3. The respect between faith and salvation. It is Te\o<;, the end ; or the word signifieth the fruit and the reward. As reko^ is taken for an end and scope, the scripture favouretli that notion : Kara aKoitov SioiKco, 1 press towards the mark or scope, Phil. iii. 14. And 2 Cor. iv. 18, aKoirovvTe^, the salvation of our souls is the prime
152 THE EXCELLENCY OF SAVING FAITIL [1 PeT, I. 9.
benefit wliicli fliitli is not only allowed, but required to aim at. A believer levelleth and directeth all his actions to this end, that at length he may obtain eternal life. Sometimes it is put for the fruit or reward : Kom. vi. 22, ' Being made free from sin, and become ser- vants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlast- ing Ift'c.' The issue of all, the final result, was your salvation.
The point that I shall insist on is this : —
Doct. That the end and reward of faith is the salvation of our souls.
I shall open the point by explicating three questions : —
1. What is this salvation of our souls ?
L\ What right the believer hath to it ?
3. AVhat is that saving faith which giveth us a title to it ? The last is most important.
1. What is the salvation 'of the soul? It is not meant of temporal deliverance, or an escape from danger, as some would affix that sense upon it, but of eternal life, or our happy estate in heaven. This belongeth to our whole man, the body as well as the soul ; but the soul is the chief part of man, and that which is first glorified. When men come first into the Avorld, first the body is framed, and then the soul Cometh after ; as we see in the creation of Adam, first his body was organised, and then God breathed into him the spirit of life. And we see it in common generation, when the body is first framed in the womb, then it is quickened by a living soul. This lower region of the world is pro})erly the place of bodies, therefore reason requires that the body, which is a citizen of the world, should first be framed, that it may be a receptacle for the soul, which is a stranger, and conieth from the region of spirits that is above. But when we must remove into these heavenly habitations, then it is quite otherwise ; for then the soul, as a native of that place, is presently admitted, but the body, as a stranger, is forced to reside in the grave till the day of judgment ; and then, for the sake of the soul, our bodies also are admitted into heaven. This is the ordinary law for all private persons. Christ, indeed, who is the head of the church, and the prince of this world and that which is to come, his body as well as his human spirit was made a denizen of heaven as soon as he ascended. He entered into heaven not as a private citizen, but as king and lord of the heavenly Jerusalem, and therefore carried both body and soul along with him. But as to us, first the soul goeth there, as into his ancient seat and proper habitation, and afterwards the body followeth.
Well, then — [1.] At death our souls go to Christ, and enter into a state of happiness : riiil. i. 23, ' I desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ.' The soul is not annihilated after death, nor doth it sleep till the resurrection, nor is it detained by the way from immediate passing into glory ; but if it be the soul of a believer, as soon as it is loosed from the body it is with Christ : Luke xxiii. 43, ' Verily, I say unto thee, to-day shalt thou be with me in i)aradise.' He asked to be remembered when Christ came into liis kingdom ; and Christ assureth him of a reception there that day, as soon as he should ex])ire.
[2.] In due lime the body is raised and united to the soul, and tlien
1 Pet. I. 9.] the excellency of saving faith. 153
Christ will be 'glorified in his saints, and admired in all them that believe,' 2 Thes. i. 10. Such glory and honour will be put upon those who are but newly crept out of dust and rottenness ; the saints them- selves, and all the spectators, shall wonder at it.
[3.] There is another period in this happiness, our everlasting habitation in heaven, near unto the throne of God, and in the pre- sence of his glory : John xiv. 2, ' In my Father's house are many man- sions.' There we shall also have the company of angels and blessed spirits, and make up one society with them : Heb. xii. 23, ' To the general assembly and church of the first-born, which are written in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect.' This is the sum of the salvation which we expect, or our everlasting happiness with God in heaven.
2. What is the right of believers, or the interest of faith in this great benefit ?