The fifth and last Consideration is, That these separate Souls having done and finished all their work, that in order to Glory God hath appointed them for ever to do, they now at death appear ⟨p. 327⟩afore him as a Judge and Rewarder. And that is the fifth Relation moving God to bestow at this season such a Glory on them. How that then the Soul returns to God, you have heard again and again out of Eccl. 12. 7. and that it is upon the account of his being the Judge thereof at the end of their work in this life. The Chaldee Paraphrase hath long since glossed upon it, It returns to God, that it may stand in Judgment afore him. In this life it came unto God by Faith, as the Apostle speaks, believing that God is, and that he is a Rewarder of them that diligently 1seek him; and now at the end of its Faith, it comes unto God for the Reward of its Faith, as some interpret that 1 Pet. 1. 9. (which we so largely have insisted on.) This is certain, That in that Promise to Abraham, to be his God, he intended and included, his being to him an exceeding great Reward. And so we come to connect this fifth Head with the foregoing. 2And therefore if the being his God, moved him to prepare that City against his death (as hath been said;) then surely his being his Reward, doth also then take place. I shall not omit it, because it falls in the next Chapter, Heb. 12. 23. that in that stupendous Assembly of Heaven, God the Judge of all is ⟨p. 328⟩mentioned between the Church of the first-born which are written in Heaven; this afore: and the Spirits of justified Men made perfect; this after it: For there are none of these First-born, or the Spirits of just Men, do come to sit down there, but they pass the award of this Judge first, for they sit down by him; and surely, having done all their Work in the time of that day is allotted to each man to work in, it is a righteous thing with God to give them a Reward in the evening of this day, (which is Christ's time set for rewarding, and it is the twelfth and last hour succeeding the eleventh of the day, Matth. 20. 6, & 9. 3compared) which is when the night of death comes. Now there is a Law given by God, that the wages to a man hired should be given him (by him that set him awork) in his day, that is, says the Septuagint, the very same day, so as his Work, or the wages of his Work, abide not with thee all the night until the morning, 4says God, Deut. 24.
The fifth and last Consideration is, That these separate Souls having done and finish'd all their work, that in order to Glory God hath appointed them for ever to do, they now at death appear ⟨p. 327⟩afore him as a Judge and Rewarder. And that is the fifth Relation moving God to bestow at this season such a Glory on them. How that then the Soul returns to God, you have heard again and again out of Eccl. 12. 7. and that it is upon the account of his being the Judge thereof at the end of their work in this life. The Chaldee Paraphrase hath long since glossed upon it, It returns to God, that it may stand in Judgment afore him. In this life it came unto God by Faith, as the Apostle speaks, believing that God is, and that he is a Rewarder of them that diligently 1seek him; and now at the end of its Faith, it comes unto God for the Reward of its Faith, as some interpret that 1 Pet. 1. 9. (which we so largely have insisted on.) This is certain, That in that Promise to Abraham, to be his God, he intended and included, his being to him an exceeding great Reward. And so we come to connect this fifth Head with the foregoing. 2And therefore if the being his God, moved him to prepare that City against his death (as hath been said;) then surely his being his Reward, doth also then take place. I shall not omit it, because it falls in the next Chapter, Heb. 12. 23. that in that stupendious Assembly of Heaven, God the Judge of all is ⟨p. 328⟩mentioned between the Church of the first-born which are written in Heaven; this afore: and the Spirits of justified Men made perfect; this after it: For there are none of these First-born, or the Spirits of just Men, do come to sit down there, but they pass the award of this Judge first, for they sit down by him; and surely, having done all their Work in the time of that day is allotted to each man to work in, it is a righteous thing with God to give them a Reward in the evening of this day, (which is Christ's time set for rewarding, and it is the twelfth and last hour succeeding the eleventh of the day, Matth. 20. 6, & 9. 3
- 1Heb. 11. 6.
- 2Gen. 15. 1.
- 3See Brugensis, Maldonat. &c. Lev. 19. 13.
- 4Deut. 24. 15.
