A Prospect of Heaven, Treatise · Chapter 14
CHAP. XIV.
SECT. I.
HAving ſpoken of the circumſtance of time, I ſhall now conſider the other circumſtance, ſc. of the place of the Saints happineſs: This alſo is very conſiderable. When man was created holy and happy,Heylin. Geograph. Willet. Synopſ. Papiſmi. the Spirit of God vouchſafeth to give us an exact deſcription of the very place where God ſet him, ſhewing in what coaſt of the World Paradiſe was ſcituate, ſc. in Eden (which the Learned ſay, was part of Meſopotamia) with what goodly and beautiful Plants that Garden was furniſhed,Paradiſum vocant Graeci locum irriguum, & an oenum, omni florum varietate diſtinctum, & ſempiternis arboribus conſitum, apriſſimum ad aetatem feliciter degendam. Oſſor. Luſitam. de Nobilit. Chriſtiana. lib. 1. with what Rivers it was watered, Geneſ. 2.8, 9. this being a great addition to mans happineſs in that condition: and St. Paul, 2 Cor. 12. calleth the third Heaven Paradiſe; as if this Garden of Eden had been a ſhadow of Heaven, the place of the Bleſſed. When the Lord choſe Iſrael out of all the Nations of the World, and planted them in Canaan, (a figure of Heaven) you may ſee what an exact Geographical deſcription is given of it in the Book of Joſua, Chap. 15, 16, 17. and elſewhere the fertility and pleaſantneſs of the Country is frequently commended: How incomparable then is the pleaſantneſs of the heavenly Paradiſe, and the beauty of the Celeſtial Canaan?
I. It is called in Scripture the houſe of God, and the habitation of the Saints. Melchizedeck called God the Poſſeſſor of Heaven and Earth, Gen. 14. The whole created World is his poſſeſſion, but the Heaven is his glorious Palace; as a Prince that hath a whole Kingdom under him, keepeth his Court in the principal place of his Dominions.
1. As a Man's Houſe is, or ſhould be ſcituated in the beſt and moſt convenient part of his poſſeſſions; ſo of all things created, Heaven is the goodlieſt and moſt glorious part. The Earth is beautiful, eſpecially in the prime of the Spring and Summer, when the face of it is renewed; but yet when it is in its greateſt glory, it is but a dunghil in compariſon of the Heavens. That glory of the Heavens which we ſee on the outſide, and afar off, is incomparably beyond the beauty of the things below; but that which we cannot ſee, doth far ſurmount that which we do ſee; I mean that moſt glorious habitation of the Angels and Saints; though that which we behold hath incomparably more beauty and glory in it, then our weak ſight can diſcern at ſuch a diſtance: and therefore the Heavens, for their ſurpaſſing beauty and glory, are called the Houſe of God.
2. As a Man is commonly to be ſeen at his own houſe, more then at another place beſides; ſo doth the Lord in Heaven more eſpecially ſhew forth his glory. The Lord hath been but ſeldom manifeſted on the Earth, as when he gave ſo many viſible ſigns of his glorious preſence upon Mount Sinai; and then when Moſes was admitted to ſee his back parts; and when he ſpake from Heaven at the Baptiſm of our bleſſed Saviour, This is my beloved Son, &c. but in Heaven his preſence is more notably manifeſted continually; our Saviour ſheweth, that in Heaven the holy Angels do always behold the face of God, Matth. 18.10. his glorious preſence is always manifeſted there.
3. In a Man's dwelling houſe, uſually his Children and Servants are abiding; and although Kings and Princes have more Servants and Officers then an houſe can hold, yet their principal Attendants are commonly with them in the Court: ſo Heaven is the place appointed for the Lord's Servants, though all of them are not yet there; not for want of room, but becauſe the Lord hath appointed them other work to do elſewhere for a time; yet thither ſhall they be gathered, and in the mean time there are his principal Attendants, there are the glorious Angels, who are called the Angels of Heaven, Matth. 24.36. there alſo are the bleſſed Saints of God departed.
4. As a Man's houſe wherein he dwelleth is furniſhed for the moſt part, ſo that his riches appear (in ſome ſort) in his houſe; ſo Heaven is the place which is moſt royally furniſhed; the Earth is but a Country Farm-houſe in compariſon of it: Heaven is richly adorned and furniſhed with perfect Holineſs; all the Veſſels of that Houſe are of pure Gold; there is neither droſs in them, nor any uncleanneſs cleaving to them; all the Saints and Angels there are free from all impurity; no unclean thing hath entrance into this houſe of God: Holineſs becometh thine houſe, O Lord for ever, Pſal. 93.5. it is full of all holineſs and happineſs. It is ſaid Rev. 21.25. that the Gates of Heaven ſhall not be ſhut at all. Heaven Gates ſhall always ſtand open, yet no unclean thing ſhall enter in. The Streets of that City are of pure Gold, the walls built of precious Stones, there are twelve Gates of twelve Pearls. A good Expoſitor obſerveth, that all thoſe precious Stones there mentioned, have a contrary virtue againſt uncleanneſs, to ſhew unto us, that Heaven will not admit of any impure and defiled thing; God will not ſuffer the dirty feet of impure Sinners to tread upon his pure Pavement of Gold. When God drave ſinful Adam out of Paradiſe, he cauſed a Cherubim to ſtand before the Gates of Paradiſe, with a flaming ſword in his hand, to keep him out of Paradiſe if he ſhould attempt to come in again. Sin is like the ſword of the flaming Cherubim, to keep out all wicked men from entring into Heaven.
Heaven is alſo a place of holy Exerciſes. Here our beſt ſervices are ſtained with ſin, and tainted with corruption; but there all the ſervices of the Saints do bear a lively impreſſion of the fountain of holineſs upon them; there they muſt warble forth the Song of the Seraphims, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Iſai. 6.3. It is ſaid of the Saints of God in glory, that they ſhall be Prieſts of God and Chriſt, Rev. 20.6. As they are all made ſpiritual Kings and Prieſts to God on Earth, Rev. 1.6. ſo they ſhall be Prieſts to God in Heaven, and reign with him for ever and ever. They ſhall be Prieſts to God two ways in Heaven. Firſt, As ſoon as they leave this life, in the interim, before the ſecond coming of Chriſt, they ſhall perform the offices of Prieſts in Soul only, offering to God the ſacrifice of praiſe and thankſgiving, that themſelves are already delivered out of the miſeries of this World, and praying for their Brethren upon the Earth, that they may ſhortly be delivered: For ſo St. John tells us, that he ſaw under the Altar the Souls of thoſe that were ſlain for the word of God, and for the teſtimony which they held, crying out with a loud voice, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost not thou avenge our blood upon them that dwell on the Earth? Rom. 6.9, 10. And ſecondly, at Chriſt's ſecond coming, both they that are deceaſed already, and they that ſhall then be found alive, ſhall joyntly and joyfully ſing, Hallelujah, ſalvation, and glory, and honour, and power unto the Lord our God, for true and righteous are his judgments, Rev. 19.1, 2. and v. 6. St. John ſaith, he heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, ſaying, Hallelujah, for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth; let us be glad and rejoyce, and give honour to him, for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his Wife hath made her ſelf ready. The high praiſes of God ſhall then be in the mouthes of all his Saints; being now made perfect in holineſs, and freed from all frailties, they ſhall never mourn, but ever ſing and laud their Redeemer without defatigation or ſatiety.
But to paſs by this, it is needful in few words to ſhew, how the Heavens cannot properly be ſaid to be the houſe of God, as thoſe buildings wherein men dwell, are called their houſes, leaſt any ſhould be ſo ignorant as to entertain any vain thoughts not beſeeming the infinite Majeſty of God.
1. Heaven cannot contain and hold the infinite being of the Divine Nature, as the houſe holdeth him that dwelleth in it: Behold, the Heavens and the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain thee.
2. God hath no need of Heaven, either for reſt or ſafety, as a man hath of his houſe; he is not ſubject to wearineſs, no work is toilſome to him; he ſlumbereth not, ſleepeth not, he is above all dangers; one word of his mouth is enough to cruſh all Enemies to powder; he needeth not this Houſe as a Caſtle of defence unto him.
3. He is not more eſſentially preſent there then in any other place, nor more abſent from any other place then from it, but every where alike eſſentially preſent, though there he giveth forth more glorious demonſtrations of his preſence then in any other place.
SECT. II.
SEeing Heaven is God's houſe, then there ſhould our hearts be, even at home with our Father; how can we ſing the Lord's Song in a ſtrange Land? how can we pleaſe our ſelves ſo well in this houſe of our pilgrimage, when we are from home, thus far abſent from our Father's houſe? why are our minds ſo knit unto the earth, that nothing …ut leath will part it and us, as if not Heaven, but this lower ſinful part of the World were the Lord's dwelling place? with what face can we call him, our Father which is in Heaven, and in the mean time our ſtrongeſt and moſt hearty affections are deeply buried in the Earth? St. Paul was of another temper, I deſire to be diſſolved (ſaith he) and to be with Christ, which is best of all. — Best of all] ſo the bleſſed Apoſtle found and felt it; he ſpake out of a true diſcerning ſpirit, he ſpake as he found; he deſired Heaven for love of Chriſt, and not ſo much for love of his own eaſe and happineſs (though he could not but long for that alſo) but principally for love of Chriſt; therefore he longed to leave the Earth, and go to Heaven, becauſe that was the houſe of Chriſt, the houſe where God the Father ſheweth his glorious preſence; the houſe where Chriſt ſitteth at the right hand of the Majeſty on high. Oh that I were there, ſaith that holy Apoſtle, let me go through poverty, through perſecution, fire, ſword, ſtripes, impriſonment, and a thouſand deaths and dangers, ſo that I can but get unto my Saviour; it is beſt of all to be with him — what ſhall I ſay? better then to be with ſinful men; better then to be with a multitude of unruly corruptions cleaving to me: ſhall I ſay, better then to be in the midſt of heaps of Gold, or all manner of earthly abundance? I will not for the honour of my Saviour once bring him in compariſon with theſe dunghils and heaps of droſs; but it is beſt of all to be with him. It is better to be with him, then ſimply to be in Heaven it ſelf; it were better to be with him out of Heaven, then to be in Heaven without him, if that were poſſible: yea, if being with Chriſt were not ſalvation it ſelf, I would ſay, that to be with Chriſt were better then ſalvation, it is beſt of all.
Now then, when Heaven is thus glorious, when our deareſt Saviour, the King of glory, is entered within thoſe everlaſting doors, when it is the very houſe of God, how ſhould we long after it, that we might be with the Lord? what ſhame ſhould it caſt upon our faces, who have the Firſt-fruits of the Spirit? Is our Gaol now become more pleaſing to us then our Father's houſe? do we grow more and more earthly minded? Oh that we had more of Heaven in us to raiſe and draw our hearts thither, and leſs Earth to ſink us downward: let us pray and labour for more ſupernatural and heavenly affections; then we ſhall find our hearts riſing and lifted upwards.
Moreover, if Heaven be the houſe of God, and the place of his ſpecial preſence, this ſhould move us all to labour to be ſuch as may be fit for the preſence of God. Do we not all deſire to be in Heaven? alas, many of us do little conſider what Heaven is, or what it is to be in Heaven. It is true, that none (even thoſe that are moſt heavenly minded) can conſider of it according to its excellent glory; yet ſome there are, who though they cannot conceive it for the height of its excellency, yet they conceive the nature of it, though not the meaſure; they conceive of what kind, of what temper that glory and happineſs is which they ſhall receive, by that earneſt of the Spirit which they have received; as a man knoweth in what coyn he ſhall be paid, by that money which he hath received in earneſt already. But many others know not what Heaven meaneth; how many are there that cannot now endure the preſence of God, and yet would fain be in Heaven? that hate this houſe of God, and yet long to be in that heavenly houſe of God? Aſſure thy ſelf, that unleſs thou couldeſt delight in God's preſence here, thou canſt have no delight in his preſence there: The happineſs of that houſe is heavenly and ſpiritual; there is nothing to pleaſe the covetous heart, nothing to fill the wanton eye, nothing to ſatisfie the Drunkard's and Glutton's appetite; no wanton dancing, no idle ſports, nothing but holineſs, and holy exerciſes, and that glory which is the ornament of holineſs, and ariſeth from it: There is not a word, nor a thought, but what becometh the preſence of God, ſuch as abide his pure eyes. Now then, do thou (O Chriſtian) bend thy heart and ſoul toward this houſe and preſence of God, ſo ſhalt thou be a pillar in the houſe of God, and ſhalt go out of it no more, but ſhalt poſſeſs fulneſs of joy in his preſence for evermore.
SECT. III.
NOw in this Houſe of God are many Manſions: In my Father's Houſe are many Manſions, ſaith our Saviour, John 14.2. Heaven is ſufficient to receive many Inhabitants; I mean not, that it is like ſome great Houſes that have no Inhabitants, but that it is appointed of God to be a dwelling place for many — Many, I ſay, not in compariſon of thoſe multitudes which ſhall be ſhut out of doors, but many in an abſolute conſideration taken by themſelves; yet theſe many ſhall be very few, in compariſon of the droves of men that throng together in the broad way of deſtruction. Of the largeneſs of this Houſe of God, Solomon ſpeaketh, when he compareth it with that Temple which he had built, 1 Kings 8.27. Will God indeed dwell upon the Earth? behold, the Heaven, and the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain thee; how much leſs this Houſe which I have built? What do I ſpeak of the Lord's dwelling in this little Houſe which I have built? then he puts in a ſpecial note of attention and admiration, Behold, even thoſe large and ſpacious Heavens which himſelf hath builded, and ſpread out like a glorious curtain over the whole Earth, and all things between the Earth and it, cannot contain him; how much leſs this Houſe which I have made? As if he had ſaid, the Heavens are incompa…bly greater then this Houſe which I have built, but he is infinitely greater then the Heavens: Yea, our eyes may teach us, that it is of wonderful greatneſs, although we cannot ſee how large it is; if we conſider that the Earth is of a wonderful compaſs, and yet that it is but as a ſpot, or little Ball hanging in the midſt of the Heavens, and encompaſſed round with thoſe goodly Spheres and Orbs. Yea, even a Child may learn thus much from the light of Reaſon, with a little help, that ſeeing the Sun is big enough to give light to half the Earth at once, and yet ſeemeth ſo little to our eye, it muſt needs be at a wonderful diſtance from us, perhaps many thouſand miles: Now then, of what wonderful bigneſs is the Heaven it ſelf, being ſo far above the Earth, and yet compaſſing all thoſe huge ſpaces round about the Earth, that are between the Earth and Heaven. Neither may we think, but that this Heaven of Heavens (the Houſe of God) is yet far above the Chamber of the Sun, out of which the Pſalmiſt ſaith, he cometh at his riſing. Conſider then, Chriſtian Reader, what did ever any man find in the Earth, that ſhould make him ſo willing to ſell Heaven for it? if a man could have it all, it were not comparable to the loweſt Manſion in Heaven, if any be lower then other. All is vanity (ſaith the Preacher) ſpeaking of all things under the Sun, eſpecially when they be compared with thoſe large, ſpacious, and glorious Manſions above the Sun. Who then can ſufficiently deteſt that folly, which preferreth the leaſt part of the earth, which the Lord treadeth under foot as his foot-ſtool, above the glorious Heaven, the large extent whereof ſurroundeth and encompaſſeth the whole World?
How ſhould this comfort Chriſtians, that though they be pent up and ſtraitned here, yet in Heaven they ſhall have room enough, there ſhall be Rehoboth, there the Lord will make room for us. Here is comfort againſt thoſe engroſſing oppreſſors, which joyn houſe to houſe, and leave no room for the poor; if thou labour to be rich in faith, thou ſhalt find that they cannot ſhoulder thee out from an happy and large poſſeſſion in that heavenly Kingdom: Mayſt thou not take comfort in a ſmoaky Cottage, aſſuring thy ſelf of thy part in a moſt glorious Pallace? what if thou haſt but little of the Earth, or none at all, is it not abundantly ſufficient that thou ſhalt enjoy ſo much of Heaven as thy Soul can deſire? yea, that there ſhall be no encloſures there, but all that glorious Inheritance ſhall lie common to all the Heirs of promiſe. Look not with a longing eye upon a fairer or more convenient Houſe then thine own, upon wider Fields and greater Poſſeſſions then any that thou art owner of upon Earth; but over-look all theſe, and ſay, to the praiſe of God's grace, with an heart rejoycing in the Lord, yet I have more then all the World is worth.
Moreover, none of the Faithful need to fear that he ſhould be ſhut out for want of room in this heavenly Palace; here is many Manſions; here is a place appointed for every true Believer; the pooreſt Chriſtian ſhall not miſs of an happy habitation in this Houſe of our Father. Lazarus though he lie full of ſores and rags without doors there on Earth, yet there he ſhall have a ſweet repoſe in Abraham's boſome.
Let this comfort a Believer againſt all ſolitarineſs, and want of company in this life; in the Houſe of thy heavenly Father are many Manſions, and theſe ſhall not ſtand empty for want of Inhabitants: Oh what Troops of glorious Angels and Saints ſhall live together in thoſe heavenly Manſions! how ſhall they flock together from the Eaſt, and from the Weſt, and from the North, and from the South, there ſitting down with Abraham, Iſaac, and Jacob, in the Kingdom! It is a ſtrange weakneſs to be diſcontented for want of company; but a greater, and worthy of all reproof, to go out of the narrow way, becauſe it is ſo ſolitary, and to turn into the common road, becauſe of company. Oh the folly and infidelity of our hearts! can we not with patience ſtay for ſo much good Company as we ſhall find and for ever enjoy in our Father's Houſe?
For although the number that ſhall be ſaved, ſhall be but a very ſmall number in compariſon of the numberleſs multitude that are already loſt, and do haſten to deſtruction; although when the Church was greateſt upon Earth, as in the Apoſtles times, the number of the wicked did much exceed it; yet take thoſe many thouſands of holy Angels which keep their firſt eſtate, and joyn to theſe multitudes of holy men and women of all ſorts, that lived before the flood, after the flood, before the law, after the law, before Chriſts coming in the fleſh, after his incarnation, until this day, and from this day that ſhall live to the end of the world, of all Nations under heaven; then who can tell the duſt of Jacob, or number the fourth part (the four hundredth part) of this Iſrael of God? the remnant and gleanings of thoſe that have lived in ſo many thouſand years will ariſe to an unſpeakable multitude. After the ſealing of the hundred and forty four thouſand of the twelve Tribes, St. John ſaith, I beheld, and lo a great multitude, which no man could number, of all Nations, and Kinred, and People, and Tongues, ſtood before the Throne, and before the Lamb, cloathed with white Robes, and Palms in their hands.
How ſhould this rejoyce every faithful Soul, reſting in hope of this ſweeteſt and moſt bleſſed Society. Though in the mean time thou ſeeſt many frown upon thee, and ſleight thee to thy face, yea, even ſhun thy company, yet labour thou for an aſſured part in thy Father's Houſe, and then rejoyce in aſſured hope there to find many dwelling places, and in thoſe places many Dwellers, many ſweet Companions. Though a man were conſtrained to live like an Eremite, or Anchoret, all his time from the company of men on Earth, yet the aſſured hope of this Society to be enjoyed for ever in our Father's Houſe, were ſufficient to refreſh him.
Aſcend my Soul, mount up on Eagles wings,
And get above theſe Sublunary things:
Make haſte, and flie unto that lofty Hill,
Where God abides with Saints and Angels still.
Oh how ſhould every Chriſtian ſo love the Lord, as to long after his Houſe and Kingdom, and a more near and full enjoying of his preſence. Laban noted in Jacob an earneſt longing after his Father's houſe, Geneſ. 31.30. ſaith he to him, Thou wouldest needs be gone, becauſe thou ſore longedst after thy Father's houſe. Jacob had ſuch a love to his Father Iſaac, though very old and blind, that he ſore longed to be gone from Laban to his Father's houſe; how much more ſhould we labour for ſuch love to our heavenly Father, who is infinite in all excellency and glory, as ſhould make us weary of being here, and exceedingly to long after our heavenly Father's Houſe? It was a good change for Jacob to go from Laban, an unkind Father-in-law, unto Iſaac a loving and tender-hearted Father; but what a bleſſed change is it for the Children of God, to go from the World, a cruel Step-mother, yea, a dangerous Enemy, unto God their heavenly and moſt gracious Father! to go from among Swearers, Worldlings, Drunkards, Prophane Perſons, Scorners of Religion, Perſecutors, to go from Snares and Temptations, to go from Sin, and the danger of Sin, to go from the lower Region, which is (as it were) under the feet of Satan, who is (as it were) over our heads, being the Prince of the power of the Air; I ſay, to go from all theſe, and to go into the arms of the Lord our moſt gracious Father, ſhould not a Child of God long after this exceedingly? It ſheweth want of love in a Child, and an ungracious diſpoſition, when he ſecretly longeth for his Father's Lands or Goods, becauſe he cannot enjoy them unleſs his Father die, whoſe life ſhould be much dearer to a Child then all his Goods or Lands; but it argueth the truth of our love to our heavenly Father, when we have an earneſt longing after that glorious Inheritance of his, becauſe we ſhall live with him in the everlaſting Habitations. And to this end let us labour to get our Souls fully aſſured that the Lord is our Father in Jeſus Chriſt, and that we are his Children, that ſo we may long after our Father's Houſe. If we ſaw our Father's Houſe, we would cry to be over the Water, and to be carried in Chriſt's arms out of this borrowed Priſon. The Earth is the Lord's lower Houſe; while we are lodged here, we have no aſſurance to lie ever in one Chamber, but muſt be content ſometimes to remove from one corner of our Lord's nether Houſe to another, reſting in hope, that when we come up to the Lord's upper Houſe, we ſhall remove no more, becauſe then we ſhall be at home. We now ſee and hear at home and abroad nothing but matter of grief and diſcouragement, which indeed maketh our life bitter; but let this comfort all faithful Chriſtians, that Chriſt is coming to fetch them to his Father's Houſe; his Father will make them welcome, and give them houſe-room; and though they change dwelling places, yet they ſhall not change their Maſter, nor their ſervices: His Servants ſhall ſerve him, Revel. 22.3.
SECT. IV.
MOreover, you are to underſtand that Heaven is the Throne and Kingdom of God: Thus ſaith the Lord, Heaven is my Throne, Iſai. 66.7. Here is the height of a Chriſtians glory and exaltation, to be taken up into the Throne of God; according to that ſpeech of our Saviour, Rev. 3.21. To him that overcometh will I give to ſit with me in my Throne, even as I alſo overcame, and ſate down with my Father in his Throne. Chriſt at the laſt day will ſay to the Sheep on his right hand, Come ye bleſſed of my Father, receive the Kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the World: You that have followed me in the regeneration, to you I have appointed a Kingdom. Luke 22.29. Fear not little Flock, it is your Father's will to give you a Kingdom. Rev. 2.10. Be faithful to the death, and I will give thee th… Crown of life. In one place it is called a Crown of righteouſneſs, in another a Crown of glory, in a third a Crown of incorruption, and elſewhere a Crown of life.
Now Crowns you know are given either as Enſigns of Majeſty, or Rewards of Virtue.
1. As Enſigns of Majeſty; therefore we ſee they are worn on the heads of Emperors and Princes, when at times of higheſt ſolemnity they will ſhew their greateſt magnificence.
2. As Rewards of Virtue; therefore by ancient ſtories it appeareth, that almoſt all Nations, ſuch as excelled in Valour or in Learning, they were Crowned with one thing or another; ſome with Roſes, ſome with Laurel, or Bayes, ſome with Olives, ſome with Gold, that ſo they might cheriſh the profeſſion and exerciſe of Arts and Virtues: to theſe the Scripture alluding, it promiſeth Crowns, and a Kingdom, as the goodlieſt rewards we can either deſire or receive, to ſuch as through faith and patience overcome either the affections of their ſinful Nature, or the afflictions of this wretched World. Hence I infer, how abject ſoever the condition of the Saints be upon Earth, it ſhall be moſt glorious in Heaven; glory ſhall follow their ſufferings, as the day followeth the night; there is no glory upon Earth you know greater then the glory of Kings: it is true, Popes of late days have ſtriven to out-climb them; ſo the Bramble in Jotham's Parable would have out-climbed the Cedar; they would perſwade the World, that they were created as the Sun to rule the Day, that is, over the Clergy; and that Kings are but as the Moon, to rule over the Night, that is (ſay they) over the Laity: But Popes are no Creatures of God's making; Kings are the anointed of the Lord; God himſelf hath given teſtimony ſufficient of their magnificence, in that it hath pleaſed him to change Names with them, and taken their Name to himſelf; he is called a King, and gives them his own Name in exchange, for therefore he hath ſaid, they are Gods.
I urge it the rather, becauſe of the inference that followeth; for the greater Kings are, the greater Chriſtians are; for Chriſtians are ſaid to be Kings, Rev. 1.6. He hath made us all Kings and Prieſts unto God. And to the meaneſt and moſt abject Chriſtian a Crown ſhall be given, infinitely far more excellent and glorious then the Crowns of all earthly Kings.
1. In reſpect of the Soveraignty that belongs to it: Crowns are Enſigns of Soveraignty, as I hinted before; and Soveraignty is a thing much accounted of: to be but as the Centurion was, would put a ſpirit of ambition into us, that we might have thoſe under us, to whom when we ſay, Go, they ſhould go; when Come, they ſhould come; when Do this, they ſhould do it. If we could have not only Perſons, but Provinces under our ſubjection, and could make our ſelves Commanders and Rulers over Countries and Kingdoms, ſo that People ſhould ſerve us, and Nations ſhould bow before us, this would kindle a great fire of ambition in us; it would make one that had the aſpiring mind of Abſalom to ſnatch the Crown from his Father's head. If we could climb higher yet, and get to be not only Soveraigns over divers Provinces, as Ahaſuerus was, but alſo be Monarchs of the whole World, as it is ſaid Alexander was, ſo that the Princes of all Nations ſhould pay Tribute to our Coffers,Si jus violandum, regni cauſa violandum. Caeſar ex Euripide. and the People of all Countries bow their knees before our foot-ſtool; this (if any thing) would enflame our ambition; and if at all, for a Kingdom one would violate the bonds of Nature, or Juſtice (as one long ago was wont to ſay) for ſuch a Kingdom as this, he would be provoked to the doing of it.
Alas, Beloved, all this is nothing in compariſon of the Soveraignty belonging to the heavenly Crown and Kingdom; the pooreſt Saint in Heaven ſhall be more glorious in Soveraignty then ever Ahaſuerus or Alexander were, or then ever Adam was when he was Lord of the whole World; for look what was ſaid of our Saviour, Heb. 2.8. All things ſhall be ſubdued, all things ſhall be brought in ſubjection to him; and when it is ſaid, all things ſhall be ſubdued, there's nothing left out that ſhall not be ſubdued: the ſame may be ſaid of every faithful Member of Chriſt, they ſhall every one have a ſhare in this Rule and Dominion; even all things ſhall be brought under their ſubjection; the very Angels ſhall then be made ſubject to them: where Chriſt ſits, they ſhall ſit; whom Chriſt judgeth, they ſhall judg; and as Chriſt reigneth, they ſhall reign alſo.
2. In reſpect of the ſafety that belongs to it: there is no Crown ſo ſetled upon the head of any earthly Prince, as that he can promiſe to himſelf perpetual ſafety under it; either ſafety from ſickneſs and diſeaſes, or ſafety from Adverſaries and Enemies, either domeſtical or forreign, but that he is in danger of both. Kings are as much in danger of ſickneſs as other men; for Chairs of State are not Caſtles of health, nor can their Crowns keep their heads from aking; they are as much in danger of Enemies as other men, nay they more then others: every railing Shimei hath a tongue to bark at them; every traiterous Sheba will be blowing trumpets of rebellion againſt them; but the Crown of glory ſhall ſit ſure upon the heads of the faithful, even with as much ſafety as majeſty; no ſickneſs ſhall be able to blaſt it, no Enemy to endanger it. St. Paul ſaith, that all our Enemies ſhall be put under our feet, 1 Cor. 15.27. And the Prophet ſaith, All tears ſhall be wiped from our faces, Iſai. 25.8.
3. In reſpect of the peace and tranquility of it: the Princes of the Earth, though they have a great many more honours, yet they have a great many more burthens then other men; their Crowns are thicker ſtuck with cares then with gems: That made one of the Emperours ſay, when the Imperial Robe was brought him to put on, Oh nobilem magis quam faelicem pannum: Oh here's a Robe, ſaith he, fuller of bravery then felicity. 'Tis otherwiſe with the Crown of glory, this Crown is as free from troubles as from dangers; they that are crowned with it, are crowned with peace as well as with honour; it ſhall not diſquiet them with cares, but give them reſt from their labours; reſt and peace ſhall ever wait upon them, whom God ſhall vouchſafe ſo to dignifie, as to let their Temples be empall'd with this glorious Crown.
4. In reſpect of perpetuity: therefore the Apoſtle calls it a Crown of Life, James 1.12. becauſe they that are crowned with it ſhall never taſte more of death. Herein again it differs from all earthly Crowns, and excells as much as it differs; earthly Kingdoms and Crowns are ſubject to alteration, to diſſipation: Job tells us, that God ſometimes looſeth the collars of Kings, Job 12.13. It was told Saul, when he had been a while King over Iſrael, that God had rent his Kingdom from him, and given it to his Neighbour, 1 Sam. 15.28. But howſoever, though the Crown be not tranſlated, yet he that wears the Crown muſt be tranſlated; Death will tranſlate the greateſt Princes to another place, though while they live their Crowns be not tranſlated to other Perſons, but ſit faſt upon their own heads; but 'tis otherwiſe with this Crown of life, there ſhall be no alteration nor removal at all, either from it to us, or from us to it, when once we ſhall have it confer'd upon us: Were the Kingdoms of the Earth never ſo full of glory and happineſs, yet what they want of perpetuity, they want of perfect felicity; there can be no perfection of bleſſedneſs, but where there is perpetuity of continuance: ſo there ſhall be here: St. Paul calls it an immarceſſible Crown. St. Peter calls it an immortal inheritance that ſhall never fade away, 1 Pet. 1.4. It is ſaid of the Bread of life, John 6. that he that eats of it, ſhall hunger no more; and of the Water of life, John 4. he that drinketh thereof, ſhall thirst no more: ſo I may ſay of this Crown of life, whoſoever is crowned with it, he ſhall die no more. How ſhould the conſideration hereof make us to labour for this glorious Crown? what a ſhame is it to ſee what pains men will take for a little honour, that cometh ſhort of a Kingdom? what pains to ſatisfie their luſts, and to get a little of the World, and that we ſhould take ſo little pains for the Kingdom of Heaven? So run, ſaith the Apoſtle, that you may obtain; not a corruptible, 1 Cor. 9.24, 25.but an incorruptible Crown: Thoſe that run for a corruptible Crown, they are temperate in all things; they eat and drink very little, they diet their bodies; they neither cumber their bodies with ſuperfluous garments, nor their ſtomacks with ſuperfluous meats and drinks, becauſe theſe things would hinder them in their contention, and make them loſe the Crown and Garland they run for. Now if there be ſo much ſtriving for a fading Crown, how ſhould Chriſtians deny themſelves, ſtriving for that Crown of glory which is in Heaven? a Crown not made of Ivory and Lawrel, but made out of the Tree of Life, ſuch as is not of a withering and fading nature: Here is not jus violandum, but only jugum tolerandum; no law of obedience that we are to break, but a yoke of patience that we muſt learn to bear, to make us capable of this Crown.
How ſhould this alſo ſtir up every Chriſtian to walk worthy of God, who hath called him to his Kingdom and glory? 1 Theſ. 2.11, 12. Remember it is a Kingdom we look after, let us labour to have kingly affections; it is an heavenly Kingdom, let us learn to lead heavenly converſations. When one urged Alexander to run at the Olympian games, he anſwered, Do Kings run there? So when the Devil, or the World, do tempt us to ſin, let us anſwer, Do the Heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven do ſo? The Egyptians had a pretty Hieroglyphick,Plerij Hieroglyph. by which they deſcribed a great man that was unworthily given, they deſcribed him by an Elephant hunting for Flies; you may imagine what an unſeemly ſight that would be, for ſo huge a creature as an Elephant, to hunt ſo poor a prey as a Flie. Nothing is ſo unſeemly, or unworthy, as for one that profeſſeth Chriſtianity to be vainly or vitiouſly given; to be an earthworm, a wanton, a belly-god, this is neither Chriſtianly, nor becoming ſpiritual Kings: ſhew your ſelves more heavenly diſpoſed, if you look for an heavenly Kingdom; heavenly thoughts, heavenly deſires, heavenly ſpeeches, and heavenly actions do beſt become thoſe that look for heavenly Crowns. Finally, let the thoughts of your high dignity comfort you, O Chriſtians, under all your ſorrows: So the Roman Emperour ſaid to Galba in his minority, taking him up by the chin, Tu Galba quandoque imperium deguſtabis: Thou, O Galba, ſhalt one day be an Emperour, therefore be not ſad. So I may ſay to thee, Chear up, O diſconſolate Chriſtian, thou ſhalt one day be a King, and wear a Crown of glory; think often of your Crown and Kingdom, and drive away the ſadneſs of your hearts, for ere long ye ſhall be raiſed from a dung-hill of miſeries to an heavenly Kingdom; and the greater your ſufferings are, ſo much the more bright and glorious will your Crown be.
SECT. V.
FUrthermore, Heaven is the place where the Saints inheritance lieth; they are now Heirs of a Kingdom, but not Inheritors; but there is a time when they ſhall enjoy that inheritance. The Scripture ſets forth what manner of inheritance Heaven ſhall be to the Saints.
1. It is a rich and glorious inheritance; ſome inheritances on Earth are ſo charged and clogged, that though the inheritance be rich, yet the Heir is poor, and can hardly get a living out of it, becauſe though he receive much, yet he payes much out of it again; but here is no charge nor burthen in any kind, but this inheritance that is above is abſolutely free, a rich and glorious inheritance. He that is an Heir of Heaven, never needs to trouble himſelf to grow rich in this World, if his Anceſtors have left him no poſſeſſions, ſaith St. Auguſtine; the man that loveth earthly riches, hath but little mind to the true riches, to the heavenly inheritance, and he that is beſotted with the delights of this preſent World, never dreameth of the everlaſting pleaſures of the World to come: but he that hath God for his portion, may ſay with David, The lines are fallen to me in pleaſant places; yea, I have a goodly inheritage, Pſal. 16.6. God comprehends all imaginable perfections; nothing is diſperſed in the creature, which is not recollected in the Creator; in Heaven we ſhall enjoy all things in God; and nothing can be wanting to him that enjoyeth all things; for in him is a conſervation of all things that are truly and ſolidly good: in Heaven God himſelf ſhall be our rich and glorious inheritance; and one of the chiefeſt advantages we ſhall reap in glory, is, that God will be to us inſtead of all things; and that finding in him the accompliſhment of all our deſires, we ſhall there meet with our perfect happineſs.
2. It is an inheritance of inconceivable excellency: our inheritance is ſo excellent, that we cannot ſo much as form an Idea of it, we want words to expreſs its excellencies; and indeed this might impoſe ſilence upon us, if the liberty we have to ſpeak of God (though incomprehenſible) did not permit us to ſpeak and write of this glorious inheritance, the bleſſedneſs whereof is unconceivable: and as when treating of God's perfections, when we follow the light of the holy Scriptures, we cannot fail; ſo if we ſail by the ſame Star, we cannot wander in this vaſt Ocean of glory; and this is ſure, we need not fear ſhipwrack on a Sea, where all that are drowned may boaſt themſelves happy.
3. It is an incorruptible inheritance, an inheritance that never fadeth away, 1 Pet. 1.4. in regard of the beauty and glory of it; it is a metaphor taken from flowers; the graſs withereth, the flower fadeth, but this inheritance never fadeth. All creatures that were made for the uſe of man, were ſubject to vanity for the ſin of man; but this Heaven at the firſt was not made for the uſe of man, but for God himſelf, therefore it is incorruptible. What a ſhame is it that we can ride and run for a leaſe of two or three years, but the inheritance that fades not away is not eſteemed by us? and as this inheritance is incorruptible, ſo likewiſe it is undefiled, in regard it is not ſubject to any abuſe of the creatures; no unclean thing enters into it.
4. It is an immortal inheritance: though a Chriſtian's life be ſubject to change, and his days upon earth muſt have an end, yet his inheritance abideth for ever; yea, God himſelf is the everlaſting inheritance of his people, who fills their deſires, perfecteth all the powers of their ſouls, and communicateth himſelf ſo freely and ſo fully to his Children, that they are abundantly ſatisfied: God is the inheritance of his People to eternity, and it is no preſumption to ſtyle him ſo,Auguſt. in Pſal. 32. ſaith St. Auguſtine, though he be our Creator, and our Sovereign, becauſe it is the fervency of our deſire, and the ſweetneſs of our hope, that puts this name into our mouthes.
5. It is a ſure and ſafe inheritance; it is reſerved in Heaven for us, 1 Pet. 1.4. A Chriſtian's tenure is the faireſt, firmeſt, and ſureſt, therefore 'tis great wiſdom to lay hold on this heavenly inheritance, 1 Tim. 6.12. We know it is worldly wiſdom to lay up our treaſures in ſafe places; and ſhall not we be ſo wiſe in ſpiritual matters, where our treaſure far ſurpaſſeth all earthly things?
Now here let us ſee the differences between temporal inheritances, and the heavenly inheritance.
I. Some earthly Parents are very poor, and can leave their children no inheritance to make them Heirs, only they inherit their corruptions, and puniſhments due to them; but all God's Children are rich Heirs, they are all fellow Citizens of the New Jeruſalem, of the Houſhold of God, inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven, Eph. 2.19. they are all made meet partakers of the inheritance among the Saints in light, Coloſ. 1.12. Chriſt is the great Heir of all things; and all the Saints, be they never ſo poor outwardly, yet are they Co-heirs with Chriſt, Heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven, James 2.5.
II. Fathers that have inheritances, do often leave them but to one of their Children; as Abraham left the inheritance to Iſaac, and gave gifts only to the Sons of the Concubines, Gen. 25.5, 6. but here all God's Children have the heavenly inheritance. Upon Earth, if all do inherit the Father's ſubſtance, then it is divided, and every one hath the leſs; but Heaven is not divided by lot, as Canaan was, which was a type of it; there the inheritance of the one doth not diminiſh the inheritance of the other; their inheritance is ſo large, that the number of Heirs cannot diminiſh it; the good that they hope for, hath two properties that ſecure it from envy; it is one, and cannot be divided; it is infinite, and ſufficeth many thouſands: it's unity is the cauſe that every one poſſeſſeth it entire; it's infinity, that none are affraid of a leſſening; they are all rich of the ſame inheritance, they are all happy by the ſame felicity: For, as Gregory ſaith, That heavenly inheritance unto all is one, and unto one is all; for as much as every one of the bleſſed Saints rejoyceth as much at the joys and felicities of all others, as if he were in poſſeſſion of the ſame. Heaven becometh all to all, and all to every one; as all enjoy the light of the Sun when it ſhineth; every one in Heaven is well pleaſed with anothers happineſs, and with his own; and the charity that reigneth among the Saints there, doth ſo intimately unite their hearts, that the diverſity of particulars diſturbeth not the bleſſedneſs of the whole.
III. On Earth Parents leave their inheritances to their Children, becauſe they die, and can keep them no longer; but God liveth for ever, and beſtoweth the inheritance upon us: in the World Parents die before their Children may inherit; but God is immortal, and Death never ſeperates the Children from the Father; he hath Heirs, but no Succeſſors; he deſpoils not himſelf to enrich them, but living and reigning with them, he confers his inheritance upon them without looſing it.
IV. In this World all Sons and Heirs do not live to take poſſeſſion of their inheritance; but all God's Heirs ſhall be infallibly poſſeſſed of their heavenly inheritance; the poſſeſſion thereof ſhall be given them by Jeſus Chriſt himſelf, the Heir of all things; he ſhall come from Heaven to conduct them to Heaven, and put them into the poſſeſſion of their inheritance in the view of the whole World; and it ſhall be given to them in their beſt ſtate, when they are moſt fitted and qualified to that condition which is ſuitable to their ſtate; for in the ſtate that now we are, we are not in a capacity to be put into poſſeſſion of that heavenly inheritance.
V. Some Heirs, if they live to be of age, yet they are often kept from their inheritance, defrauded of it, or unjuſtly turn'd out of it, that either they come not into actual poſſeſſion, or cannot long keep it; but none ſhall keep God's Children out of their inheritance, or defraud them of it.
Now this inheritance cometh to us by the right of Sonſhip only; If Sons, then Heirs, ſaith St. Paul, Rom. 8.17. Only the Children of God are Heirs of Heaven: the Wicked have no portion in this inheritance, it is for Sons; the Son of Hagar muſt have no inheritance with the Son of Sarah; the Bond-woman and her Son must be cast out. The Wicked are like Slaves, who labour not but for their Maſter; they till the Ground, but reap not the Fruit; they plant Vine-yards, but drink not of the Wine; they ſuffer much pain and another taſtes the pleaſure: they are not as Wives, called into a community of goods; they are not as Children, admitted to ſhare in the inheritance; but the Servants of God find riches in their pooreſt outward eſtate; their Maſter adopting them for his Children, makes them his Heirs; and before he gives them his glory for their portion, he gives them the earneſt of the Spirit for their aſſurance of this inheritance.
Then caſt away all carking cares, O Chriſtian, ſince thy inheritance is in Heaven; and be not diſquieted, though haply God deal no better with thee for the preſent then with a Servant, for that is a diſcipline fit to prepare thee for thine inheritance: God may bring ſome great and ſharp affliction upon thee, he may beat thee, buffet thee, ſcourge thee, yet thou canſt not looſe thine inheritance, for it is entailed, and God hath made it ſure to thee by his promiſe, Rom. 9.8. Epheſ. 1.13, 14. Heb. 6.17. Oh do not grudge at the happineſs of the wicked; do they proſper? have they all things at will? thou art not inferiour to them, for thou alſo haſt an inheritance reſerved for thee; and this inheritance is not bought by thee, but fitted and prepared for thee; and thou ſhalt have no ruinous Cottage, but that which is fit for thy purpoſe when thou comeſt to Heaven; and whatſoever loſſes thou meeteſt with in this World, loſs of Wife, Children, Goods, Friends, Life, yet thou canſt not loſe thine Inheritance: This cauſed the Hebrews with joy to endure the ſpoiling of their goods, knowing that in Heaven they had a more enduring ſubſtance, Hebr. 10.34.
Let us all therefore labour to become the Sons of God; and that we may be ſo, let us labour for faith to believe in Chriſt, and labour after all the graces of God's Spirit, hereby we ſhall be made meet partakers of the inheritance among the Saints in light, Col. 1.12. The inheritance is given to the ſanctified, Acts 26.18. to ſuch as are in Chriſt, and of Chriſt, by faith unfeigned, Gal. 3.29. Let us all labour to make God our inheritance; as God hath right and title to us, ſo let us labour by faith to challenge the ſame in him; and not be like a fooliſh child, who would buy his father's inheritance, when he was born to it, and it is his right: Like the Papiſts, who think by their own merits to purchaſe to themſelves the Kingdom of Heaven, to which (were they God's Children, and belonged to him) they would be Heirs apparent. Reader, clear up thy right to this inheritance, & keep thy indentures ſafe, and let Satan come with the offer of Kingdoms to thee, as he did to Chriſt, then wilt thou not, with prophane Eſau, ſell thine inheritance: Oh take heed of that prophane ſpeech of his, in ſaying, What is this Birth-right to me? Gen. 25.32. but ſay with Naboth, God forbid that I ſhould ſell the Inheritance of my Fathers unto thee, 1 Reg. 21.3. St. Auguſtine ſpeaking to his Auditors, uttered theſe notable words; Let us be grieved to ſee men diſtracted with the diverſity of their deſires; let us ſee their different conditions, which ariſe from the difference of their deſigns; let ſome take Arms, and ſeek for glory in the mouth of danger; hazard their lives to get themſelves a name, and place their happineſs in killing and ſlaying; let others more harmleſs, but leſs ambitious, plead at the Bar, gain reputation in defending innocence, and aſpire to the glory of Orators, being not able to purchaſe that of Conquerors; let others more humble, but not leſs intereſſed, hold commerce and traffick with Strangers, paſs the Seas to content their avarice, deſcend into the bowels of the Earth to dig out treaſures; let others more innocent, but not leſs miſerable, till the ground, maſter barrenneſs by their laborious improvement, and at the years end reap a rich and plentiful Harveſt; let all theſe different conditions divide the heap of periſhable goods between them, but let Believers, inſtructed in a better School, proteſt that God and Heaven are their portion, and that now and for ever they will have no other inheritance. Finally, this conſideration, that Heaven is a Chriſtian's inheritance, may comfort thee againſt the death of thy godly Friend: Though thy Friend be gone to another City, yet grieve not over-much, he is gone but to his Lordſhip, to his own inheritance; and let all true Believers reſolve to let the movables go, ſince the inheritance is theirs.
SECT. VI. Sheweth that Heaven is the place where the Saints ſhall receive their reward.
IN the next place, I ſhall ſhew you that Heaven is that bleſſed place where the Saints ſhall receive their great and glorious reward. The Scripture tells us, that Verily there is a reward for the righteous, Pſal. 58.11. and this reward ſhall be a great reward; and the place where they ſhall receive this reward is in Heaven, Matth. 5.12. There is a two-fold reward:
Praemium Vincentium;
Merces Laborantium.
The Reward of Conquerors;
The Wages of Labourers.
1. The Reward of Conquerors: Bleſſed is the man that endureth tribulation; for when he is tried, he ſhall receive the Crown of life, James 1.12. A Crown is the honour of thoſe that ſtrive, of thoſe that were put into the Liſts; and St. Gregory ſaith well, The Crown is the reward of Victory. True it is, all the Saints have the promiſe of a glorious Crown and reward, but they have a ſpecial promiſe thereunto that endure tribulation, becauſe they are brought to the ſtrife of faith, and have fought the good fight, and kept the faith, as St. Paul ſpeaks of himſelf, and upon this he challengeth his reward, 2 Tim. 4.8. It pleaſeth God many times to ſhew his great power and mercy in the ſtrengthning of thoſe that ſuffer for the truth, when they come to ſeal the profeſſion of it with their blood, with invincible courage he enableth them to endure the pains of Martyrdom, even to the admiration of the beholders, and many times to the aſtoniſhment of the tormentors themſelves; they go to be martyred, as if they were going to be married; they embrace the Croſs, they kiſs the Stake, they ſing Pſalms to God in the midſt of the Fire; they are filled with ſuch Divine raptures, as you would rather think them in their Transfiguration, then at their Execution; this is praemium ante praemium, a reward beforehand: But that which heightens their courage, and makes them to glory in tribulation, is the conſideration of that great reward that is laid up for them in Heaven: this is like the opening of the Heavens to Stephen, that encouraged him to reſiſt unto the loſs of his blood.
2. There is the reward of Labourers, the wages of them that work and labour in the Vineyard; the Labourer laboureth all the day, but at night he receiveth his penny, Matth. 20. The Labourers in the Vineyard were called in at night, and received every one his penny, that is, his proper reward; the Lord would have his work well done, and he will ſpare for no coſt; the diligent ſhall not loſe their labour; the juſtice of God requireth it, that he ſhould pay his Servants their wages when they have done their work; their labour ſhall not be in vain in the Lord, 1 Cor. 15. ult.
Object. But it may be ſaid, if eternal life be a reward, or wages, then the labours of his Children are meritorious.
Sol. 1. By way of relation to merit: there is wages of grace, not of merit; though the Greek and Latine words foreign, and merces, rather ſignifie hire, or wages, then gift, or reward: Yet St. Paul teacheth us to diſtinguiſh, that foreign, wages, may be reckoned to a man by favour, not by debt, Rom. 4.4. This appeareth in them who being called into the Vineyard at the eleventh hour, yet received a penny for wages by favour, not by debt, as much as they who were firſt called, and had born the burden and heat of the day.
2. It is wages in regard of the promiſe of God, for he hath promiſed to give eternal life to them that believe and obey him; the performance whereof they may lawfully expect, though they cannot deſerve it: Promiſe is a debt, and God hath made himſelf a Debtor to his People by promiſe. If a Subject, or Servant to a King, doth him any remarkable ſervice, it is but his duty; yet ſuch is the uſual bounty of Princes, as they will abundantly reward it, as is manifeſt Eſther 6.3.
3. It is called wages, becauſe God recompenſeth the obedience of his Children of free mercy through the obedience of Chriſt; it is not ſuch a wages as a Maſter gives his Servant for his labour, but as a Father gives his Child; of love, not of merit. Therefore ſaith St. Paul, Whatſoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not to men; knowing that of the Lord ye ſhall receive the reward of the inheritance, Coloſ. 3.23, 24. for ye ſerve the Lord Christ, Epheſ. 2.9. We are ſaved by grace, not of works, lest any man ſhould boast.
4. It is called wages, not in regard of merit, but in regard of order; becauſe as wages is uſually given at the end of the labour, ſo this reward is given at the end of our days. Be thou faithful to the death, and I will give thee the Crown of life, Rev. 2.10.
5. In regard of faith, that looks at ſalvation as the end and wages of all her labours. St. Peter writing to thoſe of the diſperſion, ſpeaks of their receiving the end of their faith, the ſalvation of their ſouls, 1 Pet. 1.9.
Object. But it may be ſaid, this reward is conditional, Rom. 8.17. that if we ſuffer with Christ, we ſhall reign with him; where merits ſeem not to be excluded.
Sol. I anſwer, the condition notes out there the order, not the cauſe of reigning; which may ſerve to comfort us in afflictions, Luke 17.7, 8.
Now I ſhall make it evident, that this reward is a reward of mercy, not out of merit. For
1. In a merit there muſt be relatio muneris & remunerati; a relation between our giving to God, and his giving to us; and it is not poſſible for the infinite God to receive any thing from us: we can give nothing to him, but what at firſt came from him, as David ſpeaks 1 Chron. 29.11, 14. Who hath first given to God, and it ſhall be recompenſed to him again? Rom. 11.35.
2. The obedience performed muſt be materia indebita, to make it meritorious; but we are every way bound to God; we are bound by the bond of Creation to be ſerviceable to him: By Nature we owe him our ſervice, from whom we receive our being. We are alſo bound by the bond of Redemption; we are none of our own, but his that hath ranſomed us, and therefore wholly uncapable of meriting any thing at the hands of God. Every meritorious work muſt be free, proceeding from our own meer good pleaſure, it muſt not be a duty which we are bound to do: now all that we do or ſuffer, is but duty commanded by God, and we ſtand bound under many obligations to do them; works of duty cannot merit.
3. Every meritorious work, muſt be a man's own proper work: now the good we do, is not of our ſelves, but of God that gives us the ability of performing it; it is by the grace of God we are enabled to do and ſuffer. To you it is given to believe, and to ſuffer for Christ, Phil. 1.29. It is God that worketh in us both to will and to do, Phil. 2.13. It is God that worketh all our works in us, and for us, Iſai. 26.12. We are infinitely indebted to God for enabling us to do any thing for God; and the giving of one gift, is an obligation that therefore one ſhould give another ex condigno.
4. In a merit, the work done muſt bear proportion with the reward; now what is the giving of a mite, or penny, to the purchaſe of a Kingdom? what proportion is there between an infinite reward, and a finite work? an eternal reward, and a temporary work? ſuch is our work, ſuch is God's reward. So Chriſt to his Diſciples, Luke 17.10. When you have done all thoſe things which are commanded you, ſay, We are unprofitable ſervants, we have done that which was our duty to do.
5. There is ſo much defect in our beſt works, that it is impoſſible they ſhould merit any thing out of juſtice; for who can think they ſhould deſerve puniſhment out of juſtice, and merit a reward out of juſtice too? That work which meriteth muſt be perfectly perfect, there muſt be no flaw, not a ſhadow of privative imperfection in it; if God ſhould be extream to mark what we have done amiſs, Hell would be the reward …our beſt works. Now though glory be called a …eward, yet 'tis a meer gift of grace: Eternal life is the gift of God, ſaith the Apoſtle, Rom. 6.23. Chriſt ſaith of his Sheep, I give unto them eternal life, John 10.28. It is called both a gift, and a reward, ſecundum quid, and in reſpect it is called a reward but ſimply and abſolutely,Abbot de Meriti…. it is only a gift; compare eternal life to the work, and look no further, ſo the Scripture calls it a reward; but conſider the original from whence the work it ſelf alſo proceedeth, and all is meerly and wholly gift, ſaith learned Biſhop Abbot.
6. Hereby the merits of Chriſt would be made of no validity; Chriſt hath merited for us to the uttermoſt, and nothing can be contributed by us, becauſe he hath done it alone: ſo then eternal life follows upon an holy life; not as remunerated from any merit of ours, but as conferr'd in much mercy by God for the merits of Chriſt. I ſhall now ſhew that the reward in Heaven is a great reward. Aquinas on Matth. 5.11.Aquin. Suppl. 3. portis. quaeſt. …6. aſſigneth to three Orders of glorified Saints (namely, to Virgins, Doctors, and Martyrs) a ſpecial Crown of glory, excelling in glory the Crowns of other Saints. I ſhould ſpend time, but to little purpoſe, ſhould I tell you the idle figments of the Schoolmen about theſe Crowns, as that the Virgins ſhall have a white Crown, the Doctors a green Crown, the Martyrs a red Crown; ſuch hay, ſtraw, and ſtubble have the over-curious heads of the Schoolmen laid upon this foundation. I ſhall wave this, and ſhew you how the reward in Heaven is called a great reward.
I. It is great abſolutely in it ſelf conſidered; the great God himſelf is the reward of his Saints, the Kingdom of Heaven is their reward; we ſhould count an earthly Kingdom a great reward, much more all the Kingdoms in the World, that is a vaſt reward indeed; but what is all the World, and the Kingdoms thereof, in compariſon of Heaven? 'tis but as a drop of a Bucket compared to the Sea, the duſt in the Ballance compared to the Earth, and a ſpark of Fire compared to the Sun; there is ſome compariſon in theſe, for both are finite; but there is no proportion between God and the whole World; perfection of holineſs, perfection of glory, perfection of joy, perfection of pleaſure is this great reward.
II. Conſider the properties of this reward, and you will ſee it is a great reward.
1. It is an infinite reward, far above the ſight of the eye, it cannot comprehenſively behold it; the ear cannot hear the greatneſs of it; the heart cannot conceive it: Were the Sea ink, and the Heavens parchment, and all Angels and Men ſet on work to delineate the greatneſs of it, they could not deſcribe it; the reward is great, according as God is, and who knoweth how great he is?
2. It is an all-ſufficient, and all-ſatisfying reward: why doth the holy Ghoſt call it after ſo many names, ſometimes calling it the Kingdom of Heaven, the ſight of God, a Crown, a Crown of life, joy, Rivers of pleaſures, ſometimes a Supper, the Marriage of the Lamb, white Robes, Paradiſe? the reaſon is, becauſe it is ſo great, that one expreſſion is not enough to deſcribe it; it is an all-ſufficient, and an all-ſatisfying reward. When the great day of recompence ſhall come, wherein God will beſtow his reward upon his Saints, all Heaven ſhall cry out, Lord, I have enough, I need no more, I deſire no more: this reward is common to millions of glorified Saints, and all are ſatisfied with it. Chriſt himſelf is a moſt ſatisfying object; the beauty of his face, the ſmell of his garments, the Sea and Rivers of Salvation, that capacious and wide Heaven, where God, his Angels and Saints are, are intrinſecally, and of themſelves moſt raviſhing, and ſoul-ſatisfying objects; there the Soul drinketh, and drinketh abundantly, and is fully ſatisfied, ſo that the veſſel can hold no more; there the Soul is always quietly repoſing it ſelf in the arms and embraces of the glorious Prince Immanuel, always ſucking the breaſts of his eternal conſolations, and delighting it ſelf with the abundance of glory.
3. It is called a great reward comparate, compared to the active and paſſive obedience of Saints in this World: For as learned Spanhemius obſerveth on Matth. 5.11.Spanhem. dub. Evangel. our Saviour doth not make compariſon between reward, and reward of Saints, the greater and the leſſer, between Crowns of glory, one more illuſtrious then another, but between our ſervice on Earth, and God's reward in Heaven; it is then a great or mu…h reward in order to our ſufferings: let the meaſure of our perſecutions be full, preſſed down, and running over, yet our reward ſhall be infinitely more full, preſſed down, and running over; the joy of the Saints in Heaven ſhall infinitely exceed the ſmart of all their ſufferings, as hath before been largely declared.
Queſt. Here it may be demanded, Whether we may have an eye to the reward in our obedience? The Papiſts cry out upon us, as if we did deny that the godly ought to have reſpect unto the promiſed reward to quicken them to duty: And it is true, that ſome miſtaking Divines have ſubſcribed to this opinion, that in no caſe a godly man is to eye the glory promiſed to quicken him to duty; becauſe, ſay they, in ſo doing we ſhew forth mercenary, not filial duty; and we do not do and ſuffer for God's ſake, but for the reward.
Reſp. There is no doubt but we may have an eye to the glorious reward, elſe why doth our Saviour here, and in other places, propoſe the reward to us, and promiſe a reward? And it is ſaid of Moſes, that he had an eye to the recompence of the reward, Heb. 11.26. Yea, it is ſaid of Chriſt, Heb. 12.2. that for the glory ſet before him, he endured the croſs, and deſpiſed the ſhame. Although we may not chiefly aim at our own profit, but the performance of God's pleaſure; yet ſurely we may be moved to the doing our duties for hope of reward, as alſo reſtrained from ſin, though not principally, yet partly for fear of puniſhment; elſe why would God uſe threatnings and promiſes in the Scripture? ſaith Peter Martyr. Pet. Mart. loc. com.Here let us obſerve theſe Rules.
1. The glory of God muſt be the primary mark at which we muſt chiefly aim; as he made all things primarily for his glory, ſo muſt we do all to the ſame end: did our lives ſtand in competition with God's glory, we ought to chuſe rather to ſeek the advancing of God's glory, then to ſeek to preſerve our lives; nay, if our very ſalvation ſtood in competition with the glory of God, we ought to chuſe rather the advancement of God's glory, then to ſeek for our own ſalvation: yet God's mercy is ſo great to us, that his glory and our ſalvation are ſo compacted together, that we cannot ſeek the one, but we ſhall infallibly obtain the other.
2. Our own duty muſt next to the glory of God, have the uppermoſt room in our hearts; the duty which we owe to God in doing and ſuffering, muſt be reſpected before the reward which God will give us; his holy commands muſt be a ſtronger incitement to duty, then his gifts. It was a notable act of a Woman, reported by Gregory Nazianzen, who carried fire in one hand, and water in another, ſaying,Bellarmine ſaith, Magis honorificum eſt, habere aliquid ex merito, quam ex ſola donatione. Tapper ſaith, Abſit, ut juſti vitam aeternam expectent ſicut pauper cleemoſynam, multo honorificentius eſt, ipſos quaſi victores, & triumphatores cam poſſidere, tanquam palmam ſuis ſudoribus debitam. Tapper Tom. 2. Act. 9. With fire ſhe would burn the Heavens, with water ſhe would drown the World, that ſhe might know her own heart, whether ſhe loved God for God's ſake, or for his rewards.
3. We muſt not eye the reward, qua merces, as it is a reward due, but as 'tis a gift of free grace; not as it is a remunerating act of God's juſtice, but as a crowning act and fruit of free mercy. Then ſee the pride of Papiſts, who ſay, it were not for their honour to have eternal life gratis.
4. We may look on the reward as God's favour, and as an encouragement he propoſeth to us, to move us the more ſwiftly to run the race that is ſet before us. Every one propoundeth this to himſelf in any undertaking, Quid habebo? What ſhall I have if I do or ſuffer? And St. Peter proveth the queſtion, Lord, we have left all and followed thee, and what ſhall we receive? It was a cuſtom among great Princes, when they ſet upon any notable work, they would encourage the undertakers to come to the work by the propounding of wages, prizes, and rewards: but we muſt have an eye to the reward, non tam ut utile nobis, quam ut bonum in ſe; not ſo much as it is profitable to us, and looking to our own advantage, as to the goodneſs of the reward it ſelf.
5. We may look on the recompence of the reward, as an incitation to patience under ſufferings; we need encouragement to move us to patience under all thoſe miſeries and diſcouragements that attend our following Chriſt: Hence it was that Chriſt, to allay the ſharpneſs of ſuffering, propounds the greatneſs of the reward; this cauſed Moſes to chuſe rather to ſuffer afflictions with God's people, then to enjoy the pleaſures of ſin, which are but for a ſeaſon; eſteeming the reproaches of Chriſt greater riches, then all the treaſures of Egypt; for, or becauſe he had an eye to the recompence of the reward, Heb. 11.25, 26. Now how ſhould the conſideration of this great reward in Heaven, which a Chriſtian ſhall receive for his poor labours and ſufferings in this World, make him willing to die, that he may receive his reward: for as a weary Traveller, having even almoſt tired himſelf with heavy labour, or hard journying, is willing to go to receive his wages of his Maſter, and afterwards to betake himſelf to his reſt; ſo ſhould a good Chriſtian, that hath fought a good fight, kept the faith, and almoſt finiſhed his courſe, be willing to die, to go to receive his reward. With this conſideration Hilarion ſpeaks to his trembling Soul upon his Death-bed,Hieron. in vit. Hilar. Egredere Anima, cur times egredi; go forth my Soul, go forth; depart out of this priſon of pain into a place of pleaſure: haſt thou ſerved Chriſt theſe ſeventy years, and doſt thou fear to take thy wages now thou haſt done thy work? Let this therefore be matter of ſhame to us, that we have done ſo little work, conſidering the greatneſs of the reward; as a holy dying Martyr ſaid, I am exceedingly grieved, that being now to receive ſo great a reward, I have done ſo little work. Truly, O Lord, thou art great above all gods, and great is thy reward; for thou art not great, Auguſt. in Soliloq.and thy reward little; thou art the rewarder, and the reward of eternal happineſs it ſelf, ſaith St. Auguſtine.
SECT. VII. Sheweth that Heaven is the place where God ſhall give his People a kind welcome, and loving entertainment.
HEaven is alſo the place where God will moſt affectionately receive all his Children to himſelf; with much love and tenderneſs of affection at the laſt day, they ſhall be received into the arms of his embraces. Thou ſhalt guide me with thy counſel, and afterward receive me to glory, Pſal. 73.24. that is, thou ſhalt receive me with a moſt vehement and ardent affection. When the prodigal Son was but coming towards his Father, when he was yet afar off, his Father ran toward him, and fell upon his neck and kiſſed him; now this is but a ſhadow of that full and glorious reception of the Saints to himſelf, when God ſhall make them all glorious, and receive them without ſpot or wrinkle: if this Prodigal returning from his Harlots, and coming in his rags, was thus acceptable and welcome to his Father, Oh what abundance of love will God then expreſs to his Saints at the laſt day, when they ſhall be all cloathed in long white robes, and be received into the perfection of glory! Mark what is ſaid to the faithful Servant, Well done thou good and faithful Servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee Ruler over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord, Matth. 25.23. Then will the Lord Jeſus moſt affectionately ſay to all his Servants, Enter my dear Friends, and receive your conſolation; enter Servants, and receive your wages; enter my Children, and take poſſeſſion of your patrimony and inheritance; enter my Brethren, and receive your portion: and all ye that have fought the good fight, and kept the faith, and offered violence to the Kingdom of Heaven, enter ye, and take your Crowns. He doth not ſay, Come toward it, and look upon it with a greedy deſire, and earneſt longing after your happineſs, but foreign, come into the joy of thy Lord, take part and poſſeſſion of it with abundance of delight and ſatisfaction. The ſoul of man in this World is capable of more pleaſure then the eye or ear, yea then all the ſenſes can bring in to her; our ſoul can drink up all the pleaſures at one draught, it can preſently ſwallow them up; but the joys of Heaven do exceed the deſires of our ſouls; therefore ſaith Chriſt, Enter thou into thy Maſter's joy; he doth not ſay, let the joy of thy Maſter enter into thee: it is to ſhew, that the joy of our glorious condition doth infinitely ſurpaſs the largeſt capacity of our ſouls, though they be ſtretched to the uttermoſt. So at the laſt day Chriſt will ſay to the Sheep on his right hand, Come ye bleſſed of my Father, receive the Kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the World, Matth. 25.34. The firſt word is Venite, Come; it is the voice of the Bridegroom that ſaith, Come; Come to me my Spouſe; that where the Huſband is, there the Bride, the Lamb's Wife may be; that where the Head is, there the Members may be; where the Father is, there the Children may be; where the Maſter is, there the Servants may be; where the Prince and Captain of our Salvation is, there his Fellow-Souldiers may be. When Chriſt was going out of the World, he chears up the hearts of his Diſciples with theſe conſolatory words; Let not your hearts be troubled; in my Father's Houſe are many Manſions, I go to prepare a place for you; and if I go, I will come again, and receive you to my ſelf, that where I am, there you may be alſo, John 14.1, 2. See how much affection Chriſt expreſſeth in theſe words; if Chriſt ſaid when he was upon Earth, Come to me all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will eaſe you; take my yoke upon you, and you ſhall find reſt to your ſouls, Matth. 11.28, 29. then much more will he retain the ſame ſweetneſs of affection, when he cometh to ſit down in his Judgment-ſeat. Chriſt is as it were a Servant among his People; Luke 22.27. I am among you as he that ſerveth. He condeſcendeth to ſerve his People; he went to Heaven in Perſon to prepare a place for them, and he will come again in Perſon to receive them thither: True it is, he will do it with a glorious Train of Angels, yet he will come himſelf, and take them home to his Father's Houſe, that where he is, they may be alſo; and then will he receive them with much affection. Come my Love, my Dove, my Spouſe, my Undefiled, where haſt thou been ſo long all this while out of my preſence; come ye into my boſome, which is now wide open ready to receive you. If Jacob's and Joſeph's meeting were ſo unexpreſſibly comfortable, when they had thought never to have ſeen the faces of each other after ſo long a diſtance, Oh what ſhall the joy of that laſt day be? and how ſhall thoſe noble ſouls rejoyce, yea, leap for joy, to whom theſe ſoul-raviſhing words are ſpoken, Come ye bleſſed of my Father? all the Muſick in Heaven and Earth will not ſo raviſh them, as this voice will do: Now, though they were the out-caſts of the World, Heaven gates ſhall be ſet wide open for their reception; the King of glory will bid them come, and welcome; the Spirit and the Bride ſay, come, &c. Come ye bleſſed of my Father; the World hath curſed you, but God hath bleſſed you, yea, and you ſhall be bleſſed: Come ye and inherit a Kingdom. I have heretofore told you of a Kingdom promiſed you, a Kingdom you have often prayed for, Lord, let thy Kingdom come; come now, my dear Friends, I am come to put you into the poſſeſſion of that Kingdom; I will make you all Kings, and you ſhall reign with me for ever.
Great reaſon there is for us to think, that God will take home all his People to himſelf, with abundance of affection, at the laſt day; they are the Sons and Daughters of the Lord God Almighty: and will not our heavenly Father receive all his Sons and Daughters to glory with a moſt vehement affection, and take them home to his own Houſe, after a tedious pilgrimage in the World, wherein they have met with harſh unkind uſage? How did Jacob tender Benjamin, that he would not let him go from him till he was forced to it, and ſaw the neceſſity of it? but his joy is not expreſt upon his return, becauſe he heard that his beloved Joſeph was alive, and when he ſaw the Waggons and Charets that Joſeph had ſent to fetch him and his family into Egypt. Oh then it is inconceivable and inexpreſſible, with what affections our heavenly Father will take home his Children to his everlaſting habitations, when they are of full age, and ready to receive their inheritance. Moreover, they are the temples of the holy Ghoſt; and with what abundance of love (think you) will God receive the Saints, when they are perfumed all over with ſweet odours from Heaven, with all the graces of God's Spirit. The Spirit here is the ſource of all Divine gifts, for being the prime radical donation of our heavenly Father, there is no grace he confers upon us, which bears not the image of this firſt and prime gratuity; the Spirit is the pandora through which all other bleſſings are beſtowed upon us: Now the Spirit is given to ſanctifie thoſe whom Chriſt hath redeemed, and to preſerve them to God's heavenly Kingdom, whom Chriſt had purchaſed and delivered from everlaſting deſtruction. God manifeſted much love to his People on Earth, in that his Spirit dwelling in his Saints, when it was often grieved by them, yet would not leave nor quit his old habitation; what abundance of love then will he expreſs to them, when he ſhall find nothing in them that is contrary or diſpleaſing to him? Beſides, the Saints are eſpouſed to the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; and that great day wherein they are to be received to glory, ſhall be the full conſummation of the Marriage; Oh what abundance of love will the Lord Jeſus expreſs to his Bride, when ſhe ſhall be brought home to him after a long time of ſeparation one from another? With gladneſs and rejoycing ſhall they be brought unto the King, and enter into the Kings Palace, Pſal. 45.15. Though the Church ſigh here below, ſhe knows her Beloved will keep his word, that having had a part in his ſorrows, ſhe ſhall have a ſhare in his heavenly triumphs: Oh how ſhall the countenance of the glorious Son of righteouſneſs chear the hearts of God's People at the laſt day with abundance of joy, when he that is an univerſal Friend ſhall ſupply the place of a gracious Lord, of a loving Father, and act the part of a loving Brother,Tu mihi qui conjux, pariter ſcaterque paterque. Tu Dominus, tu Vir, tu mihi Prater eris. Ovid. foreign. Arrian in Epictet. of a Head, of a Huſband, of a Root, and be every thing to us. Methinks the ſerious conſideration hereof ſhould be a forcible attractive to draw Sinners to Chriſt, and to cauſe them to receive him into their hearts by faith; whatſoever offers the Devil can make them, or whatſoever entertainments they may have from the World, they are not worth a naming, to the magnificent and ſumptuous entertainment that the Lord Jeſus will give to his Spouſe at the laſt day; Oh what a Feaſt will Chriſt make for all his Children, when he ſhall bring them all together into the Houſe of his Father; and if that word be too ſtrait, into the City of the great King; and if that be too ſtrait, into the World to come, where there ſhall be room enough for them all?
What comfort may the meditation hereof afford to you that are poor Chriſtians, that are now the out-caſts of the World? know ye, though the World exclude you, yet Heaven will receive you; though the World afford you no houſe-room, but ſhut you out of doors, yet the everlaſting Gates ſhall be opened to you, and God ſhall take you into his own Houſe, yea into his own Boſome; ye have a Father in Heaven, his Houſe is richly furniſhed, and there you ſhall be ſumptuouſly and royally entertained; though the World refuſe to feed you with the crumbs that fall from their tables, yet you ſhall eat and drink with Chriſt at his table in his Kingdom; yea, he ſhall be your meat and drink, who is the bread of life, and the well-ſpring of Salvation: the Lord will think nothing he hath too dear for you, but you ſhall have part with Jeſus Chriſt, and ſhare with him in all his enjoyments. I have read of Cyrus, who never liked any diſh of meat, but he ſent a part of it from his table to his Friends he loved moſt; yea, ſometimes the very bread and meat he had upon his own trencher, with this kind and friendly ſalutation; Cyrus tibi iſta quod ipſi fuerint jucundiſſima. King Cyrus ſends you this, becauſe he likes it beſt himſelf, and holds it to be moſt choice and dainty. So the Lord will entertain his People with his own glory and felicity; whereupon St. Bernard hath this expreſſion, Non aurum pollicetur Dominus; the Lord doth not promiſe gold nor ſilver, nor pretious ſtones, but himſelf; he will be their ſubſtantial joy, and everlaſting comfort. What tongue or pen is able to ſet forth that large and kind entertainment that God will give to his Children on that day, when they ſhall ſee the Lord Jeſus, like a faithful Shepherd, conducting all his Flock to the Fold, which was ordained for them before the foundations of the World were laid; when they ſhall ſee him like a valiant General, and triumphant Conqueror, riding in the Heavens in the head of his troops and glorious train, who ſhall follow him with Crowns on their heads, and Palm branches in their hands? Oh the ſhoutings, oh the ſongs of joy, and vollies of praiſes and Hallelujahs that ſhall fill the World in that great and glorious day, when Jeſus Chriſt ſhall come in his own glory, and in the glory of his Father, and of the holy Angels, Luke 9.26.