Which is the earnest of our inheritance
The incorruptible and never fading one in heaven, or the heavenly
kingdom; this is the Father's gift, his bequest, and belongs only
to children; it comes to them through the death of the testator,
Christ, and is for ever; and of this the Spirit of God is the
pledge and earnest: an earnest, is what confirms an agreement,
and assures the right to the thing agreed to, and is a part of
it, and lesser than it, and is never returned; so the Spirit of
God certifies the right to the heavenly inheritance, as well as
gives a meetness for it; he is the firstfruits of eternal glory
and happiness, and of the same kind with it; and as he is enjoyed
in measure by the saints now, is lesser than the communion which
they shall have with him, and with the Father, and the Son,
hereafter, for the best things are reserved till last; and being
once given into the heart as an earnest, he always continues, he
never removes more, or is ever taken away:
until the redemption of the purchased
possession,
or "of the peculiar people"; see ( 1 Peter 2:9 ) , for
this is not to be understood of heaven, which is never said to be
purchased, nor can it with any propriety be said to be redeemed;
but of saints, of the church of God, who are bought with a price,
and are purchased with his blood; and who, as they were redeemed
from sin, Satan, and the law, when they were purchased, so will
be redeemed again in the resurrection morn, which is called the
day of redemption, ( Ephesians
4:30 ) ( Luke 21:28 ) , and which
will be a redemption of them from the weakness, corruption, and
mortality of the body; from their present state of absence and
pilgrimage; from the body of sin and death; from all sorrows and
afflictions, both inward and outward; from the reproaches and
persecutions of men; from a tempting devil, and an unbelieving
heart; from all doubts and fears; and from death and the grave;
and so the Syriac version very justly renders it, "until the
redemption of them that are saved". Now till such time, the
Spirit of God abides as an earnest, even until the whole felicity
is enjoyed both in soul and body; and this shows the perpetuity
of the Spirit's inhabitation, and grace, the final perseverance
of the saints, and the security of the inheritance to them.
Unto the praise of his glory;
as to the glory of the Father, by whom the saints are chosen and
predestinated, ( Ephesians
1:6 ) and to the glory of the Son, by whom they are redeemed,
in whom they obtain the inheritance, and in whom they trust, (
Ephesians 1:12 ) , so to
the glory of the Holy Spirit, by whom they are sealed, and who is
their earnest; for he must have his share of glory in the
salvation of the elect, as well as the other two persons.