' We shall also appear with him in glory.'
We shall appear, and appear with him, and appear in glory with him. Christ himself his glory is in some sort hid now. For though he be king of the church, yet we see what enemies are in the church ; and Satan ruffles* in the church a great while, and the nearer he is to his end the more he rageth. So that Chi'ist's glory seems to be hid. But Christ then shall appear, and his church shall appear with him in glory.
Quest. Why shall we appear with Christ and be glorious with him ?
Ans. I answer. This is clear, partly because it is Christ's will ; in John xvii., ' Father, I will that where I am they may be also.' It is Christ's last testament that we should be where he is and be glorious with him, and Christ's will must be fulfilled.
Again, Consider ivhat ice are to Christ, how near we are brought to him, and then this will be clear, that when Christ shall appear in glory, we must appear with him. For Christ is our husband, and we are his spouse. When Christ comes to be glorious, therefore, his spouse must be glorious. Now is but the time of contract, the time of the marriage solemnity shall be at the appearing of Christ, Therefore, ' when he shall appear, we shall appear with him in glory.' Christ, in his own person, distinct from his church, is now glorious as a head ; but Christ mystical is not glorious, Christ mystical sufi'ers. There are many members that are not yet called. Some are abased, and some are not brought to the fold. And Christ hath a care of his mystical body, as of his natural body ; and as that is glorious in heaven, so he will bring all his members to be one glorious body. He gave his natural body to redeem his mystical body. Therefore, as he is glorious in that in heaven, so he will be glorious in his mystical body in every believing soul at the last, when he ' shall come to be glorified in his saints,' as the apostle saith, 2 Thess. i. 10. He is glorious in himself now, then he will be glorious in his spouse.
And then from the ground of predestination: Rom. viii. 29, 30, 'We are predestinate to be conformed to Christ, that he might be the first-bom of many brethren.' Now, Christ being glorious, and we being predestinate before the world was to be like unto Christ ; first, in abasement, to be abased for him that was abased for us, to sufier for him that sufiered for us, and to be conformed to him in grace, there must be a time to be con- formed to him in glory. From the ground of election there must be a state of glory. Our glory must be revealed when Christ shall come and appear. * This 13, = makes a stir, or puts on state. — G.
THE HIDDEN LIFE. 213
I will press no more reasons that we must be glorious at the second coming of Christ as well as himself.
Quest. Wherein stands this glory ?
Alts. To clear this point a little — I will not be long in it, — because, indeed, this glory is such as ' eye hath not seen, nor car heard, nor hath it entered into the heart of man,' 1 Cor. ii. 9. The apostles speak not much of it. They speak of it in negative terms, b}' denj-ing imperfections. ' It is an inheritance incorruptible, immortal,' &c., 1 Peter i. 4. And when it is resembled to earthly things, it is compared to a banquet, to a marriage, &c. But this glory it shall be in body, in soul, in the whole man.
In soul there shall be the knowledge of those mysteries of salvation that now we are ignorant of. Now we are in the grammar-school, but that shall be as the university. Then we shall know things more clearly. We shall see God face to face, and then our souls shall be raised to be capable of more knowledge and grace. Now the vessel of our soul is not capable to know that that we shall then ; they are not capable, as they shall be in heaven. St Paul himself was not capable ; therefore when he was taken up into the third heavens, lest he should be proud of his revelations, he was fain to be abased. We are not capable, we cannot know the glory of heaven in a full measure now ; but then, God shall enlarge the heart and sanctify it, that we shall have strong spirits, and hoty understandings and aftbctions to understand holy things ; we shall know God face to face. There shall be a proportion between the glorious things in heaven and our soul ; there shall be a heavenly soul for a heavenly place, whereas yet it is not so.
I forbear to shew the particulars of the glory of the body. The apostle Paul sets it down : 1 Cor. xv. 44, ' It shall be a spiritual body.' It shall be guided by the Spirit ; and the body, it shall not then need meats and drinks, but God ' shall be all in all.' Now, our life at the best is fed and clothed by the creatures ; then, all shall be taken out of God himself. God himself slaall be all in all. The presence of God, and of Christ our Saviour, shall supply all that we have now other ways. Now comfort is conveyed from this creature and from that ; but whatsoever comfort we have now dropped b}' the creatures we shall then have all in him, and in fulness, and for evermore. So we shall be glorious in soul and body.