1. That is the world that God commands, but this is the one that he slights and considers. (2 Thess 1:5,6) Hence, that is called the kingdom of God, but this is an ‘evil world.’ (Gal 1:4) Now let us conclude, that since God made both, he can judge which of the two is best; yea, best able to judge thereof. I would rather refer you to the judgment of God in this matter, for should I put you upon asking of him as to this, that is, coming to God by Christ, perhaps you would say, he is as little able to give an account of this matter as yourselves. But I hope you think God knows, and therefore I refer you to the judgment of God, which you have in the Scriptures of truth—’ Heaven is his throne, and the earth is his footstool.’ I hope you will say there is some difference. The Lord is the God of that, the devil is the god and prince of this. Thus, it appears there is some difference between them.
2. That world, and those that are counted worthy of it, shall all be everlasting; but so shall not this, nor the inhibitors of it. The earth with the works thereof shall be burned up, and the men that are of it shall die in like manner. (2 Peter 3) ‘But Israel shall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded in the world without end.’ (Isa 45:17) This world, with its lovers, will end in a burning hell; but the world to come has not faded away. (1 Peter 1:3,4)
3. The world that we are now in, has its best comforts mixed either with crosses or curses; but that comes with neither. There shall be no more curse: and as for crosses, all tears shall be wiped from the eyes of those that dwell there. There will be nothing but ravishing pleasures, and holy; there will be no cessation of joys, nor any speck of pollution. ‘In thy presence is fullness of joy, at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.’ (Psa 16:11)
4. Their men shall be made like angels, ‘neither can they die anymore.’ (Luke 20:35,36) There shall they behold the face of God and his Son, and swim in the enjoyment forever.
5. There men shall see themselves beyond all misery and shall know that it will be utterly impossible that anything like sorrow, grief, sickness, or discontent, should touch them more.
6. There men shall be rewarded by God for what they have done and suffered according to his will for his sake; there they shall eat and drink their comforts, and wear them to their everlasting consolation.
7. They are all kings that go to that world, and so shall be proclaimed there. They shall also be crowned with crowns, and they shall wear crowns of life and glory, crowns of everlasting joy, and crowns of lovingkindness; yea, ‘In that day the Lord of hosts himself shall be for a crown of glory to those that are his people.’ (Heb 2:7, Isa 28:5, 35:10, Psa 103:4) Now, if this world, though no more could be said of it than is said in these few lines, is not infinitely far better than what the present world is, I have missed it in my thoughts. But the coming man, the man that comes to God by Christ, is satisfied, knows what he does; and if his way, all his way thither, were strewed with burning coals, he would choose, God helping him, to tread that path rather than to have his portion with them that perish.
No comments:
Post a Comment