A state of glory for spirits of just men upon dissolution, demonstrated. A sermon…

But if this Argument from these be yet judged not home enough, but short; Then let us in the fourth place added what force the third Premise will give to it, concerning the Time of Gods working on us, to drive all closer home; namely, That God hath wrought upon the Soul in this life, all that he ever means to work, by way of preparation for Glory. For this thing God [hath wrought us] which though it might with the Enlargements and Sub-arguments that now shall follow, be made an Argument alone; yet I choose to cast it into this total, to make the whole the more strong.

Therefore (4.) gather up the Demonstrations thus: If the Soul be the immediate and first subject of Grace, which is a preparation to Glory, and capable of this Glory, when out of the body; And God, the great Agent or Worker, hath wrought all that ever he means to work in it, this way, by way of preparation to Glory: Then, as Peter said in the case of admitting the Gentiles to Baptism,¹ What should hinder that these Souls should not be glorified, instantly, when out of their bodies? If indeed, as the Papists, and corrupted Jews and Heathens have feigned, there were any work to be after wrought, a Purgatory, or the like; Then a Demur ⟨p. 20⟩or Caveat might be yet put in, to suspend this their admission into glory: But the contrary being the truth, then, &c. Now the strength of the Argument from this latter, superadded to the rest, stands upon two strong Grounds.

Therefore (4.) gather up the Demonstrations thus: If the Soul be the immediate and first subject of Grace, which is a preparation to Glory, and capable of this Glory, when out of the body; And God, the great Agent or Worker, hath wrought all that ever he means to work in it, this way, by way of preparation to Glory: Then, as Peter said in the case of admitting the Gentiles to Baptism,¹ What should hinder that these Souls should not be glorified, instantly, when out of their bodies? If indeed, as the Papists, and corrupted Jews and Heathens have feigned, there were any work to be after wrought, a Purgatory, or the like; Then a Demurre