying, elevates the ſoul, which is the immediate and original ſubject p. 14of it, (which is the point in hand.) For this thing it is, God hath wrought it. But then becauſe the Quaerie would be, Shall this body for ever remain dead, becauſe of (this firſt) ſin, and bear this puniſhment for ever? No: Therefore (3.) he addes, He that raiſed up Chriſt from the dead, ſhall alſo quicken your mortall bodies. So at laſt, and then bringing both body and ſoul together unto compleat glory.

And the congruity of reaſon that is for this appointment, is obſervable, ſomething like to that 1 Cor. 15. As by man came death, ſo by man came alſo the reſurrection from the dead. For that ſin that condemned us to this death, we had from the firſt Adam by bodily generation, as the channell or means of conveying it, who was (as other) Father of our fleſh.

The arreſt therefore goes forth againſt the body, which we had from that Adam, becauſe of that ſin, conveyed by means of our bodies: for though I muſt not ſay the body defiles the ſoul, or of it ſelf is the immediate ſubject of ſin; yet the originall means or channel through which it comes down, and is derived unto us, is the generation of our bodies. The Body therefore congruouſly payes for this, and the death thereof is a means to let ſin out of the world, as the propagating it was a means to bring ſin in: but an holy ſoul or ſpirit which is the Off-ſpring of God, having now true holineſse and righteouſneſſe from the ſecond Adam communicated to it, and abiding in it; and being not onelyonly the immediate ſubject thereof, but further, the firſt and originall ſubject, from and by which it is derived unto the body. The womb, into which that immortall ſeed was firſt caſt, and in which the inward man is formed, and in reſpect of a conſtant abiding in which it is that ſeed is p. 15termed incorruptible. Hence therefore, ſayes God of this Soul, [It is life] It ſhall live when this Body dies. There is nothing of Chriſts Image, but is ordained to abide for ever. 1 Cor. 13 8.1 Cor 13:8Charity never fails, His Righteouſneſs endures for ever; 2 Cor. 9. 9.2 Cor 9:9and therefore is ordained to conſerve and elevate unto life the ſubject it is in, and that is the Soul. This, as a foundation of the ſubſtantial parts of this firſt Reaſon, out of this one Scripture, thus directly and explicitly holding this forth.

§.

I come (2.) to the Argumentation it ſelf, which ariſeth out of theſe things laid together. (1.) That the Soul is the immediate Subject of Grace. (2.) The firſt and Primitive Suſceptive thereof. (3) And it ſelf is alone and immediately capable of Glory, which Grace is a preparation to. And (4.) that God afore our deaths hath wrought all of Grace he intends to work, in preparation to Glory. Out of all theſe a ſtrong Argument doth ariſe, That ſuch a Soul upon death ſhall be admitted unto Glory; and not be put to ſtay till the time of the Reſurrection, when both Soul and Body ſhall be joyned again together. And that this holdeth a juſt and meet conveniency upon each, or at leaſt, all theſe grounds, when put together.

1Firſt, conſider the Soul as the immediate ſubject of this working and preparation for Glory. Hence therefore this will at leaſt ariſe, That the inherency or abiding of this Grace wrought in this Soul, depends not upon its conjunction with the Body; but ſo as it remains as an everlaſting and perpetual conſerver of that Grace ſtampt on it; yea, and carries it all with it ſelf, as a rich Treaſure innate unto it where-ever it p. 16goes, when ſeparate from the Body. I ſay, it either hath in it, or appertaining unto it, all that hath been wrought for it, either in it, or by it. Revel. 14. 13. Bleſſed are the Dead which die in the Lord: [And their Works do follow them] They go to Heaven with them, and after them. And in what ſubject elſe is it that the Seed of God remains incorruptible, 1 Pet. 1. 23.1 Pet 1:23or the Word of God abides for ever? Ver. 25.Or how elſe comes that ſaying to be performed, 1 Joh. 2. 17. He that doth the will of God endures for ever? Having therefore all theſe riches by it, and as complete (as, here, it ſhall be;) Meet it is, it ſhould partake the benefit thereof, and live upon them now when it is ſingle and alone, and in its widows condition. And it is an opportune ſeaſon, that by a Glory given it for that holineſs, this ſhould now appear, That it was the Soul which was the ſole intrinſick and immediate Receptive of all this Holineſs. This the firſt. Adde alſo,

2Secondly, its being the firſt and primitive ſubject of Holineſs, from which it is derivatively in the body. Meet it was this Soul ſhould not be deferred till the appurtenance of it be united to it, but be ſerved firſt, and admitted into that Glory ordained; and by having it ſelf firſt poſſeſſion given of that inheritance, the Body might in its ſeaſon be admitted derivatively thereinto from it,Magis conveniens videtur ut animae in quibus per prius fuit culpa & meritum, prius etiam vel puniantur vel praemientur. Aquinas cont. Gent. Lib. 4. cap. 91. ſect. 3. after that renewed union with it by the Reſurrection. Reaſon good, that look, as, in priority, Grace, the preparation unto Glory, was wrought: So, in that order of priority, Glory it ſelf ſhould be communicated. And therefore ſeeing its fate is to abide awhile alone; therefore firſt to enjoy, and drink both the juyce and the fruit of that Vine it is the Root of.

p. 17And (3.) it being in it ſelf, when ſeparate, as immediately capable of this Glory, as when it ſhall be again united to the Body: For what is the Eſſential of Glory, the ſubſtance of that Life that ſwallows up all? But (as we ſaid on ver 4.) Gods immediate Preſence, and our knowing him face to face, as we are known. Now of this the Apoſtle doth in theſe 6, 7 and 8 verſes, expreſly inform us, That the ſeparate Soul is not onelyonly capable thereof, but that it then begins to enjoy it: Therefore (ſayes he) we are alwayes confident, knowing that whilst we are in the body, we are abſent from the Lord; (For we walk by faith, not by ſight.) We are confident, I ſay, and willing rather to be abſent from the body, and to be preſent with the Lord. Where to be preſent with the Lord, and to live by ſight, is expreſly made the priviledge of a Soul abſent from the body; which can mean no other ſtate, than that of the Soul between the death of the Body, and the Reſurrection. For whilſt it is preſent in the body afore death, it is abſent from the Lord; and when it ſhall be preſent with the Lord, after the Reſurrection, it ſhall not then be any more abſent from the body. This conjunction therefore of abſent from the body, and preſent with the Lord, falls out in no ſtate elſe, but onelyonly in that interim or ſpace of time between. And let us withall view this Place in the light, (by bringing the one to the other) which that paſſage, 1 Cor. 13. 12. doth caſt upon it: For now we ſee through a glaſs darkly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then ſhall I know, even as alſo I am known. [To ſee as in a glaſs darkly] there, is to [walk by faith] here: But to ſee face to face, and to know God as we are known, (ſo there) is all one; and to attain to ſight, and to be in Chriſts preſence (here.) And p. 18to be ſure, the Body is in no eſtate whatever capable of knowing God, as we are known of him: None durſt ever ever affirm that. For beſides that, the Spiritual Knowledge of God is proper to an Intellectual nature: Further, So to know God, as God known us, and ſo to be elevated to the ſimilitude of Gods underſtanding, is not communicable to the Body. We may as well dare to affirm God himſelf to be a Body, as that our bodies are capable of ever being raiſed up thus to know God. Hence therefore, whether the Soul be out of the body, as after Death, or ſo in the body, as it ſhall be after the Reſurrection; yet ſtill it is the Soul that is immediately alone capable of that ſight and knowledge of God. And therefore ſeeing it depends not on the body, it is as well capable of it afore the Reſurrection without the body, as after the Reſurrection in the body.

OnelyOnly this muſt be added, That whilſt indeed the Soul is at home in this body, (this earthly tabernacle) it is not capable of this ſight, of the Glory of God, that is, ſo as to continue in the body, and enjoy it; for it would crack this earthen veſſel: as 1 Cor. 15. 50. Fleſh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdome of God. And although Paul, as a ſtander-by, was an over-hearer, and an eye-witneſs (by way of Revelation and Viſion) of what the Spirits of juſt men in Glory do enjoy:2 Cor. 12.2 Cor 12 Even as on the contrary, the Angels are often ſtanders-by on Earth, and overſeers of us, what is therein done, (as the phraſe is, Zech. 3. 7.) yet he was not eſtated into it, or admitted a poſſeſſor thereof himſelf, no more than Angels into an earthly eſtate; and therefore could not ſay, whether the Revelation vouchſafed him, might not be in the body, as well as out of it: Whereas God had otherwiſe long ſince peremptorily determined that p. 19queſtion, That no man could ſee God, and live; that is, at once continue in this body, and ſee him face to face. And Paul here in my Text alſo determines it, That whilſt we are at home in the body, (as now) we are abſent from the Lord: They are two incompatible eſtates. But ſtill when that which, thus, lets (this body) is taken out of the way, the Soul it ſelf is ſufficiently capable, as truly as ever it ſhall be.

§.

But if this Argument from theſe be yet judged not home enough, but ſhort; Then let us in the fourth place added what force the third Premiſe will give to it, concerning the Time of Gods working on us, to drive all cloſer home; namely, That God hath wrought upon the Soul in this life, all that he ever means to work, by way of preparation for Glory. For this thing God [hath wrought us] which though it might with the Enlargements and Sub-arguments that now ſhall follow, be made an Argument alone; yet I chooſe to caſt it into this total, to make the whole the more ſtrong.

Therefore (4.) gather up the Demonſtrations thus: If the Soul be the immediate and firſt ſubject of Grace, which is a preparation to Glory, and capable of this Glory, when out of the body; And God, the great Agent or Worker, hath wrought all that ever he means to work in it, this way, by way of preparation to Glory: Then, as Peter ſaid in the caſe of admitting the Gentiles to Baptiſm,Acts 10. 47.Acts 10:47 What ſhould hinder that theſe Souls ſhould not be glorified, inſtantly, when out of their bodies? If indeed, as the Papiſts, and corrupted Jews and Heathens have feigned, there were any work to be after wrought, a Purgatory, or the like; Then a Demurre p. 20or Caveat might be yet put in, to ſuſpend this their admiſſion into glory: But the contrary being the truth, then, &c. Now the ſtrength of the Argument from this latter, ſuperadded to the reſt, ſtands upon two ſtrong Grounds.

Firſt, if we conſider what is common to God in this with all other, but ordinary wiſe Efficients or Workers, that are intent upon their Ends, which muſt be given to him, the onelyonly Wiſe, All-powerful God, (who is here ſaid, as an Efficient, to work us for this End.) When any ordinary Efficient hath brought his Work to a period, and done as much to ſuch or ſuch an End as he means to do, he delays not to accompliſh his End, and bring it to execution; unleſs ſome over-powring impediment do lie in his way to it. If you have beſtowed long and great Coſt upon any of your Children, to fit and prepare them for any Imployment; The Univerſity ſuppoſe, or other Calling; Do you then let theſe your Children lie Truants, idle, and aſleep at home, and not put them forth to that which you at firſt deſigned that their Education unto? Will you ſuffer them (in this caſe) to loſe their time, Do you know how to do good to your Children? and doth not God? We ſee God doth thus in nature. We ſay, when the Matter is as fully prepared as ever it ſhall be, that the form enters without delay: Now Grace is expreſly termed a preparation to Glory. Alſo God doth obſerve this in working of Grace it ſelf, when the Soul is as fully humbled and emptied, and thereby prepared for the Lord, by John Baptiſts Miniſtry, as he means to prepare it; the Work of juſtifying Faith preſently follows. In all his Diſpenſations of Judgements or Mercies, he obſerves the ſame. When mens ſins are at full (as of p. 21the Amorites) he ſtays not a moment to execute Judgement: So in anſwering the Faith of his People waiting on him for Mercies. And thus it is for Glory; I have glorified thee on earth, (the onelyonly place and condition of our glorifying God) I have finiſhed the work thou gaveſt me to do: And now (what now, and preſently now remained there, follows) glorifie me, &c. Thus ſpake Chriſt our Pattern.

Secondly, there is this further falls out, in this Caſe and Condition, of ſuch a Soul, as doth indeed call for this out of a kinde of neceſsity, and not of congruity onelyonly. For whereas by Gods Ordination there are two wayes of Communion with him, and but two, unto all Eternity; either that of Faith, which we have at preſent; and of Sight, which is for hereafter. Into theſe two, the Apoſtle reſolves all Gods Diſpenſations to us, ver. 7. of this Chapter, We walk by faith, (namely, in this life) not by ſight. And again, 1 Cor. 13. 12. [Now] we ſee in a glaſs, [Then] face to face. Theſe two [Now] and [Then] do divide the Diſpenſations for Eternity of time to come. The like in Peter, 1 Epiſt. 1. 8. In whom though [Now] you ſee him not, (as you one day ſhall) yet believing: If therefore when the Soul goes out of the Body, that way of communion with God by Faith utterly ceaſeth (a)(a)2 Cor. 13. 8, 13.2 Cor 13:82 Cor 13:13, that door and paſſage will be quite ſhut up; God having(b)(b)1 Theſ. 1. 11 John 6. 28.1 Thess 1:11John 6:28 fulfilled all the work of faith (The work of God) with power, that ever he intendeth: Then ſurely Sight muſt ſucceed according to Gods Ordination, or otherwiſe this would inevitably follow, That the Soul would be for that interim, until the Reſurrection, cut off from all communion with God, whatever; having yet all its acquired holineſs of Sanctification abiding in it, and Righteouſneſs accompanying p. 22of it all that while. Look therefore as a Childe hath two, and but two wayes of living, and when the one ceaſeth, the other ſucceeds, or Death would follow: In the Womb it lives by nouriſhment from the Navel, without ſo much as breathing at the mouth: but it no ſooner comes into the world, but that former means is cut off, and it liveth by breath, and taking in nouriſhment by the mouth, or it muſt inſtantly die. So ſtands the caſe with the Soul here between Faith and Sight: So that we muſt either affirm, That the Soul dies to all ſpiritual actings and communion with God until the Reſurrection, which thoſe Scriptures ſo much do contradict,John 9. 51.John 9:51 He that believeth hath eternal life, &c. and ſhall never (no not for a moment) die; Chap. 11. 26.(and in thoſe Promiſes it is not ſimply a ſluggiſh Immortality, but to live, and act, and enjoy God (which is our life) muſt needs be meant:) Or we muſt on the other ſide affirm, That the life of Faith ceaſing, and God yet having that way wrought all that ever he intendeth, That then, Sight of God face to face muſt come in its place: which indeed the Apoſtle in that 1 Cor. 13. affirms in ſaying, ver. 10. When that which is perfect is come, then that which is but in part is done away. There is not an utter ceaſing of the imperfect, and then an interval or long ſpace of time to come between; and then, that which is perfect is to come: but the imperfect is done away by the very coming of that which is thus perfect. And in the 12th Verſe he explains himſelf, That the imperfect is this our ſeeing [Now] in a glaſs darkly, that is, by Faith; and that perfect, to be that ſeeing God face to face, as that which preſently entertains us in that other world. Nay, the Apoſtle admits not ſo much as a moment of ceſſation, but ſayes, That the imperfect is p. 23done away, (v. 10.) and vaniſheth, (as v. 8.) by the coming in of the perfect upon it: and ſo the imperfect, namely, [Faith] is ſwallowed up of the perfect, namely, [Sight.] Now if we thus grant (as we muſt) this ſeparate Soul to have this ſight, or nothing now left it, to enjoy God any way by; Then it is no other than Glory, it is admitted unto: For, the ſight of God face to face, and to know as we are known, is the very eſſence of Glory, as it differs from Faith. Neither indeed is that ultimate Enjoyment, or happineſs in God, which Souls ſhall have after the Reſurrection, any other (in Name or Thing) than the ſight of God, as it is thus diſtinguiſhed from Faith; and therefore the ſoul is now admitted to the ſame enjoyment it ſhall be Then for Kind, although it ſhall be then raiſed and intended unto far higher degrees of Perfection.

§.

And for a Concluſion of this firſt Point, that which follows in that place lately cited out of 1 Pet. 1. v. 9. Receiving the end of your faith, the ſalvation of your ſouls, may as fitly ſerve for the confirmation of all theſe latter fore-going Notions, as to any other ſenſe Interpreters have affixed.

I am aware how theſe words, Receiving the end of your faith, the ſalvation of your ſouls, are interpreted of that joy unſpeakable, and full of glory, which the Verſe afore had ſpoken of, In whom though, Now, ye ſee him not, yet believing, ye rejoyce with joy unſpeakable and full of glory, ſo as, in thoſe joyes vouchſafed the Saints are ſaid to receive the ſalvation of their ſouls, as being the earneſt of it in the ſame kind, and ſo a part of the Reward of Faith received in hand (as we ſay) and vouchſafed over and above the ordinary way of living by Faith. This Interpretation I no way gainſay, nor will go about to exclude: for I know it doth conſiſt with p. 24that other I am about to give, and is ſubordinate to it: But if this Senſe ſhould obtain, that it were, Directly, Alone intended, yet by conſequence, and at the rebound, it doth ſtrongly argue the point in Hand. For if whileſt Faith continues, God is pleaſed to vouchſafe ſuch joyes, much more when faith ceaſeth, He will vouchſafe a fuller Enjoyment: for why elſe are theſe preſent joyes termed Salvation? That is, in a ſort part of the taking poſſeſsion of Salvation aforehand, and that as diſtinct from the Right to Salvation, which Faith in ordinary gives without ſuch joyes at all times to all believers: they have the name given them, as being an earneſt of the ſame kind, of that greater ſumme. And again, why are theſe preſent joyes termed the Salvation of their SOULS? But becauſe they are intended by God, (being alſo, now wrought immediately in the Soul, without the body's influence) to be an earneſt that it is their Souls, when without their bodies, ſhall have that fuller poſſeſſion given them; and ſo this earneſt aſſigneth this payment to be made to this Legatee, the SOUL ſpecified as the firſt receiver of it. [2.] Every payment having a day, or ſet time appointed for it, which the earneſt obligeth the trustee unto, as well as to make payment it ſelf, and uſeth to be at the end of the performance on his part to whom the contract is made, this therefore is as elegantly deſigned to be the end of their faith; there's the day of payment. And [3.] it would be hard to think that God ſhould give forth joyes whileſt faith continues; and then for ſo long a time as till the Reſurrection withdraw all communication of himſelf, both of faith and joy (through ſight) alſo. Surely they are not left worſe than in this life they were.

I alſo know, the Soul being the eminent part of man, is often in Scripture, by a Synecdoche, put for the whole p. 25And I muſt not deny but that ultimately it is intended here, it extending it ſelf to the whole of Salvation firſt, and laſt after Faith ended. Which ſenſe on the other hand many interpreters are for.

I onelyonly contend for this, That the ſalvation of the ſoul is intended alſo of that Salvation which falls out in the midſt between theſe joyes (the earneſt) in this life, and that ultimate Salvation at the Reſurrection, that is the Salvation of the Soul, whileſt ſeparate, as being the next. It hath a weight in it that Salvation and Damnation ſhould ſo often be ſaid to be of the ſoul by Chriſt himſelf, as Mat. 26. 16. What ſhall it profit a man to gain the whole word (and ſo provide for his body) and loſe his own ſoul? And again, in ſpeaking of the Soul as conſidered apart from the Body, Mat. 10. 28. Fear not them that are able to kill but the body, and are not able to kill the ſoul. But that which is more conjunct to my purpoſe; it is obſervable, that this our Apoſtle Peter ſhould chooſe to uſe in this Epiſtle, more than any other Apoſtle, this phraſe of [Soul] in relation to Salvation, either as being the eminent ſubject, and ſometimes as the ſingle ſubject both of Grace and Salvation: So in this Chapter, You have purified your ſouls, &c. as the immediate ſuſceptive of the incorruptible ſeed (as was obſerved.) Then again, in ch. 2. 11. Abſtain from fleſhly luſts which war [against the ſoul] and 8. 25. Ye are returned to the Biſhop of your Souls. Which he ſpeaks as being the eminent part, and (upon ſeparation from the body) the ſpeciall charge he hath paſtorall care of. And more directly to our purpoſe, ch. 4. laſt v. he exhorts them when they come to die, to commit their ſouls to God, as then being to be ſeparate from their bodies. Now it were hard to think that this Salvation to p. 26come ſhould bear the title and name of the ſalvation of the ſoul in this and other Scriptures;Heb. 10. v. laſt.Heb 10 and that yet when this Soul ſhall in the other world come to ſubſiſt for a long time ſingle and alone,Jam. 5. v. laſt.Jas 5 and then be properly and without figure: A meer ſoul without a body, a loneſome ſoul: That during that ſtate it ſhould not be the ſubject of this Salvation, and ſo intended here, when more properly and literally, if ever, it is the ſalvation of the ſoul. And it would be yet more ſtrange, that the phraſe, ſalvation of the ſoul, ſhould be wholly reſtrained unto that eſtate of the ſoul, when remitted to the body at the Reſurrection, and onelyonly unto that; And that word the ſoul ſhould ſerve onelyonly ſynecdochically as a part put to ſignifie the whole man, as then it is to be raiſed up: but eſpecially, it were ſtrangeſt of all, if it ſhould be confined and limited in this place of Peter, wherein this ſalvation of the ſoul is ſet forth for the comfort of ſuch as were to lay down their tabernacles of their bodies for Chriſt (as this Peter ſpeaks of himſelf in the next Epiſtle) and whoſe faith was then to ceaſe with their lives, whoſe expectations therefore he would in this caſe certainly pitch upon that ſalvation of the ſoul which was next, which is this of the ſoul ſeparate. To confirm all which,

That which further invited me to this place, was this phraſe [The end of your Faith] eſpecially upon the conſideration that he ſpeaks it unto, ſuch Chriſtians, who in thoſe times were (as he foretels, ch. 4. v. 4.) ſhortly to be martyred, and at preſent were ſorely tried (v. 7. of this Chapter) and in the laſt verſe of the fourth, he thereupon inſtructeth and exhorteth them to commit their ſouls (when they come to die) to be kept by God: And ſo underſtood in a proper and literall ſenſe, this ſalvation of their p. 27ſouls is in all reſpects termed The end of their Faith.

Firſt, in that it is the next and immediate event that Faith ends and determines in, as Death is ſaid to be the end of life. So noting forth, that when Faith ends, this Salvation of the Soul begins and ſucceeds it. The end of a thing ſignifies the immediate event, iſſue, period thereof. As of wicked men it is ſaid, whoſe end is deſtruction, Phil. 3. & Heb. 10. laſt v. Apoſtaſy & unbelief are ſaid to be a drawing back unto perdition. And on the contrary, there Faith is termed a believing to the ſalvation of the ſoul: And both note out the finall event and conſequent of each, and ſalvation of the ſoul to be the end of faith, when men continue and go on to believe, untill their faith arriveth at, & attaineth this Salvation of the Soul. To this ſenſe alſo, Rom. 6. 22. You have your fruit in holineſse, and the [end] everlaſting life. And the Apoſtle Peter having in the foregoing verſes celebrated the fruits and workings of their faith in this life, as in ſupporting them gloriouſly under the ſoreſt trials, v. 7. and then ſometimes filling their hearts with joy unſpeakable and glorious, v. 8. he here at laſt concludeth with what will be the end or iſſue of it in that other life, when faith it ſelf ſhall ceaſe; and what it is that then they ſhall receive, Receiving (after all this) the end of your faith, the ſalvation of your ſouls, foreign in the preſent, by a frequent and uſual Enallage of time, being put for the future: for ye ſhall receive (or being about to receive) to ſhew the certainty of it: that when Faith ſhall end, you may be ſure on't, even of that Salvation (that great Salvation ſo ſpoken of by the Prophets, v. 10.) of your ſouls, which as it hath no end to be put unto it, as Faith hath: ſo no interruption or ſpace of time to come between (during which your ſouls ſhould not p. 28be actually ſaved) A ſalvation of your ſouls ſingly (whileſt through death they ſhall ſo exiſt) as well as of the ſame ſouls primarily, and more eminently, when both ſoul and body ſhall be reunited.

2. The end of your Faith, that is, of your aims and expectations in your Faith: the end importing the aim or expectation, which is alſo a proper and literall ſenſe of that word. And upon this account alſo the ſalvation of the ſoul, when they ſhould die, that being the very next thing their eyes muſt needs be upon, is therefore here intended.

And 3. The end of your faith, that is, as being that for which the great God (who keeps us by his power through faith unto ſalvation, v. 5.) hath wrought this faith in you. Accordingly we find it termed the work of faith, 1 Theſ. 1. 3. Which when God hath fully wrought, and brought to that degree he aimed at in this life; (or to uſe the Apoſtles own expreſſion of it, 2 Theſ. 1. 11. when God hath fulfilled the work of faith with power, he then crowneth it with this Salvation of the Soul without end. As James ſpeaks of Patience, when it hath had its perfect work, ch. 1. 4. compared with v. 12. and ſo ſpeaks my Text, for this ſelf-ſame thing he hath wrought us. And therefore when this Faith ſhall ceaſe which he wrought for this, he will attain his end without delay: & you (ſays he) ſhall attain your end alſo: and Faith thus ceaſing if this ſalvation of the ſoul did not ſuccenturiate and recruit it anew, the end of this Faith were wholly and altogether preſent deſtructive loſſe unto the ſoul in its well-being untill the Reſurrection.

4. The [End] ſignifies the perfection and conſummation of any thing,foreign. as Chriſt is ſaid to be the End of the Law, Rom. 10. 4. and ſo the meaning is, That your p. 29faith, which is but an imperfect knowing God, ſhall then, when it ceaſeth, be ſwallowed up of ſight, (which is all one with that ſalvation here) tanquam perfectibile, a perfection, as that which is imperfect is ſaid to be by that which is perfect, 1 Cor. 13. 10. Thus much for the literal and proper import of the word [End.]

Now then. if we take the word [End] in its proper meaning, and the word [Soul] likewiſe in its native proper meaning alſo, which ſenſe in Reaſon ſhould be firſt ſerved (when the ſcope will bear it) then it makes for that purpoſe, more fitly, which we have had in hand.

§.

That nothing may be wanting in this laſt place cited, to make up all the particulars in the fore-going Sections inſiſted on: So it is, that the Apoſtle Peter doth further plainly inſinuate, That this ſalvation (here) conſiſteth in the ſight and viſion of Chriſt (which was one particular afore-mentioned) accompanied with joy unſpeakable, and glorious. The Coherence (if obſerved) makes this forth clearly: For whereas in the Verſe immediately fore-going, he had commended their preſent ſtate of faith by this, Whom [NOW] though you ſee not, yet believing, rejoyce with joy unſpeakable, and glorious. That [NOW] you ſee not, (in this life) is ſet in oppoſition, and carries a promiſe with it of a Time to come, wherein they ſhould ſee, even as Chriſt ſaid to his Diſciples, Joh. 13. 33, & 36. compared, Whither I go, I [NOW] ſay to you, ye cannot come; but thou ſhalt follow me [AFTERWARDS]. So here [NOW] believing, (which is the Principle at the preſent which you live upon) you ſee him not; but when the end of your faith ſhall come, you ſhall then ſee him; and in p. 30this it is conſiſteth the ſalvation of your ſouls. So that ſtill it carries on what I have afore ſpoken unto, That when Faith ceaſeth, Sight cometh; yea, perfects and ſwallows it up, as was ſaid even now, out of 1 Cor. 13.

And let me adde this, That the Apoſtle on purpoſe doth bring in the mention of this ſupereminent fruit of faith, (Even Now when we ſee not) that believing, ye yet rejoyce with joy unſpeakable and glorious: On purpoſe, I ſay, to make way for the raiſing up their thoughts and apprehenſions, how infinitely tranſcending that ſalvation of their ſouls muſt be, when Faith ending, they attain to Sight, To ſee him face to face, whom their ſouls have loved: It is implicitly as if he had ſaid unto them, Oh! think with your ſelves, what Joy, what Glory that muſt needs be, which exceedeth and ſurpaſſeth this that now accompanies your faith, in an anſwerable proportion, as much as ſight of Chriſts preſence, and face to face, muſt be ſuppoſed to excel the knowledge of him by faith, which ſees him but as abſent, darkly!

And further, give me leave to improve this Notion: You may take this aſſured evidence, That your ſouls ſhall then ſee and enjoy God, when your faith ſhall CEASE, which will be, when once your ſouls ſhall come to be ſeparate from your bodies by death: In that, even now, in this life, it is your Souls and Spirits that are the immediate receptives, or partakers and ſubjects of ſuch glorious joys.

The ſoul enjoys them (though in the body, yet) without the help or concurrence of the body, or the phantaſms of it: yea, ſuch Raptures do paſs underſtanding, that is, the common way of underſtanding, which by the uſe and help of the body, or images in p. 31the fancy, the Minde exerciſeth in other things, and which do concurre with the underſtanding ordinarily in faith. But this joy falls into, and is illapſed within the ſoul it ſelf immediately; yea, the weakneſs of your bodies, and bodily ſpirits, will not permit you to have ſo much of this joy, as otherwiſe the ſoul is now capable of by faith. And therefore by this experimental taſte aforehand in your own ſouls, you may be aſcertained, That your ſouls, when ſeparate from your bodies by death, as well as when united again unto their bodies, ſhall enjoy this great Salvation.

And thus much for the firſt Point raiſed out of the words, which did undertake an Argumentation for a ſeparate ſouls Glory and Happineſs. (1.) From the Condition of the Soul, as the immediate ſubject of Grace wrought in it. (2.) From Gods Ordination of the Work wrought, To raiſe the ſoul up to life, whilſt Sin ſhould bring Diſſolution upon the body. (3.) From the Scope of the Worker, God himſelf; who as an Efficient will accompliſh the end, when his work for that end is finiſh'd. And all theſe, as comprehended in what the very firſt view and front of the words of my Text hold out, God hath wrought us for the ſelf ſame thing.

§.

But lo! a greater matter is here. It is not ſimply ſaid, God hath wrought us for this; but, HE that hath wrought us for this thing, is GOD: Thereby calling upon us to conſider, How great an Hand or Efficient is here, Even God, who hath diſcovered in a tranſcendent manner his Glory, in the Ordaining and Contriving of this Work unto this great End. Take it Not therefore p. 32as a bare Demonſtration given from Gods working US to this end, ſuch as is common to other Agents (as hath been ſaid) But further, a Celebration of the Greatneſs and Glory of God, in his having contrived this with ſo high an Hand, like unto the great God: And is as if he had ſaid, There is a deſign in this, worthy of God; HE hath ſhewn himſelf in this, to be the great God indeed. He that wrought us for this, is God.

When Gods ordinary Works are ſpoken of, it ſufficeth himſelf to ſay, God did Thus, or This: But when Gods Works of Wonder, then often you finde ſuch an illuſtrious note of Reflection upon, and pointing at Him, to have done as God. And it is ordinary among men, when you would commend the known worth of the Artiſt, to ſay, He that wrought this, is ſuch a Man, ſo to commend the Workmanſhip.

And thus both when the holy Ghoſt ſpeaks of this Glory it ſelf, (which is the End for which here) His ſtyle is, Whoſe Maker and Builder is God, Heb. 11. 10. And in like equipage here of preparation to that End, he ſaith, He that hath wrought us [for this thing] is God. In this very Chapter (2 Cor. 5.) (to go no further) when the great Work of Salvation, in the whole of it, is ſpoken of, he prefaceth thus to it, All things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himſelf, &c. that is, in this tranſaction he hath appeared like that God [of whom all things elſe are] and ſo more eminently in this than in all, or at leaſt, any other work. What there is ſaid of Salvation in the whole, is here of that particular Salvation of a ſeparate Soul. You have the like Emphaſis put Heb. 2. 10. of bringing many ſons to glory [it became him] ſays the Text. Now put all together, and the reſult is:

p. 33The SECOND POINT.

That to have provided a Glory for ſeparate Souls of juſt men, wrought upon in this life, is a diſpenſation becoming the great God: yea, and that there is an artifice and contrivement therein worthy of God, and like unto himſelf, ſuch as he hath ſhewed in other his works of Wonder.

There are two Branches of this Doctrine, which I ſet otherwiſe out thus:

1. That it is a thing becoming the great God, thus to deal with ſuch a ſeparate Soul, having been wrought upon.

2. That God hath deſigned, and brings forth, therein, a glorious artifice and contrivement, ſuch as argueth him a God Wiſe in Counſel, and Wonderful in Working.

I. Firſt BRANCH of this ſecond Doctrine.

That it becomes God.

The account of this becomingneſs is beſt made forth, by comparing and bringing together into an enterview, both the inward and outward condition of ſuch a Soul, and then the relations which God bears to it, ſuch as ſhould thereupon move him (through his good pleaſure) thus to deal with it.

You know I at firſt undertook chiefly Reaſons of Congruity or Becomingneſs, and ſuch always conſiſt of two parts, and when the one anſwereth and ſuiteth to the other, then the Harmony of ſuch a Reaſon is made up.

Let US therefore conſider,

1. What is on the Souls

2. What on Gods

part.

p. 34§. I. On the Souls part.

Therein two things:

Firſt, the ſpecies, the kinde, and intrinſecal rank of being, which this creature (we call the Soul) thus wrought upon ſtands in afore God.

2. The outward condition or caſe this Soul is left in upon its parting with the body, unleſs God takes it up into glory.

Firſt, for its rank or kinde of being.

Therein two things.

1. This Soul was by its firſt creation a Spirit, and that in the ſubſtance or native kinde thereof; and in that reſpect (conſidered apart for its union with the body) is in a more ſpecial manner allied unto God, than all other creatures (but Angels) are.

You have the Pedegree of man, both in reſpect of Body and Soul, ſet out, Acts 17. the extract of our bodies, in ver. 26. He hath made of one blood all nations of men: So then on that ſide (as we ſay) in reſpect of our bodies, there is a Conſanguinity of all men, being made of one blood, between one another: But then in reſpect of our Souls, we are Gods off-ſpring, ver. 28. and ſo on that ſide there is an alliance (not of Conſanguinity) unto God, upon the account of having been created immediately by him, and IN the very ſubſtance of our ſouls, made like him, and in his Image; and yet we are not begotten of his Eſſence or Subſtance, which is onelyonly proper to His Great Son: And in a correſpondency unto this, God is ſtyled Heb. 12. 9. The Father of our Spirits, in diſtinction from the fathers of our fleſh or bodies: (ſee the words) which alliance or fatherhood, take it as p. 35in common with all mens ſpirits, lieth in this, That he not onelyonly created our Souls immediately out of nothing, but in his own Image, as to the ſubſtance of them, which image or likeneſs other creatures did not bear, which yet were made out of nothing, as the Chaos was; both which appear, by putting two places together, Zech. 12. 1. He frameth their Spirits (ſpeaking of the Souls of men) and that, [altogether] ſaith the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 33. 15. (ſo Ainſworth and others reade it) that is, both, each of thoſe Spirits; and alſo wholly and totally, every whit of the ſubſtance of them: Creatio eſt productio totius entis; for creation differs from generation in this, that it is a raiſing up or producing the whole of a being out of meer nothing, that is to ſay, [altogether] whereas generation preſuppoſeth pre-exiſtent matter; as in the generation of our bodies, which are not wholly and every whit of God immediately, but he parents afford the ſtuff, the matter, and the formative vertue beſides, by which our bodies are framed. So then, in reſpect of our firſt creation, our ſouls (apart conſidered) are thus allied to God, which our bodies are not; being Spirits in the very being of them, that altogether do owe that their being to him.

But there is a taint come upon the ſouls of all men by ſin, ſo as this alliance is thereby worn out, yea forfeited, until it be reſtored. Now therefore theſe Souls (the onelyonly ſubject of our Diſcourſe) being ſuch as God hath wrought, and ſo are become his workmanſhip by a new and far nobler Creation, and thereby created Spirit anew, according to what Chriſt ſays,Joh. 3.John 3 That which is born of the Spirit is Spirit. Hereupon theſe Souls are Spirit, upon a double account: as you ſay of Sugar, it is double-refined; ſo this is now become a ſpiritual Spirit, or Spirit ſpiritualized p. 36and ſublimated; yea, and thereby the inward Sanctuary, The Holy of Holies, the ſeat of Gods moſt ſpiritual Worſhip; Rom. 7. 22, 25.Rom 7:22Rom 7:25which the body is not, but onelyonly as it is the outward Temple or Inſtrument of this newmade Spirit.

And hereupon that original Affinity to God of Spirit, is not onelyonly reſtored, but endeared; for now there is both the ſtuff, or the ground-work, and then the work-manſhip, or embroidery upon it, and both of them the works of God; that ſo look as the gold wrought upon commends the enamel, and then again the enamel enhaunceth the value of the gold, ſo as both are conſidered in the price; ſo it's here with this ſoul wrought by God in both reſpects.

§.

Secondly, Conſider we now again the Caſe and outward Condition of ſuch a Soul, that of it ſelf would fall out to it upon the Diſſolution of the Body.

1. It fails of all ſorts of Comforts it had in and by its union with the body in this world, Luke 16. 9. When you fail, ſays Chriſt, ſpeaking of death, 'tis your City-phraſe when any of you break, and perhaps are thereby driven into another Kingdom, as the Soul now is.

2. Then, if ever, a mans fleſh and his heart fails, Pſal. 73. 26.

3. And (which is worſe0 a mans Faith faileth or ceaſeth after death, and all his ſpiritual Knowledge as in this life, 'tis the expreſs phraſe uſed 1 Cor. 13. at the 8th verſe, and which is proſecuted to the end of that Chapter. And ſo all that communion it had with God in this life is cut off: p. 37It is of all creatures left the moſt deſtitute and forlorn, if God provides not.

And yet fourthly, It is now upon death (which it never was afore) immediately brought into the preſence of God. Naked ſoul comes afore naked God. Eccleſ. 12. 7. Then ſhall the duſt return to the earth as it was: And the SPIRIT ſhall RETURN UNTO GOD that gave it: it is put out of houſe and home, and turned upon its father again.

This as to the Souls condition.

II. God part. §.

This is a ſpeciall ſeaſon for God to ſhew his love to ſuch a ſoul, if ever afore or after, an opportunity, ſuch as falls not out, neither afore, whileſt it was in the body; nor after, when it is united to the body again, at the Reſurrection: if ever therefore he means to ſhew a reſpect unto a poor ſoul, which is his ſo neer kindred and alliance, it muſt be done now. We read in the 73. Pſ. 26. My fleſh and my heart faileth (as at death to be ſure it doth) but God is the ſtrength of my heart, both in this life and at death to ſupport me [and my portion for ever] in the life to come without any interruption or vacant ſpace of time, as that [ever] imports: and that David ſpake this with an eye unto the Glory to come, when Heart, and Fleſh, and all in this world he foreſaw would fail him, is evident by what he had immediately meditated in the words afore, v. 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, v. 25. p. 38Whom have I in heaven but thee? for all things elſe will fail me one 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 v. 26. and his eſtate in heaven & earth divide that time & 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] & when all faile him which he had on earth, then God alone becomes his happineſſe in heaven. But this onelyonly in generall 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 becoming 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 ſpeciall manner (as Wiſd. 11. 26. The Lord a lover of ſouls above all his other creation. So it is there, Thou art mercifull to all becauſe they are thine, O LORD THOU LOVER OF SOULS [God is a Spirit] when therefore this naked, and withall ſublimated ſpirit (by its being born again by his own ſpirit) and ſo aſſimilated to God himſelf, a pure ſpark now freed and ſevered from its duſt and aſhes, flying up (or is carried rather by Spirits, Luke 26. 22.the Angels, out of their like ſpirituall love to it as a Spirit) unto that great Spirit, Heb. 1. ult.Heb 1that element of Spirits, it will ſurely p. 39find union and coalition with him, and be taken up unto him: for if, as Chriſt ſpeaks, John 4. 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 whileſt 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 & 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. 57. 16, 17. of the regard he bears to perſons of a contrite and humble Spirit to revive them upon this ſuperaded conſideration, that they are ſouls and ſpirit, & ſo thereby allied to him, the lofty one. Hear how in this caſe he utters himſelf, The Spirit would fail afore me, ſayes he, & the ſouls which I have made. He ſpeaks of their very ſouls properly and reſpectively conſidered, And [them] it is which he 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] (ſayes he) and it is one of the eminent titles he takes into his coat, The framer of the ſpirit of man within him, Zach. 12. ch. 1. 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 alwayes wroth. (This I have obſerved in what is publick of mine.)Child of Light; walking in Darkneſſe. Now what moves him to remove his wrath from ſuch an one? The ſpirit would faile (ſays he.) Now doth God thus p. 40profeſſe to have a regard to them in this life, and that upon this account, that they are Spirits, leſt they ſhould FAILE, or faint; and ſhall we not think that when indeed otherwiſe they do faile (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, unleſſe 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 CREATOUR] both by the new, & alſo firſt creation (the new reviving & ingratiating the remembrance of the firſt) [The SOULS which I HAVE MADE] ſaid he in Eſay. But in our Peter this is more expreſſe, and mentioned 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 account, that he is the faithfull creatour of them, 1 Pet. 4. laſt. Wherefore let them that ſuffer 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, v. 12. he termes the fiery triall, and ver. 17. forewarns them of a time of judgement was begun, and going on upon the houſe of God, ſuch as they had not yet felt; who yet Heb. 10. 32, 33, 34. had ſuffered reproch and ſpoyling of their goods (as Peter writes to the ſame Jews) hereupon Peter pertinently inſtructs them to commit the keeping of their ſouls unto God. At p. 41death you know it is that when mens bodies are deſtroyed, and ſo the ſeaſon when their ſouls to be ſeparated therefrom ſhould be committed to Gods care; as our Darling (as our Tranſlation) or lovely ſoul,Pſal. 22. See Ainſw.Ps 22 when ſeparate (as others) as Chriſt in David ſpeaks, Pſ. 22. And Peter had in his eye Chriſt example, and pointed them thereunto, who at his death committed his ſeparate Soul or Spirit into the hands of God, Luke 23. 46. and the word commit is one and the ſame in both theſe places:foreign. onelyonly there is this difference, that whereas Chriſt ſayes, Father I commit, Peter ſubſtitutes another title of Gods (there being more than one Relation moving God, and ſtrengthening our Faith to this) even of faithfull creatour. And I underſtand not the firſt creation onelyonly 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 faithfull in his care and proviſion for ſuch ſouls, according to his promiſes: And faithfulneſſe doth alwayes reſpect and refer unto Promiſes; and my reaſon why thus I underſtand it, is, becauſe I find Gods faithfulneſse ſtill annexed unto his calling of us, that is, converting us, which is al one with this new creation: Faithfull is he that hath called you, that is, made you new creatures. 1 Cor. 1. 9. 1 Theſ. 5. 24. And I find that David alſo urges it upon God as a motive, as in other Pſalms. So Pſ. 138. 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 mercifull unto him for ever, in the former part of that verſe.

p. 423. God profeſſeth himſelf the FATHER of SPIRITS; which relation, though it ſpeaks his being the Creatour of them, at the firſt, yet hath ſomething more of bowels in it: it ſayes withall ſomething further, when it falls out that ſuch Spirits as he is a Father unto by the firſt creation, are alſo the ſubjects of His eternall love, by Grace and Election unto the Adoption of children, as Eph. 1. 3, 4, 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 then it could be any way ſuppoſed to be by the firſt creation. And therefore is ſet and pitcht 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 onelyonly becauſe p. 43Natura 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 priviledges where he meant to love by election and choice, then he did where he loved onelyonly by a due and meet law of creation: So that when God ſhall profeſſe 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 confirmes it, Father into thy hands I commit my ſpirit: It was not barely as a father of his ſpirit by creation (as our 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 leſſe than three whole dayes ſpace.

Now we read Heb. 12. 12. the Apoſtle to hold forth this very relation of Gods being a father of ſpirits, with this promiſe thereunto annexed, That they ſhould live: which relation of Father, &c. although it be there explicitely 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 exhorteth, and that to move them to be ſubject unto him as ſuch; with promiſe, that they ſhould live) it evidently reſpecteth not meerely 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 p. 44life 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 holineſſe, as upon that relation, as unto the father of ſpirits, with this promiſe, That they ſhould live; then ſurely one ſpeciall 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 born to their ſpirits (when the occaſion ſhall be) conſidered apart in beſtowing this life on them: and truly when its more proper for him to ſhew himſelf a Father then when their ſouls after their ſubjection to him in holineſſe here accompliſhed, and 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 caſhired out of this world, and come ſtript and naked of all but holineſſe 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 Fathers 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 that 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 then all the former. The Text ſayes, He that wrought us for this, is God. I adde, he is your God. And this alone, if we will take the Scriptures verdict, will carry it, and loe, as he is ſtyled The Father of ſpirits in common, and yet withall a father of their ſpirits, out of ſpecial love: p. 45So in like manner,Numb. 16. 22.Num 16:22 he is ſtyled both The God of the ſpirits of all fleſh, (that is, of man, Job 12. 20.) thus in common; and alſo to his Elect, I am your God by grace. 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 finde yoked hand in hand, Joh. 20. 17. Look how farre he is a God of the one, ſo farre a Father alſo extendeth in the other: And look how farre that he is our God, ſo farre 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, becauſe our Father. And ſo the proof of this fourth Particular, will adde 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. 15. 1. perſonally, I am thy abundant reward, (which reſpected the life to come) and his Friend, 2 Chron. 20. 7.

Now the Scriptures of the New Teſtament do improve this relation of Gods unto us, unto two inferences drawn from Abrahams inſtance: whereof the one is the point afore us.

The firſt is Chriſts inference from thence, That p. 46therefore Abrahams ſoul lives, and Abraham both ſoul and body ſhall riſe again, for God is not the God of the dead, but of the living, Matth. 22. 31. Thus Chriſt.

2. Paul's collection from the ſame Promiſe, is, that God had provided in the mean time for Abrahams ſoul afore the Reſurrection, a City, and an Houſe therein for him. Thus Heb. 11. 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 repreſented 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 7. 5, 6, 7. And alſo Paul, in the 9th verſe of this Heb. 11. Now then, when they died, what was it their faith expected in ſtead 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 pitch'd to look for this City, in ſtead of that Land of Canaan promiſed. This was the expectation of their faith on their part. Well, but how doth it appear, that this flow'd from Gods 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 ſumm'd 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 p. 47be called their God, for he hath prepared for them a City; which is ſpoken in full anſwer to that their expectation at their deaths, to ſhew, that God in profeſſing himſelf 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 deaths: The words are expreſs, Wherefore God is not aſhamed; what ſhould this mean in this Coherence, but that his declaring himſelf to be their God, 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 convenanted 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 Country by God, who called him to his foot, and ſaid no more, but as a Maſter to his Servant, Take your Cloke, and follow me (who muſt preſently, without more ado, trig and foot it after his Maſter) as Iſa 41. 2. and then to live a ſtranger in the Land of Promiſe, upon the faith, that God would be his God: 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, in ſtead of the poſſeſſion of Canaan; and that after, upon his being turned p. 48out 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 exceedeth that their expectation could be ſuppoſed to be.

Let us but view the force of this inference of the Apoſtles (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 turn'd out of houſe and home, plundred, baniſhed, driven out of all, as the Steward in that Parable, Luk. 16. was, and comes to his friend at midnight, as in that other Parable, Luk. 11. 5, 6. will not his friends entertain him into their houſes; as ver. 9. of Luke 16. yea, and riſe at midnight to do it, as ver. 5, 6. in that Parable of Luke 11. ſhall profeſſion of friendſhip engage and oblige men to do this, and ſhall not Gods 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 and finiſh'd all their work, that in order to glory God hath appointed them for p. 49ever 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 & again out of Eccl. 12. 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 Paraphraſe hath long ſince gloſſed upon it, It returns to God, that it may ſtand in Judgement afore Him. In this life it came unto God by faith, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, believing that God is, Heb. 11. 6.Heb 11:6and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently ſeek him; and now at the end of its faith, it comes unto God for the reward of its faith, as ſome interpret that 1 Pet. 1. 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. 15. 1.Gen 15:1And ſo we come to connect this fifth Head with the fore-going. 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. 12. 23. that in that ſtupendious 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 Chriſts time ſet for rewarding, p. 50and it is the twelfth and laſt hour ſucceeding the eleventh of the day,See Burgenſis, Maldonat. &c. Lev. 19 13.Lev 19:13 Matth. 20. 6, & 9. compared) which is when the night of death comes. Now there is a Law given by God, 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 untill the morning, Deut. 24. 15.Deut 24:15ſays God, Deut. 24. 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, Pſal. 17. laſt. It abides not with him all that dark and long ſome night, or ſpace after death, in which their bodies reſt in the grave, which is termed Mans long home: Eccleſ. 12. 5.Eccl 12:5and, The days of darkneſs are many (ſays Solomon) no; he rewards them in the evening of the day, beſides what he will adde to it in the morning. It is obſervable, that Rev. 6. 9, 10. concerning the ſeparate Souls ſlain for Chriſt, that whilſt they cry for Juſtice on their enemies only, 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 they cried with a loud voice, ſaying, How long, O 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 vengeance alſo was executed on that Roman Empire for their blood ſhed. And thus to deal is a righteous thing with God.

p. 51Thus 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 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 II. 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 onelyonly 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 mens Souls in this life, and then bring them into a glory, he had in the mean ſpace been a working 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 it ſelf; and then hath exactly ſuited and matched the one to the other: when All comes to be finiſh'd, 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, p. 521. Each of theſe Workmanſhips ſingly and apart.

2. Joyntly, as deſigned and fitted each to the other.

§.

1. Each ſingly: If there were no ſuch ordination of the one for the other, yet ſo conſidered, they deſerve to have, each, an [He that hath wrought this, is God] to be written under it.

1. For his Artifice, in working us in this life. Learned Cameron hath but one Note upon this whole fifth Chapter,In his Myrothecium. and it falls to be upon this very word [who hath wrought] and it is this: This word (ſays he) as uſed by the Septuagint, foreign.ſignifies Rem expolire rudem & informem, To poliſh a thing that is rude, and without faſhion: for which he gives inſtance out of Exod. 35. 33. in Bezaleels work (whom, as the 31, 32 verſes ſpeak of him, God had filled with his Spirit in all Wiſdome, in all Workmanſhip, to deviſe cunning work.) And again, the ſame word is uſed of the Temple-work (that other was for Moſes Tabernacle) 1 King. 6. 36. by Solomon, which how tranſcendent a ſtructure it was, you have all read or heard. An infinitely ſurpaſſing Art then hath the Spirit himſelf (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 Pet. 2. 5. eſpecially conſidering the utter remoteneſs, indiſpoſedneſs, yea crookedneſs and perverſeneſs in the matter wrought upon (our Souls, fill'd with the contrary form and workmanſhip of Satan) Ye are his workmanſhip, ſays the Apoſtle, Eph. 2. 10. And truly, if we could enlarge upon all the varieties of dealings God uſeth to each Soul to work it, the ſeveral p. 53ſorts 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. 6. from the 4. v. In much patience, in afflictions, in neceſsities, in diſtreſses, v. 5. In ſtripes, in impriſonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in faſtings, v. 6. By pureneſſe, by knowledge, by long-ſuffering, by kindneſse, by the holy Ghoſt, by love unfeigned, v. 7. By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteouſneſſe, on the right hand, and on the left, v. 8. By honour and diſhonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true: v. 9. As unknown, and yet well known: as dying, and behold, we live: as chaſtened, and not killed: v. 10. As ſorrowfull, yet alway rejoycing: as poor, yet making many rich: as having nothing, and yet poſſeſsing all things. v. 11. O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged. What a glorious Embroydery upon the ſoul of a poor believer will in all theſe things appear, when finiſhed! Pſal. 45. 13, 14. The Kings daughter is all glorious within, her cloathing is of wrought gold: ſhe ſhall be brought unto the King in rayment of needle-work.

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 Maſter-piece, it is the framing of that Houſe, and building ſpoken of v. 1. of this ch. We have a building of God, a houſe not made with hands: And the 11. of the Hebrews 10. expreſly uſeth two artificiall words, foreign the Artificer in it, and foreign 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. I do but adde this towards the confirmation of the main point in hand.

p. 54Hath 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, ſayes Heb. 11. 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 ſtand deſolate, when he hath been at ſuch coſt in both? Doth any man or Landlord build or repaire 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 leſſe a careleſſe 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.

§.

Let us conſider them, next, joyntly, that 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 appeare, and that he is wiſe in counſel, and wonderfull in working, when he hath hiddenly contrived one thing for another, when as each are in themſelves, and apart glorious. It is ſaid by David of himſelf (and it is true of all men in their meaſure) Pſal. 139. 15. I was made in ſecret, and curiouſly wrought in the loweſt parts of the earth; that is, in my mothers womb, as the context ſhews; which are termed the Lower parts of the earth, as when Chriſt is ſaid, Eph. 4. to have p. 55deſcended into the lower part of the earth; that is, to be conceived in the womb of a Virgin; when a child is born, a lump of fleſh, animated with a ſoul comes forth, curiouſly wrought, &c. but wrought, for what? in Davids perſon (in which this was ſpoken) it was for a Kingdome, 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 fitneſſe 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 buſie for ſix dayes in making this world, the Angels all that while ſtood wondring with themſelves, to what end,Job 36. 7.Job 36:7 or for whom all this was prepared. At the end of the ſixth day, they ſaw God to ſet down into the world this little thing called Man; and then they ceaſed their wonderment; for they ſaw all this world (prepared aforehand) ſet in mans heart, and all in man curiouſly wrought and fitted for all things made in this world, richly to enjoy, as 1 Tim. 6. 17. We may apply that in the Text, to this it appeared, That he that hath man for 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 refer our Admiration hereat untill 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 p. 56do import ſo much; He ſtyleth Glory in Heaven a being clothed upon, and Holineſſe 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 afore-hand) that every man ſhall receive his own reward according to his own labour, 1 Cor. 3. 8.

Now the Artifice of God in both theſe lies in this, That each are hiddenly contrived apart, and yet ſo gloriouſly matcht as wrought one for the other; which is an argument as of 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 artificiall pleaſant Story? Doth not this Scripture tell the very ſame? For a cloſe, Do but now at laſt take a view and proſpect of our Apoſtles whole diſcourſe. The Round and Cicle whereof begun at v. 16. of ch. 4. and endeth with my Text; and do you not find it ſpeak (to uſe the Texts language) the very ſelf-ſame thing?

1. He tells us there of an inward man renewed, whileſt the outward is a periſhing, to the end it may live and p. 65ſubſiſt alone, when the body is wholly diſſolved; (there he layes his Foundation) And is not this all one with what the Text ſayes? God works Us (theſe ſouls) day by day: Even as the child is curiouſly wrought in the womb, to ſubſiſt of it ſelf alone in this world, ſo this inward man in that other.

2. He then immediately ſubjoyns 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 proportionable weight (for God works all theſe things in weight and meaſure) our light affliction works for us a far more exceeding and eternall 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 inferiour Artificers or Inſtruments: Therefore,

3. He further declares, 1. verſe 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 meanes and diſpenſations; and knows afore-hand what degree of holineſſe 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 for this inner man to entertain it when the body is diſſolved: p. 66If 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 GOD. But every ſoul hath a ſtate of Glory proportioned to all theſe,1 Pet. 1.1 Pet 1 ready built for it againſt this time; even as Statues in ſtone are framed and carved, to be ſet up in ſuch a curious Arch framed for them by the Builder. Now then,

4. Adde 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 is GOD. The Apoſtles concluſion anſwers his beginning; he began in v. 16. ch. 4. and the circle ends in my Text. And This is GOD, who is wiſe in working and wonderfull in counſel.

§.

But there is a third point yet remains.

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. This is 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 onelyonly) to expreſſe The Father: p. 67Now 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 to inſiſt on it.

2. It is an other 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 ſpeciall 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 Apoſtolicall 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 farre off intereſted in this ſelf-ſame thing in the next verſe, and v. 8. Abſence from the Lord, whileſt in the body, v. 6. and preſence with the Lord, when ſeparate from the body, v. 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? '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 (a-new p. 68upon them) over and above what morall Honeſty (which was Natures portion) and the common profeſſion of Chriſtianity addes thereunto, by cuſtome 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 ſpirituall faith and frame, and mold 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 found naked of Grace and Holineſs wrought, and Chriſts 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 Matth. 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, v. 12. Take him and hinde him, (ſays he) and caſt him into utter darkneſs, v. 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 p. 69Chriſt: ſee ver. 11.) in rayment of Needle-work, and this clothing is of Gods working; and ſo my Text falls in with both: There is no admiſſion unto Chriſt without it—This 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 Gods 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, Acti agimus.we work, and all is rather, God hath wrought us, than that we have wrought) All thy righteouſneſs (I ſay) ſhall remain for ever. 2 Cor. 9. 9.2 Cor 9:9All 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 Childe in the Womb curiouſly wrought all that time,Pſal. 139. 15.Ps 139:15 in order to its living and ſubſiſting afterwards in this world. 'Tis a dark place, the Womb which the Childe is wrought in; and it lives there in a ſtifled condition, it cannot breathe, it p. 70takes 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 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, your life is hid, it is to come; all that you finde in this world, is but [that God hath wrought you for the ſelf-like thing] And if this Childe we ſpake 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 Souls being wrought on—Therefore be content to wait Gods leiſure, until your change ſhall come.

Uſe 4.

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 reproch broke Chriſts heart, ſays the Pſalmiſt in his name) no matter, ſo they work upon thy Soul. Know then, that they are ſet awork by the hand that ſent them, to work a far exceeding weight of glory for thee:Phil. 3.Phil 3 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 p. 71a 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 Paul ſays) 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 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 ſheafs with thee. For my ſelf, ſo that I finde Election purſuing its deſign, of making me holy, and bleſsing me with ſpiritual bleſsings in heavenly places, (as Epheſ. 1. 4.) I care not (I would not care) what befalls me in this World.

FINIS.

End of the text · Thomas Goodwin, A State of Glory for Spirits of Just Men Upon Dissolution (1657)