Online Bible 1995 March/ROM-1025.iso/olb/gill/d_400.lzh/D_497.TXT

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CttaP. XI.                  OF 'THE FINAL STATE OF THE SAINTS IN HEAVEN.

men have a large share of evil things, afflictions, and
distresses; and if their hope of happiness was bound-
ed by this life, they would be of all men most
miserable; especially such who are called to endure
sharp and severe sufferings: but their hope extends
beyond it; as it is reasonable it should; when, as
they have suffered in the cause of goodness, truth,
ann righteousness, that they should be glorified to-
gether; and that their present momentary afflictions
should work for them, as they do, an eternal weight of
glory. But this more abundantly appears,
2dly, From divine revelation; by which life and im-
mortality are brought to light; or an immortal life of
happiness is set in the clearest light; and which may
be strongly concluded,--1. From the promise of
God concerning it. This is the promise, the grand
and principal promise; and which includes and secures
all the rest; lie, that is, Gods. hath promised us, in the
covenant of grace, and which lies in his word, even
eternal life, I John ii. 25. which gives hope and assur-
ance of it, and in which it issues: and this promise was
made very early, even before the world began, and by
God that cannot lie, and therefore to be depended on
as sure and certain; and besides, it is in Christ; and
not the promise only, but the thing itself, Tit. i.
2 Tim. i. 1.1 John v. 11. and in this lies the happiness
of the saints, James i. 12.--2. From the predestina-
tion of men unto it; there are vessels .of mercy afore
prepared in the mind, and by the will of God, for this
future glory and hap. piness; who are chosen to the ob-
taining, or to the enjoyment, of the glory of Christ ;
to behold his glory, and appear with him in glory; who
are ordained to eternal life, and therefore beheve to
the saving of their souls: and which act of the grace,
and will of God, can never be frustrated and made
void; for whom he did predestinate--them he also
glorified, Rom. ix. 23. 2 Thess. ii. 14. Acts xiii. 48.
Roru. viii. 30.----3. From the preparation of this hap-
piness for them; this consists of things unseen and
unheard of, and not to be conceived of by carnal
minds, which God has prepared for them that love
him, fear him, and wait for him; and which prepara-
tion was made in eternity; for it is a kingdom prepared
from the foundation of the world; and which will only
be given to, and will most certainly be given to, those
for whom it is prepared of God, ICor. ii. 9. Matt. xxv.
34. and xx. 23. . · .4. From Christ's actual possession
of it for his people, in their name; and from the pre-
paration he is making of it for them; he is entered
into heaven as the forerunner for them, and has taken
possession of it in their name, as their head and repre-
sentative; and in whom, as so considered, they are
already set down in heavenly places, and shall be in
persou, most certainly, ere long; for he is gone before
to prepare a place for them, in his Father's house in
heaven, where are many mansions, by his intercession
for them, which is always prevalent; and therefore he
assures them, he will come again, and receive them to
himself, that where he is, they may be also, partakers of
his glory and happiness, Heb. vi. 20. Eph. ii. 6. John
xiv. 2, 3.----5. From the effectual vocation of men
to eternal life and happiness: Lay hold on eternal life,
whereunto thou art also called, says the apostle Paul to

Titnothy; and to which happiness every man is called,
who is called by grace: hence we read of the saints
being called of God to his kingdom and glory; and of
their being called unto his eternal glory, by Jesus
Christ. Now between vocation and glorification
there is an inseparable connection; Whom he called
--them he also glorified, t Tim. vi. 12. I Thess. ii. 12.
1 Pet. v. 10. Rom. viii. 30.----6. From the grace of
God implanted in the heart, and the earnest of the
Spirit there. The grace of God, which is wrought in
the heart in regeneration, is a well of living water,
sprining u into everlasting li e, and issues in it; and
the Spirit of God, in his operations on the souls of
men, works them up for that self-same thing, eternal
glory and happiness; and of which his indwelling also
in them, is the earnest and pledge; for he is said to
be given as an earnest, and to be the earnest of the in-
heritance, until the redemption of the purchased posses-
sion; that is, until all the purchased ones are redeem-
ed from mortality, death, and thegrave; and therefore
as sure as they have the earnest, they shall enjoy the
inheritance, which is eternal life, John iv. 14. 2 Cor.
v. 5. Eph. ii. 14..    7. From the present experiences
of the saints, from those foretastes they sometimes
have of future glory and happiness; like the Israelites,
have some clusters of Canaan's grapes, some of
of the good land by the way, as a specimen
and pledge of what they shall enioy when they come
into that better country; they now receive the first
fruits of the Spirit, which encourage them to hope for
the glorious harvest of the adoption of children: they
now, at times, have communion with G,d in private,
and also in public, i.n his house and ordinances, when
they are as the gate and suburbs of heaven to them; and
so, by inward felt experience know, from what they
find in themselves, that there is something better, and
more excellent for them in heaven.----8. From the
desires of the saints after future happiness. They
choose to be with Christ, as more eligible than to be
here; they desire to be clothed upon, with their house
from heaven, and are willing rather to be absent from
the body, that they may be present with the Lord; and
press towards the mark, for the prize of the high call-
ing of God in Christ, Phil. i. 23. and iii. 14. 2 Cot. v.
2, 8. And now those desires in the hearts of the saints,
are not formed by the Spirit of God in vain.----
9. From the assurance of it some of the saints have
had, both of the old and of the new testament; the
patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and others, all
died in the faith of the better country they were seek-
ing, and were desirous of; the psalmist Asaph expresses
his strong faith of it, that God would receive him toglory;
and the apostle Paul, in his own name, and in the name
of other christians, says, we know, we are well assured,
that we have a building of God, an house not made with
hands, eternal in the heavens, Heb. xi. 13. Psalm lxxiii.
24. 2 Cor. v. 1 .---- 10. This happiness is begun already
in this life; in regeneration men pass from the death
of sin, into a life of grace; and a life of grace, is the
life of glory begun; he that believes in Christ hath
everlasting life; is possessed of it in part, and has the
earnest and the beginning of it; eternal life is founded
in, and begins with the knowledge of God and Christ,
3R