Question 38

How many ways may the benefits which Believers receive from Christ at the Resurrection be considered?

The benefits which Believers receive from Christ at the Resurrection, may be considered in three respects. 1. In respect of their Resurrection it self. 2. In respect of the day of Judgment after their Resurrection. 3. In respect of Heaven after the day of Judgment.

What is the benefit of Believers in respect of their Resurrection it selfe?

The benefit of Believers in respect of their Resurrection it self, is, that they shall be raised in Glory.

What glory doth this refer unto?

It doth refer unto the Glory which shall be put upon the bodies of Believers at their Resurrection, which were vile bodies, both whilst they were putrified in the grave, and whilst alive before, as they were instruments of sin, and subject to disease and death, Who shall change your vile body.^a

What is that Glory which shall be put upon the bodies of Believers at the Resurrection?

The bodies of Believers, at the Resurrection, shall be made most healthful, strong, spiritual, incorruptible, immortal, most beautiful and glorious, like unto Christs most glorious body, Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his Glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself.^b So also is the Resurrection from the dead; it is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a Natural body, it is raised a Spiritual body. This corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality; so when this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal put on immortality; then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in Victory.^c

What Benefits shall believers have after their Resurrection at the day of Judgment?

At the day of Judgment, 1. Believers shall be gathered together from all the corners of the Earth by the Angels, And he shall send his Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet, and they shall gather together the Elect from the four winds, from one end of Heaven to another.^d 2. Believers shall be all caught up together in the Clouds, to meet the Lord Jesus, who will come down with a shout from Heaven, For the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the Voice of the Archangel, and with the Trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive, and remain, shall be caught up together with them in the Clouds, to meet the Lord in the Air.^e 3. Believers shall be placed on the right hand of Jesus Christ, And he shall set the sheep on his right hand.^f 4. Believers shall be openly acknowledged by Christ to be his, and acquitted from all false aspersions which have been cast upon them, and from the real guilt of all sins which have been committed by them, because of their interest in Christ and his righteousness, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him will I also confess before my Father which is in Heaven.^g Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect? it is God that justifieth: who is he that condemneth? it is Christ that died.^h 5. Believers shall be entertained and invited by Christ. to take possession of the glorious Inheritance prepared for them, Then shall the King say unto them on the right hand, Come ye Blessed of my Father, Inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the Foundation of the World.ⁱ 6. Believers shall sit with Christ as Assessors in Judgment of the wicked Angels and wicked men, Do ye not know that the Saints shall judge the World. Know ye not that we shall judge Angels.^j

What benefits shall Believers receive after the day of Judgment in Heaven?

Believers in Heaven, shall be made perfectly Blessed in their full enjoyment of God, to all Eternity.

Wherein will consist the perfect Blessedness of Believers in Heaven?

The perfect Blessedness of Believers in Heaven, will consist, 1. In their perfect immunity, or freedom from all evil, and that both of sin and misery, That he might present it to himself a Glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish.^k And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain.^l 2. In their full enjoyment of God the chiefest good.

What doth the full enjoyment of God in Heaven imply?

The full enjoyment of God which Believers shall have in Heaven, doth imply, 1. That they shall have the glorious presence of God with them, Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them.^m 2. That they shall have the immediate and beatifical vision of his Face, And they shall see his Face, and his Name shall be in their Fore-heads.ⁿ For now we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face.^o We shall see him as he is.^p 3. That they shall have both a full perswasion and sense of Gods love unto them, and perfect love in their hearts towards him, which doth necessary result or arise from the Vision of God in Heaven. 4. That they shall have fulness and exceeding joy, In thy presence, there is fulness of Joy.^q Now to him that is able to present you faultless before the presence of his Glory with exceeding joy.^r

What is it that will sweeten the happiness of Heaven in the full enjoyment of God there?

That which will sweeten the happiness of Believers in their full enjoyment of God in Heaven, will be the Eternity hereof; that it will be without any interruption and without any end, And so shall we ever be with the Lord?^s

Wherein will differ the condition of unbelievers, and all the wicked world from that of believers at the last day?

The condition of unbelievers, and all the wicked world will be miserable beyond expression at the last day of Judgment: for, 1. Their bodies shall arise and come forth like Prisoners out of the Grave, and whatsoever Strength and Immortality shall be put upon them, will be only to make them capable of eternal Torments and Misery. 2. They shall with Horror and dreadful Shreekings see Christ come in flaming Fire, to take vengeance upon them, Behold he cometh in the Clouds, and every eye shall see him and they also which pierced him and all Kindreds of the Earth shall wail because of him,^t The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels, in flaming Fire, taking Vengeance on them that know not God, & obey not the Gospel.^u 3. They shall stand before the Throne and Judgment Seat of Christ; where the Books will be opened wherein all their sins are recorded; according to which they shall be Judged and Sentenced to everlasting Punishment, And I saw a great white Throne, and him that sate on it, from whose Face the Earth and the Heavens fled away, and there was no place found for them. And I saw the Dead, small and great stand before God; and the Books were opened, and the Dead were Judged out of those things which were written in the Books according to their works.^v Then shall he say unto them on the left hand, Depart from ye me Cursed, into everlasting Fire prepared for the Devil & his Angels.^w 4. They shall then be driven away from the presence of the Lord into Hell, where they shall be punished with extremity of anguish, and torment in Soul and Body, without any alleviation or intermission, unto all Eternity. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment.^x Indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish [shall be] upon every soul of man that doth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile.^y And the smoak of their Torment ascendeth up for ever and ever, and they have no rest day nor night^z