The Whole Duty of a Christian, Chapter 20
CHAP. XX.
§ 1. THus, I say, shall they be bid Depart ye cursed into everlasting fire, &c. while on the contrary the same Christ shall say unto the other, C…me ye blessed of my father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from before the foundation of the world, Matth. 25. 34. Which Kingdom is a place where are such joys, as eye hath not seen, nor …ar heard, neither hath entred into the heart of man to conceive▪ 1 Cor. 2. 9.
§ 2. A place where shall be no evil present, nor good absent, Heb. 9. 12. Matth. 6. 20. In comparison whereof all the Thrones and Kingdoms upon earth, are lesse then the drop of a bucket, Deut. 10. 14. 2 Cor. 12. 2, 4. Mat. 5. 19. Isa. 66. 1. Yea, how little, how nothing are the poor and temporary enjoyments of this life, to those we shall enjoy in the next, 1 Cor. 2. 9.
§ 3. Dost thou desire beauty, riches, honour, pleasure, long-life, or what ever else can be named? No place so glorious by creation, so beautifull with delectation, so rich in possession, so comfortable for habitation, nor so durable for lasting, Heb. 12. 22. 1 …ct. 1. 4. 2 Cor. 4. 17. Rom. 9. 3. & 8. 18. There are no estates but inheritances, no inheritances but Kingdoms, no houses but Palaces, no meals but s…a…ts, no noise but musick, no rods but Scepters, no garments but Robes, no seats but Thrones, no coverings for the head but Crowns, Rom. 8. 17. Titus 3. 7. Heb 9. 15. Matth. 25. 31, 34. 2 Tim. 4. 8. Gal. 4. 7. 1 Pet. 3. 9, 10. Mark 10. 23, 24, 25. Rev. 7. 13, 14, 15. Our condition there will be so joyfull, that look we outwardly, there is joy in the societ…, Heb. 12. 22. if inwardly, there is joy in our own felicity, 1 Cor. 2 9. Look we forward, there is joy in the eternity, 1 Pet. 5. 10. Mark 10. 30. So that on every side we shall be even swallowed up of joy, Isa. 35. 10. & 51. 1…. Matth. 25. 23. & 18. 10. Heb. 12. 2. 22. Psal. 16 11.
§ 4. As O the multitude and fulnesse of these joys! so many, that only God can number them; so great, that he only can estimate them; of such rarity and perfection, that this world hath nothing comparable to them, 2 Cor. …2. 2, 4. There is no death nor dearth, no pining nor repining, no fraud, sorrow nor sadness, neither tears, nor fears, defect nor loathing, Rev. 7. 16, 17. & 21. 4. Heb 9. 12.
§ 5. There shall be no sorrow, nor pain, nor Complaint; there is no malice to rise up against us, no misery to afflict us; no hunger, thirst, wearisomnesse, temptation, to disquiet us, Matth. 6. 19, 20. Heb. 9. 12. There, O there! one day is better then a thousand; there is Rest from our Labours, Peace from our Enemies, Freedom from our Sins, &c. Job 3. 17. Heb. 4. 3, 9, 10, 11. Rev. 14. 13. Heb. 9. 12, 15.
§. 6. The Eye sees much, the Ear hears more, the Heart conceives most: yet all short of apprehension, much more of comprehension; of those pleasures: therefore it is said, Enter thou into thy Masters joy; For it is too great to enter into thee, Matth. 25. 23. As O the transcendency of that Paradice of pleasure! where is joy without heavinesse, or interruption; peace without perturbation; blessednesse without misery: Light without Darknesse; health without sicknesse; beauty without blemish; abundance without want; ease without Labour▪ Satiety without Loathing; Liberty without Restraint; Security without Fear; Glory without ignominy; knowledge without ignorance; Eyes without Teares; Hearts without sorrow; Souls without Sin: where shall be no evil heard of to affright us, nor good wanting to chear us: For we shall have what we can desire▪ and we shall desire nothing but what is good, Deut. 10. 14. Esay 66. 1. 1 Kings 8. 27. Mark 10. 21. Luke 18. 22. 1 Pet. 5. 10. Ioh. 4. 36. & 10: 28. Matth. 25. 46.
§. 7. In fine, (that I may darkly shadow it ou…, sith the lively representation thereof is merely impossible) this Life eve…lasting is the perfection of all good things: For Fulnesse is the perfection of measure; and everlastingnesse the perfection of Time, and infinitenesse the perfection of Number: and immutability the perfection of State; and immensity the perfection of Place; and immortality the perfection of Life; and God the perfection of all: who shall be all in all to us; Meat to our taste, beau…y to our Eyes, perfumes to our smell, Musick to our Eares: And what shall I say more? but as the Psalmist saith, glorious things are spoken of thee, thou City of God, Psal. 87. 3. see Revel. 4. 2, 3. & 21. 10. to the end.
§. 8. But alas such is mans parvity, that he is as far from comprehending it, as his Armes are from compassing it, 1 Cor. 2. 9. Heaven shall receive us, we cannot conceive Heaven: Do you ask me what Heaven is saith one? when I meet you there, I will tell you: For could this Ear hear it, or this Tongue utter it, or this Heart conceive it; it must needs follow, that they were translated already thither, 2 Cor. 12. 2, 4. Yea, a man may as well with a coal, paint out the Sun in all his splendor: as with his pen, or tongue expresse, Or with his Heart (were it as deep as the Sea) conceive the Fulnesse of those Joyes, and Sweetnesse of those pleasures which the Saints shall enjoy at Gods right hand for evermore, Psal. 16. 11. in thy presence, is the Fulnesse of Ioy; and at thy right hand, are pleasures for evermore: For quality they are pleasures; for quantity, fulnesse; for Dignity, at Gods right hand; for Eternity, for evermore. And Millions of years, multiplyed by millions, make not up one minute to this Eternity, 2 Cor. 4. 18. Joh. 10. 28.