70 TOE WORLD TO COME. III. Death sets us, in a more immediate and sensible man - ner, in the presence of God, a glorious and holy God, God the Judge of all ; and blessed is the watchful christian, for he is willing to stand before this God to be brought into his presence : This is what he hath longed and prayed for, to be for ever with God. It is the blessedness that he bath sought with incessant labours and tears, with holy diligence and daily devotion, and blessed is the pure in heart, who hath watched against the pol- lutions of the world, for he shall see God; Mat. v. 8. It is certain, that when the soul departs from the body it returns to God who gave it ; Ec. xii. 7. And probably to God, as a Judge too; lieb. ix. 27. after death, judgment. There is some sort of determination of the state of each single person at death before the great and general judgment -day, because that day is appointed rather for the public vindication of the equity of God, in his distribution of rewards and punishments, and is particularly put into the hands of our Lord Jesus : Now, since the separate soul returns to God, who gave it, it is of vast im- portance, that we be then prepared to come before him. Some of us here would be mightily afraid of appearing be- fore a prince, or a great and honourable person in an undress ; but for our souls, in a naked state, or in a garment of sinful pol- lution, to be surprized by the great and holy God, to be set on a sudden in his presence, what terror is contained in this thought ! Now the watchful christian bath this blessedness, that he is washed from his defilements, in the blood of the Lamb, he is clothed with the robe of righteousness, and the garments of salvation; Is. lxi. 13. Ile is prepared to appear before a God of infinite holi- ness without terror, for he is made like him, he bears his image, he appears as one of his children, and he is not afraid to see his Father. However some commentators may confine and impoverish the sense of David, in the end of the xvii. Psalm, yet I am. per- suaded, the Spirit of God in him designed to express his faith and joy, either at the hoar of death, or in the morning of the resurrection, I shall behold thy face in righteousness, I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness: When the Psalmist had described what were the satisfactions of the men of this world in death, verse 14. viz. that they had filled their houses with children, a'nd leave their substance, or riches to them, he then declares what was his support and hope in his dying hour, " As for me, saith he, I have other views : 'I am not afraid, Q my God, to appear before thee in the other world, for I shall see thy face, not as a criminal, but as a person approved and accepted, and righteous in thy sight : I shall awake from this world of dreams and shadows into thy complete image, and perfect holi- ness ; or I shall awake from the dust of death, andshall be fully
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