Works (Vol 7) - Goodwin - XXVI - Chapter 11 'Of the blessed state'

Required reading
The Works (Vol 7) by Thomas Goodwin (Available from Amazon or free here) - Continue the work 'Of the blessed state...' by reading Chapter 11.

My summary
Now Goodwin tackles 2 Corinthians 5:5, 'Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.'

This week he wants us to firstly observe that 'it is a strong argument that God hath provided a glory for separate souls hereafter, that he hath wrought us, and wrought on us a work of grace in this life.'

At the end of the chapter Goodwin nicely summarises his argumentation of this observation: 'And thus much for the first point raised out of the words, which did undertake an argumentation for a separate soul's glory and happiness. 1.) From the condition of the soul, as the immediate subject of grace wrought in it. (2.) From God's ordination of the work wrought, to raise the soul up to life, whilst sin should bring dissolution upon the body. (3.) From the scope of the worker, God himself, who as an efficient, will accomplish the end, when his work for that end is finished. And all these as comprehended in what the very first view and front of the words of my text hold out, 'God hath wrought us for the self-same thing.''

What grabbed me
I liked Goodwin's emphasis on the fact that it is the soul that experiences the glorious joys of God, now and later: 'And further, give me leave to improve this notion ; you may take this assured evidence, that your souls shall then see and enjoy God when your faith shall cease, which will be when once your souls shall come to be separate from your bodies by death, in that even now in this life it is your souls and spirits that are the immediate receptives or partakers and subjects of such glorious joys.'

Whilst in the body, I enjoy God.  And once out of the body, I will still enjoy God.

Next week's reading
Continue the work 'Of the blessed state...' by reading Chapter 12.

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.