August 24

Not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. - 2 Corinthians 5:4.

WE here see what Christians do desire, and what they do not desire. What we really desire, and what we must desire, if we are Christians, is here called life. Life is one of the common representations given of the heavenly state in the Scriptures. Skin for skin-“yea, all that a man hath-will he give for his life.” Now, because men are so attached to life, and because life is the foundation of every enjoyment, therefore it comes to be used by the sacred writers for happiness itself; and hence our Saviour says, “A man’s life [that is, his happiness] consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.” Such blessedness is reserved for the Christian, therefore: “eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” Dr. Watts expresses himself very boldly when he says,-

“Could I command the spacious land,

And the more houndless sea,

For one blest hour at thy right hand

I’d give them both away.”

What, then, will be an eternity of such bliss,-an eternity of health, an eternity of wealth, an eternity of honour, an eternity of friendship! And life, too, is often called “eternal,” and “eternal in the heavens.” He will have “a crown of glory that fadeth not away.” Eternity will only be the commencement of his blessedness.

But observe, Secondly, What they do not desire. We groan, being burdened, “not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.” The apostle expresses the same thing with a little variation in the preceding verse:-“In this we groan, earnestly desiring,” (what?)-earnestly desiring “to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven, if so be that, being clothed, we shall not be found naked.” They wish to be adorned, but not previously stripped; they wish to be clothed, but not to be found naked; they wish this corruptible to put on incorruption, and this mortal to put on immortality. They do not desire, death except for the results of it. They wish to resemble those who will he alive at the last day, who will not fall asleep,-that is, die,-but be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. They wish to be favoured in their admission into heaven, as Enoch and Elias were, who were glorified without dying.

They wish that mortality might be swallowed up of life, not as the sea swallows up the rivers that fall into it, and turns them into brine, but as the finished picture swallows up the outline, and as the day swallows up the dawn, and as manhood swallows up infancy that is, by perfecting it. That is, in other words, they wish to enter their completeness easily, gradually, insensibly, without being taken all to pieces in such a way as death implies.