A Vindication of Free Grace, Appendix tract
Certaine Reaſons alleaged to prove the Souls enjoying CHRIST after death, before the Reſurrection, And that againſt theſe three enſuing errours.
1. That the Scripture ſpeaks nothing of the ſtate of the Souls from Death to the Reſurrection.
2. That it no where declares the Soules happy … glorious ſtate from Death to the Reſurrection.
3. That the Soule is mortall and dyeth with the body.
ABout which, I ſhall only alleage one proof, viz. 2 Cor. 5. v. 6, 7, 8. Whereof a word touching the coherence. The Apoſtle having in the foure firſt Verſes ſpoken of … eternall houſe in Heaven, and of their gor…ing to be clothed upon therewith, laying down v. 5. two grounds to prove that they ſhall be clothed therewith, & teſtifying that aſſurance, v. 6. Therefore we are alwayes confident; he proceeds in the middle of v. 6. to diſcuſſe the happineſs of the ſoule after death, as alſo his deſire thereof. Knowing that being preſent in the body we are abſent from the Lord, and conſequently that our preſence therein is matter of diſadvantage, which he proves by the reaſon annexed, v. 7. For we walk, &c. viz. whileſt in the body: by faith, or by believing the glory to come, the things not ſeen, as in cap. 4. v. ult. And not by ſight, i. e. a beatificall viſion of glory. And thus the teams walk deſcribes glory to come, Rev. 3.4 Shall walk with me in white. Yea thus alſo our being with, and beholding God, are put together, Iohn 17.24. May be with me and behold, &c. Implying, that when our ſtate is changed from being preſent in the body, and abſent from the Lord, as v. 7. into an abſence from the body, and preſence with God, as v. 8. then we ſhall walk by ſight. And that this is fully implyed appears, becauſe the not walking by ſight is alleaged to prove abſence from God, and therefore contrarily, preſence with him muſt argue walking by ſight. Next in v. 8. he further inlarges upon the former, beginning thus, foreign, which may well be rendred we are confident therefore: or from thoſe grounds foregoing, namely, the diſadvantage of our preſent ſtate expreſt, & the advantage of the future implyed. And thus the conjunction foreign is elſewhere uſed, for which of many places ſee eſpecially 1 Ioh. 4.18. where tis foreign the therefore that feareth; for though ſome tranſlations omit therefore, yet the ſenſe neceſſarily requires it; becauſe that laſt clauſe is a concluſion drawn… from the major, or main propoſition beginning the Verſe; There is no feare in love, therefore he that feareth, &c. It followes, And we are willing or approve rather, to be abſent out of the body & preſent with the Lord, of two ſtates preferring the better: And ſo he doth Phil. 1.23. Deſtring to depart and to be with Chriſt, which is far better? better then what; ſee v. 22. then …o live in the fleſh … All which may be ſumm'd up thus; as we know that in ſtead of our earthly houſe diſt…lved, we ſhall be clothed upon with one eternall, which we gr… after…, ſo we know that in the mean time, that is to ſay, the time of the ſoules abſence from the body, we ſhal be … with the Lord, … … in the …o…y. Which being t…u… opened, … ſhal … Friſt againſt the firſt error, viz. That the Scripture ſpeaks nothing of the ſtate of the ſoul from death to the reſurrection, and that …: If the … the ſtate of the ſoul when abſent from the body, then the Scripture declares what the ſtate therof ſhal be a…ter death unto the Reſurrection. But the former is true, that the Scripture declares the ſtate of the ſoul when a…ent from the body, for Paul confidently concludes, it ſhal then be preſent with the Lord. The Fat…er therfore, that the Scripture declar… what the ſtate of the ſoul ſhall be after death, &c. is as evident; becauſe there being no time wherein the ſoul can be abſent from the …ody, beſides the time between death and the Reſurrection; therefore what the Scripture ſpeaks of the ſoul as …ſent from the body, can concern only the ſtate of the ſoule between death and the Reſurrection, at which reſurrection the ſoule becomes preſent in the …ody againe.
The ſecond errour following upon the former, viz. That the Scripture … where declares the happy or glorious ſtate of the ſoul from death to the reſu…; may be thus deſtroyed. If the Scripture doth determine the ſtate of the ſt…t… from death to the reſurrection, to be more deſirable the… the ſta… of the ſoul before death, living by faith, then 'tis certain that the Scripture declares the ſtate of the ſoul happy after death. But the former, that the Scripture doth determine the ſtate of the ſoul, &c. i… true: for the Apoſtle expreſly deſires that ſtate, which ſhall be when the ſoul in abſent from the body, rather then the life of faith in the body. The latter the…, that the Scripture concludes the ſtate of the ſoul to be happy after death follows inevitably; becauſe as the ſtate thereof when abſent from the body by death, could not be more deſirable then living in the body by faith, except it were more happy; ſo being the more happy of the two, …s therefore tran… ly happy in it ſelf; becauſe that ſtate which is leſſe happy, even the life of faith, is throughout the Scripture declared a happy & bl…ed ſtate in it ſelf.
Secondly, if the ſoul from death to judgement ſhall be preſent with God, the certainly the ſtate thereof ſhall be a ſtate of glory. But the former, that the ſoul ſhall be then preſent with God, Paul is moſt con…ident of. The latter therefore, that this ſhall be a ſtate of glory, followes clearly, becauſe the ſtate of glory is throughout the Scripture deſcribed to be a being preſent with the Lord, or walking with, or being with the Lord, or with the Lambe, as frequently throughout the Revelation, ſo 1 Theſſ. 4.17. Io…. 7.14.
Yea thirdly, if the ſoul after death ſhall ſee that glory, the things eternall, &c. which in the body it only apprehends by faith, then certainly the ſtate thereof after death ſhall be a ſtate of glory. But the former is fully implyed as is before clearly proved. The latter therefore, that the ſtate thereof after death ſhall be a ſtate of glory, followes neceſſarily; becauſe the Scripture frequently makes the ſeeing or beholding Gods glory, to be the ſpeciall and eminent effect of the ſtate or glory: for which, beſides Ioh… 17.24. fore-mentioned, ſee Matth. 1….20 Heb. 12.14. Rev. …2.4. Yea further, becauſe the ſeeing of his glory cannot but transforme th… beholders into a ſtate of glory according to that, 1 I… 3.2 We ſhall be like him, ſ… we ſhall ſee … as he is: So 2 Cor. 3.2…. upon beholding (by faith) we … cha…ged much more ſeeing God as he is.
And whereas it may be here objected, and that truly, That the Scripture alleaged in the two laſt reaſons, do refer to the ſtate of glory at the Reſurrection, and not to any ſtate preceding; yet becauſe the ſtate of the ſoul when abſent from the body is here deſcribed by theſe very …ea… of ſeeing and being with the Lord, which elſewhere deſcribe the perfect ſtate of glory, therefore both ſtates muſt needs be the ſame in nature or quality, (though not in degrees) both having the ſelf ſame deſcription.
The third errour, That the ſoul is mortall and dy… with the body, muſt f…ll, if the Arguments againſt the former errour be avail…able: for if the ſoul be happy after death, then not mor…all. But yet I ſhall adde one Argument againſt this third errour, viz.
If the ſoul when abſent from the body ſhall be preſent with the Lord, as really as 'tis preſent in the body before death, then certainly the ſoul dyeth not with the body.
But the former, that the ſoul when abſent, &c. is true; for the Apoſtle expreſſeth the preſence of the ſoul with the Lord, by that very word whereby he expreſseth the preſents of the ſoul in the body, both which therfore … port a like reall preſence. The la…er therfore, that the ſoul dyeth not with the body, followes neceſſarily; becauſe as the ſoul cannot have exiſtance or be preſent in the body except it lives there, ſo much leſ…e can it be preſent with God, that quickneth all things (1 Tim. 6.13) except it lives with him. Seeing then the ſoul is preſent with the Lord as living (after abſent from the body) therefore it dyeth not with the body.
Object But poſſibly ſome may ſay; you under…ke to prove the ſtate of the ſoul from that Scripture, which doth not at all mention the ſoul.
Anſw For anſwer; though the ſoul be not expreſſed, yet that the ſtate of the ſoul is meant there, is moſt evident; becauſe there is an apparent diviſion made between ſoul o… body, both in v. 6. We being preſent in the body; wherein is expreſt both the body, and we preſent in it. And againe v. 8. there is a body, and then we to be abſent from it, and preſent with the Lord; which we being to expreſſe Paul and other Believers, muſt of neceſſity be underſtood of their perſonall eſsence; but their corporall eſsence it cannot be, for the body is expreſt beſides in both Verſes: by we therefore muſt needs be meant the ſoul, as appears undeniably; becauſe there is nothing beſides the body that can be of the eſsence of man but the ſoul alone. And therefore when the Scripture ſpeaks diſtinctly of an humane perſon, it divides him into theſe two parts, Soule and Body; ſo Matth. 10.28. or into minde and fleſh, ſo Rom. 2. ult.
Secondly, another Argument might be urged from that clauſe, we w…lk by faith, if compared with the Context; which clauſe by faith holds forth the proper act or ſtate of the ſoul before death (for with the heart man believes, Rom. 10.10.) though ſoul be not expreſt; and ſo v. 8. holds forth the act and ſtate of the ſoul to come after death, though ſoul be not expreſt there.
Object But there is yet another Objection, viz. That the … the ſet day of recompenſing every man according to what he hath done, a… 2 Cor. 5.10. and many like places; and therefore it ſeemes contradictory, that the ſoul ſhould at all partake of that recompence before the ſet time.
For anſwer, though the Scripture denominate the day of judgement to be the great day of recommence; yet this proves not that the ſ… of men are altogether excluded from glory and wrath till then, becauſe … Scripture doth frequently aſcribe the p…o…er denomination of a work … the laſt accompliſhmention, or finiſhing of it though much of the work be… before: to clear which, for brevity lake, I will only inſtance in the … ſions of Scripture touching this ve…y day of recompence. which is called Epheſ. 4.30. the day of redemption: now as that cannot be underſtood … ſively, as if the Saints receive no part of their redemption till th… … moſt evident 1 Pet. 1.1…. that the Saints do in a degree pa… really … redemption here, by being … their vains …ſation through the pretious blood of Christ; but 'tis therefore call'd the day of redemption, becauſe then ſhall be the conſummation thereof, both in ſoul and body, the body being then raiſed, which therefore is called diſtinctly in R…. 2.…3. the redemption of the body. So is it alſo the day of recompence, not excluſively, as if God conferred no happineſſe on the ſoul till th…n, but becauſe then the happineſſe ſhall be perfected; ye… the glory of that rec…p…ce, th… ſhall be ſo tranſcendent, as that the …ec…mp…e which the ſoul ſhall receive in the …ean time, may in compariſon of that m…ſt perfect re… pence, be counted as no recompence, according … that paralell expreſſion 2 Cor. 3.10. Even that which was made glorious, had … glory, &c. In the manner this day of redemption is called the ad…pti…, as in that R…. ….…. Waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body; not that the Saints … not of adoption till the redemption of their bodies, for in verſ. …6.…5. … … fore, they are expreſly ſh…wed to be the ad…ted ſ…s of God … … ving the ſpirit, and 1 I…. 3.…. Now … the ſons of God, that … preſent priviledge. So that the perfect poſseſſion of that …ance of Gods ſons, whereto they are adop…ted in called adoption, as it act…ally accompl… ſheth the priviledges of adoption, though they be really adopted before.
FINIS.
Imprimatur,
Ja. Cranford.
End of the text · Samuel Lane, A Vindication of Free Grace (1645)