CHAPTER 6
Of Glorification begun and perfected.
Glorification, more generally taken, includes the whole of believers' honour and pleasure in time and eternity.
I. The commencement of it in this life, which has been considered in the preceding chapters, may be summed up in, 1. Our high state of honour as the spouse and members of Christ, and the friends, favourites, children, kings, and priests of God, in, and together with him, 1 Cor 1:30; 2 Cor 5:21; Eph 1:3-7; 1 John 3:1; Rev 1:6. 2. Our spiritual manifestations and knowledge of God in Christ, Ps 27:4; Ps 68:24; Ps 63:2; Heb 11:1,27; 2 Cor 3:18; 2 Cor 4:18. 3. Our honourable conformity to God in holiness of heart and life, 2 Cor 3:18; Exod 15:11; 1 Pet 1:15-16; Matt 5:48. 4. Our familiar intercourse with, and communications from God, Ps 144:15; Ps 33:12; Ps 16:5-6; Ps 34:8; Ps 36:6-9; Ps 65:4; Ps 25:14; Ps 84:11; Ps 85:12. 5. Our spiritual comforts, arising from certain views of our present and future happiness, Ps 32:2; Ps 103:1-5; Ps 23; Ps 104:34; Ps 31:19; Heb 6:17-18; Isa 40:1-2; Isa 51:7,12; Isa 60:19-20.
II. At death, the souls of believers enter upon the enjoyment of perfect honour and happiness. 1. Their death being unstinged, by virtue of Christ's blood applied to them, Hos 13:14; Isa 25:8, comes to them as an inestimable legacy bequeathed in his testament, 1 Cor 3:22; Isa 51:11, and procured by his infinitely kind intercession, John 17:24. 2. Their soul, not being killed with their body, Matt 10:28, they long for death, Luke 2:28-30; Phil 1:23; 2 Cor 5:1-8, and commit their departing soul to Christ, Ps 31:5; Acts 7:59. 3. In its departing moment, it is made perfectly free from
sin, and conformed to God in holiness, Heb 12:23; Rev 21:4,27; 1 John 3:2; Eph 5:25-27; Jude 24; 1 Cor 13:12. 4. Being separated from their body, it is immediately conveyed by angels into the heavenly state, in which it is inexpressibly active and happy, Luke 16:22-23; Luke 23:42-43; Acts 7:59; 2 Cor 5:1-8; John 17:24; Rev 14:13; Phil 1:23. These scriptures, together with those that mention only two forms of the future state, or of the way to it, Matt 7:13-14; Rom 2:7-10; or, which prove the perfection of Christ's satisfaction for the sins of his people, manifest that there is no purgatory or middle state, between heaven and hell.
III. At the last day, 1. The bodies of believers having, through their continued union to Christ, rested in their graves perfectly freed from all sin and trouble, Rev 14:13; 1 Thess 4:16; Isa 57:2, shall, by virtue of this union, and the powerful influence of his indwelling Spirit, be raised to life, strong, immortal, glorious, and spiritual, Isa 26:19; Job 19:25-27; Rom 8:11-23; Phil 3:21; 1 Cor 15:42-49. 2. Their complete persons shall be publicly acknowledged before all angels and men by Christ, as his redeemed bride, dear children, beloved friends, and obedient people, and acquitted from all the false charges which had been cast upon them, and absolved from all their real faults, Luke 12:8; Matt 10:32; Matt 25:34-40; 2 Tim 4:7-8. 3. All of them in one assembly or body, shall be publicly and solemnly adjudged and invited, and blessed of the Father, and heirs of his prepared kingdom, to take an everlasting possession of it, Ps 96:13; Ps 98:9; Matt 25:34. 4. Along with Christ their Head, and attended by millions of angels, they shall be admitted into their heavenly state, while new heavens and a new earth are formed for enlarging the objects of their delightful contemplation, Matt 25:40; Ps 45:15; Isa 35:10; 2 Pet 3:10,13.
IV. Through all eternity they shall be made perfectly blessed in the full enjoyment of God, Ps 31:19; 2 Cor 4:17. 1. No evil thing, sin, or sorrow, shall ever enter, Rev 20:14-15; Rev 21:4,8,25,27; Rev 22:3,5,15; Isa 35:10; Isa 51:11; Isa 60:20. 2. Every thing calculated to promote true happiness shall be enjoyed in full perfection, Rev 7:17; Isa 35:10; Isa 60:19-20; 1 Cor 15:28; 2 Cor 4:17.—Their place of abode shall be inexpressibly delightful,—a better country,—a city, a temple, and an house, having foundations, built by God,—a new Jerusalem,—Zion,—God's kingdom, palace, throne, paradise, barn, garner,—Abraham's bosom, the third heaven, etc. Heb 11:16; Heb 11:10; Rev 21; Rev 22:1-5; Matt 13:43; Matt 5:34; Ps 45:15;
Isa 66:1; Luke 23:43; 2 Cor 12:2,4; Rev 2:7; Rev 3:21; Matt 3:12; Matt 13:30; Matt 8:11; Luke 16:22; 2 Cor 5:1; John 14:2.—Their eternally and immutably fixed condition, in this abode, shall be most glorious,—a treasure, joy, peace, rest, glory, an exceeding weight of glory,—the joy of the Lord,—light, life,—an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled,—a walking with Christ in white robes,—a sitting with Christ on his throne, or at a splendid banquet, Matt 6:20; Isa 57:2; Ps 73:24; 2 Cor 4:17; Matt 25:21,23; Col 1:12; Matt 19:17; Ps 16:11; 1 Pet 1:4; Rev 3:5,21; Rev 2:26; Rev 7:17; Matt 8:11.—They shall enjoy the most delightful fellowship with angels and perfected saints, Matt 8:11; Heb 12:22-23; Rev 5:9-13, and with Christ as their elder brother, John 12:26; John 14:3; John 17:24; Ps 22:22; Heb 12:24; 1 Thess 4:17; and shall enjoy God himself in every known excellency of his nature, manifested through Christ, as their All in All, Heb 12:24; Ps 43:4; Ps 73:26; 1 Cor 15:28.
In this state of the full enjoyment of God is included, 1. An immediate vision with the eyes of their understanding, of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, 1 John 3:2; 1 Cor 13:12; Ps 17:15; John 17:24-25; John 14:10; 2 Cor 4:6;—while their bodily eyes behold the glorified body of Christ and these of his saints. 2. The most full experience of the goodness and love of God, Rev 7:17; Isa 60:19-20; 1 Cor 15:28. 3. Perfect likeness to God in his imitable, and correspondence of heart with his inimitable perfections, Ps 17:15; 1 John 3:2. 4. Inexpressible love to God, and to all around for his sake, 1 Cor 13:8,13. 5. Inconceivable delight and joy, expressed in unceasing and enraptured songs of praise to God, through, and together with Christ, Rev 7:17; Rev 5:9-13; Ps 16:11; Ps 17:15; Ps 43:4; Isa 35:10; Isa 60:18-20.—All this happiness will be everlasting, if not perpetually increasing by means of the heart-enlarging influence of such fellowship with God, 1 Thess 4:17; Matt 25:46; Isa 60:19; Isa 51:11. The everlasting love and covenant of God, the everlasting merit of Christ's righteousness, and the power of his intercession, secure the eternity of it, Jer 31:3; Isa 54:8-10; 2 Sam 23:5; Dan 9:24; Heb 9:12; Heb 10:14; Heb 7:25.—In this happy state there will be different degrees of glory, graciously proportioned to those of their sanctification on earth. 1. Their state is represented as having different degrees of glory, John 14:2; 1 Cor 15:41-42; 1 Cor 3:8,14-15; 2 Cor 9:5-6; Matt 19:29. 2. There will be different degrees of torment in hell, proportioned to men's sinfulness, Matt 11:22,24.
Reflection. But, O my soul, in what form am I to die,—to rise again,—and to live for ever? Shall I certainly die in the Lord? and, when he appears, shall I appear with him in glory? Shall I be for ever with him,—for ever like him, by seeing him as he is? God forbid, that I should either commence or continue a preacher of Christ, before mine eternal interest in him be secured. How dreadful if, after lighting up his friends to their high mansions of bliss, I be turned downward into everlasting darkness, and bottomless pits of woe!—be driven away from Jesus Christ, as a worker of iniquity, into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels!—But, if I am a true, an experienced Christian, having a call from God to the ministerial work, let me bend all my powers,—all my prayers,—all my labours,—all my cares, to try how much Christ may be enjoyed, imitated, and served upon earth.—Let my lot, in earnestly following and preaching him, be as poor and distressful as it will, it is enough, that all be seasoned with the love, the blood, the presence, the influence, of the great God my Saviour.—I had ten thousand times rather be outwardly ruined with Christ, than reign with Caesars.—But what shall it be to enter into the joy of my Lord!—to reign in life with him and for ever possess the Redeeming Three, as my infinite All in All!—my God and my All!—Unquestionably bliss inexpressible, inconceivable!