Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, (4) To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, (5) Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
I beg the Reader to observe, how the mind of the Apostle was carried out, in consequence of what he had just before said. No sooner doth he contemplate the elect of God, and the sanctified by the Spirit, and the justified in the obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ; but he falls a blessing God and the Father, yea, the whole Persons of the Godhead, for having so blessed the Church in Christ with such abundant mercy and grace. The soul of Peter could not contain himself, in the view of such unspeakable goodness. His heart, like Elihu, wanted vent, Job 32:19. Since God had so blessed the Church, Peter called upon every heart to bless God. The same is remarkable of Paul, in the opening of his Epistle, Ephesians 1:3
And, let the Reader further remark, how sweetly the Apostle dwells upon the blessed work of regeneration, by which the child of God is brought into the personal enjoyment of all the privileges, both of election and redemption. Peter calls it God's abundant mercy. And very sure, it may well be called so. For abounding must be that grace, which, when in the Adam-nature of sin our souls lay dead, as to our own view, we were without God, and without hope in the world; then, to be quickened together with Christ, and begotten to this lively hope, and to such an inheritance. What but grace, yea, abundant grace, could have given birth to such mercy
I will detain the Reader with one observation more, on these verses, respecting the inheritance. Not so much to notice the nature of this inheritance itself, or the properties of it; though these things might be, and indeed, under grace would be both profitable and delightful to meditate upon, being said to be incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away; but I pass by these things for the present, the rather to call the Reader to that part of the Apostle's words, wherein he saith, that this inheritance is reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God, through faith, unto salvation, ready to he repealed in the last time. There appears to be so much sweetness, so much love and grace manifested by God the Father, to the persons of his people, in this reserving of the inheritance for them, that I do beg the indulgence of a few moments, to state the subject as it strikes me.
And, first. Nothing can be more plain and clear, from what is here said by the Apostle, than that He who so graciously elected their persons, as graciously appointed their inheritance. And hence one of those holy men of old, who knew his right in it, as if conscious that the one arose out of the other, blessedly, and thankfully said: The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance, and of my cup; thou maintainest my lot. The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage, Psalms 16:5-6
Secondly. This inheritance is reserved, and reserved in heaven for you, and you yourself are kept by the power of God through faith, unto salvation; and this is always ready to be revealed, when your turn comes, even if it be in the last time. Reader! behold here, what an accumulation of mercies are heaped up, one upon another, more preciously piled than all the gold of the miser. Here is the security of the inheritance, and the security of the owner; God himself becomes the garrison to defend both. And, whatever ages, or generations the Lord hath appointed to run out before you, for whom his grace hath designed this mansion, shall come, none shall have it, for it is reserved for you. He that chose you, at the same time chose your inheritance in Christ yea, Christ himself. And, therefore, as Christ saith: Let no man take your crown! that is, no man shall, Revelation 3:11. Oh! the unspeakable blessedness contained in such a view founded in such a will as God's election-will, secured in such a purpose as God's finished redemption-purpose in Christ, and reserved in such an unalienable reservation as the being kept by the power of God the Spirit's grace, through faith unto salvation.
Reader! oh! beg for grace, rightly to prize your mercies. From whence do they all flow? Peter answers: Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father. How are they reserved? Peter again replies: They are reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God, through faith, unto salvation. Who secures them? God himself. For it is by the power of God both the person and the inheritance are kept. And, it is always to be revealed: for when Christ who is our life shall appear, then will the Church, in every individual of her members, appear with him in glory. And what is it but this, which in the present time-state of the Church, hath reserved the Lord's remnant in the earth, according to the election of grace? Romans 11:5.