The Glory and Happiness of the Saints in Heaven, Chapter 3

The Glory and Happiness of the Saints in Heaven · Chapter 3

p. 48CHAP. III.

Further Diſcoveries of the Saints Happineſs in Heaven, manifeſted in their being freed, (1.) From all Afflictions. (2.) From all Temptations, both from Satan and the World. (3.) In a perfect Freedom from all Sin. (4.) In the Perfection of Grace and Holineſs. (5.) In partaking of Fulneſs of joy; which is pure, ſpiritual, full, and everlaſting. (6.) In excellent Glory and Honour, that ſhall then be put upon them.

THough much hath been already ſaid concerning Heaven and the Happineſs of the Saints there, yet is there much more of that Happineſs ſtill to be explained; in the Reading and contemplating whereof, holy Souls cannot but be much delighted: As,

Firſt, In Heaven the Godly ſhall enjoy a perfect freedom from all that is troubleſome and afflictive. In this Life the People of God are always ſubject to Afflictions; they are their Lot and Portion, while they are here. The Legacy our bleſſed Lord hath bequeathed to all his Followers to the end of the World, in Luke 14.27. He that taketh not up his Croſs, and followeth me, cannot be my Diſciple. John 16, 33. In the World you ſhall have Tribulation. p. 49What is ſaid of Man in general, that he is born unto Troubles, as the Sparks fly upward, being but of few days continuance here, and thoſe full of Trouble; is much more true of the Godly in particular. Afflictions are the daily Diet-drink of a Chriſtian, the Path-way in which he walks to Heaven, Acts 14.22. Through many Tribulations we muſt enter into the Kingdom of God. 2 Tim. 3.12. All that will live godly in Chriſt Jeſus muſt ſuffer Perſecution. They who are not of the world, but choſen by God out of the world, are ſure to meet with the World's Hatred; ſo our Lord tells us, John 15.19 John 17.14. A Saint's Peaceable and quiet State is yet to come. In this Life they receive all their evil things from God, from Men, and from Devils; and when they arrive at Heaven, their afflicted, perſecuted State is over; and inſtead thereof, they ſhall for ever be partakers of Peace and Joy. O all ye Saints and People of God, that now can ſet upon no Work or Service for God, but you meet with Oppoſition; yea, and if you will go through with it, are ſure, not only to loſe the Love of the World, and to part with many of your outward Comforts and Enjoyments in ſo doing, but alſo to meet with many Enemies that will afflict and perſecute you in the diſcharge of your Duty; yet be not affrighted at it, but perſevere therein; and for your Encouragement, know, that while you do ſo, you are ſecure of the Love and Favour of God to you; and the Time is almoſt come, when you ſhall ſee an End of all your Perſecutors; yea, and of their Perſecutions alſo. How quickly will Death come in to your Relief, and put you out of the reach of all their Malice to harm you for ever: For in Heaven you ſhall never meet with any company that ſhall diſcourage your Hearts, or weaken your Hands, but ſuch only as will gladly further you in your holy Work, by joyning p. 50Hearts and Voices with you in everlaſting Joys and Praiſes. And until that Time doth come, let Faith and Hope ſupport and bear you up, that you may always in Patience poſſeſs your Souls: And whatever Reproaches you meet with for well doing, bind them as ſo many Crowns upon your Heads; value them, with Moſes, as greater Riches to you than all the Treaſures of the world; yea, as the bleſſed Apoſtle ſays, in Jam. 1.2. Let it be all joy unto you, when you fall into divers Temptations; remembring God can deliver you from them; however, he will quickly deliver you out of them, recompenſing Tribulation to them that trouble you; but unto you who are troubled, Reſt and Peace for ever.

In this Life alſo the People of God ſuffer many Loſſes, meet with many Diſappointments: But in Heaven there are no ſuch things. All Treaſures laid up on Earth are ſubject to the Moth, to the Ruſt, and to the Thief. Inward Corruption, or outward Violences do often deprive us of them; or if we loſe them not ſo, Death to be ſure will put an end to our Enjoyment of them: But it is not ſo in Heaven; Treaſure laid up there is ſafe and ſecure; theres no Moth nor Rust to corrupt it, nor no Thieves to rob and ſpoil us of it. A Saint's Happineſs in Heaven cannot be loſt, nor ſhall a Godly Man ever meet with any Diſappointments there, unleſs it be by finding a Happineſs far greater than ever he imagined. All in Heaven is like unto the God of Heaven, permanent and abiding. It ſhall not be with a Saint there, as it is with him here: Now his Condition is ſubject to Change and Alteration; ſometimes he is high, and ſometimes low; ſometimes rich, and ſometimes poor; ſometimes in peace and liberty, and ſometimes under reſtraint and impriſonment: But the Happineſs of Heaven is always one and the ſame, p. 51ſubject to no Changes or Viciſſitudes. And as for the loſs of Friends and Relations, a great Affliction unto many in this World, it ſhall not be ſo with us in Heaven; for whoever of them we meet with there, they and we ſhall never be parted. Saints in Heaven have not only the beſt Company; but they have that Society with the greateſt Advantage, being ſuch as ſhall never be broken, but continue everlaſtingly. Here the People of God greatly love and delight in the Society of one another as they are Saints; but becauſe they are alſo Sinners, Death will make a ſeparation between them: But when once Sin is extirpated out of them, as it ſhall be in Heaven; then as they ſhall be the beſt Company, ſo they ſhall be a perpetual Society. Here the Fear of loſing our Friends and Relations is a great Diſquietment to us while we enjoy them; but in Heaven all ſuch Fears are aboliſhed. Let but Husband and Wife, let but Parents and Children, let but Friends and Relations make Heaven ſure to their own Souls; let them but clear up to themſelves their Title unto that Happineſs that is to be enjoyed in Heaven through the great and bleſſed Redeemer; and then though Death will part them one from another for a Time, yet it ſhall certainly bring them together again in Heaven; and though ſome of them are more Happy than others, becauſe by dying before them, they get to Heaven ſooner than they, yet ſhall they all come thither in their appointed Time, and then ſhall they be free'd from all Fears of ever being parted aſunder any more: And inſtead thereof they ſhall know themſelves to be confirmed in the Happy and Everlaſting Enjoyment of one another in Glory.

In this Life alſo the People of God are often afflicted with many Weakneſſes and Diſtempers of Body, in reſpect whereof their Lives may be called a p. 52Dying Life: Oh! what weariſome Days, what tireſome Nights do they ſigh and groan away by Reaſon hereof? Oh! what mournful Complaints are there made by them upon this Account; ſome daily crying out, Oh, my Head! Oh, my Stomach! others, Oh, my Side! Oh, my Bowels! ſeldom are they free two days together from ſome Diſtemper or other; yea, ſo rack'd and tormented are they with Extremity of Pain, that their Lives are little better almoſt than a continual Burthen to them. But now in Heaven all theſe Complaints ſhall ceaſe; they are only the Effects of Sin; and therefore to accompany us only in our ſinful State; and when Sin ſhall be expelled out of the Soul, as it ſhall be in Heaven, Sickneſs and Diſtempers ſhall never more annoy theſe Bodies of ours. As Job ſpeaks of the Grave, there the weary are at reſt; that is, thoſe who now are wearied with labours and pains, when they come to lye down in their Graves, ſhall be at Reſt: And if it be thus in the Grave, how much more ſhall it be ſo in Heaven, and that not by inſenſibleneſs and want of feeling as it is with thoſe that are dead; but becauſe the Happineſs of that State is ſo great, as is not only excluſive of, but cannot poſſibly admit of any ſuch thing as Pain and Sorrow; being a State made up of perfect Joy and Delight, in an eternal Perpetuity; for they obtain joy and gladneſs, and Sorrow and ſighing flee away, Eſai. 35.10.

Secondly, in Heaven the Saints ſhall enjoy a perfect Freedom from all Temptations.

In this World Temptations make the Lives of God's People very uncomfortable to themſelves, and very diſquieting unto others. Now as to the Temptations that moſt afflict the People of God in this Life, they are ſuch as either come from the World and the Fleſh, or ſuch as come from the Devil. As p. 53for thoſe Temptations that come from the World and the Fleſh; as their Numbers cannot be expreſſed ſo their Burthen cannot be born without the Aſſiſtance of Divine Grace: While we are in this World, we walk in the midſt of Snares, Temptations lie in wait for us in all our Ways, attend us in all our Enjoyments, follow us into all Societies, keep us company in all our Solitarineſſes; we can ſcarce caſt our Eyes any where, but we are in danger by ſomething or other to be drawn away from God. Every Condition, every Place, every Duty, every Mercy, and every Relation adminiſter matter for a Temptation. When we behold thoſe that are much above us, then a Temptation to Envy aſſaults us. When we behold thoſe that are low in the World, and much our Inferiours, then a Temptation to Scorn and Contempt preſents its ſelf to us. Hath God bleſs'd us in the World, that we grow rich, and become Men of great Eſtates, how ſtrong, and almoſt invincible are our Temptations to be proud, and to forget, yea to deny God? If God lay us low in the World, O how hard is it to be Poor, and not to be Diſcontented; nor to make uſe of unlawful means for our Relief, rather than to wait patiently God's time for the Supply of our Neceſſities? When we are in our Health and Strength, O how ſtupid, how careleſs are we as to the Concerns of our Souls! How few Thoughts have we of, and how little Preparation do we make for, our Eternal State? If God deprive us of our Health and Strength, and by Sickneſs warns us that Death is making haſte towards us, then the ſudden Approach of that King of Terrors diſtracts us with ſuch Fears and Horrors, as overwhelms and ſinks us into Deſpair, ſo that we give up all for loſt.

p. 54But now when by Death a Saint comes to take his leave of this World in his flight towards Heaven, his Soul is eſcaped out of all theſe Dangers and Temptations; all theſe Snares are then broken in pieces for ever: For whither he is gone, none of them can come after him. In Heaven there's nothing but what tends to the advancing of our Joy, and the promoting our Eternal Happineſs.

And as in Heaven Saints ſhall be free from the Temptations of the World; ſo ſhall they be free from the Temptations of Satan, the grand Enemy of their Souls, and the continual Diſturber of their Peace. The Apoſtle tells us, he is always going up and doum, like a roaring Lion, ſeeking whom he may devour, 1 Pet. 5 8. And becauſe he cannot deſtroy the People of God, nor hinder them from Heaven hereafter, therefore he will do what he can to diſturb and diſquiet them here.

And, Oh how doth it make a godly Man inwardly to figh and mourn, that he can never ſet about any thing that is good, but the Evil One is working againſt him with his Temptations, either to diſſuade him from doing of it, or to diſturb him in the doing of it; filling his Mind, not only with vain and fooliſh, but with wicked and ſinful thoughts, that continually indiſpoſe to, and diſtract him in it! And, if notwithſtanding all this, a godly Man will perſevere, and go through his Work, till he hath finiſhed what he is about; then to find the Wicked One diſcouraging him after his Performance; telling him, that becauſe of thoſe Wandrings and Diſtractings, which himſelf hath been the cauſe of in a great meaſure, therefore God will not own nor accept what he hath done: This certainly muſt needs be a great Diſquietment to a gracious Heart. And yet theſe are the daily Temptations and Diſcouragements that a godly Man is ſtriving with, and contending againſt, by reaſon of that Evil One.

p. 55This, if any thing, will bring a Saint upon his knees, and make him, with the Apoſtle, to pray again and again; yea, to beſiege Heaven day and night with Prayers and Tears, that he may be delivered from that cruel and bloudy Hell-hound, and from all his wicked Solicitations.

Well, be patient, O all ye Tempted holy Souls; for though the Temptations you meet with, be ſo black and horrid, that nothing can match them but the Blackneſs of Hell it ſelf, from whence at firſt they came; though you are at preſent engaged in a very unequal Match; for what can Fleſh and Blood do to contend with Principalities and Powers, and Spiritual Wickedneſſes in high Places? Yet remember, ſtronger is he that is in you, than he that is in the World. And in this hour of your Temptation, and Conteſt with the Powers of Darkneſs, there are theſe Two Things, among others, that may comfort you; the one is, Let the Temptations be as black and diſmal as Hell can make them, yet if a godly Man yields not his conſent to them, they are none of his Sins, nor ſhall they be charged upon him as ſuch. The other is this; That the God of Peace will ſhortly tread Satan under his feet; nay, he himſelf ſhall ſhortly trample him under his own feet. The Time is haſtning apace, and it cannot be long before Death will come in to thy relief, and ſet thee beyond the reach of all his Temptations. It is true, while we are in the Wilderneſs of this World, the Devil will never let us be quiet; but will be continually caſting his fiery darts at us, following us with one Temptation after another; and when at any time, in the ſtrength of our great Lord, we have worſted him in one Temptation, yet are we ſure to be vexed by him in ſome other.

But yet be not diſcouraged, O Believing Soul! notwithſtanding all the Aſſaults of this Evil One; p. 56But maintain thy Conflict, keep thy Ground; yield not baſely and cowardly unto any of his Temptations; but continue to reſiſt him ſtedfaſtly in the Faith; for the Time of thy wreſtling and contending with him, cannot laſt longer than thy ſhort and tranſitory Life; and remember for thy Support, that as now thou neither ſtandeſt nor fighteſt in thine own ſtrength, but in the ſtrength of another; ſo certainly ſhalt thou in that ſtrength overcome; yea, obtain an everlaſting Conqueſt over all Satan's Temptations. The Time of thy Death will be the Time of thy eternal Deliverance, not only from all his Temptations, but from all his Malice and Envy, that put him upon thoſe Temptations. O what a Happineſs will this be! And O how greatly ſhould a Believer long for the accompliſhment of it! for then ſhall the Devil be as unlikely to tempt, as our Hearts to cloſe with his Temptations, and both alike impoſſible.

Thirdly, In Heaven Saints ſhall enjoy a perfect Freedom from all Sin.

There is no Evil in the World the People of God complain of with greater Grief and Sorrow, than they do of Sin; this makes them go bowing down greatly; yea, to ſigh and mourn continually. What ſays holy David, Pſal 38.3, 4, 5, 6? There is no ſoundneſs in my Fleſh becauſe of thine Anger; neither is there any reſt in my Bones by reaſon of my Sin. Mine Iniquities are gone over my head, as a Burden too heavy for me to bear. My Wounds ſtink and are corrupt, becauſe of my Fooliſhneſs. I am troubled, I am bowed down greatly, I go mourning all the day long. Thus holy Paul complains alſo, in Rom. 7.14. I am carnal, and ſold under ſin. Verſe 21. I find a Law, that when I would do good, Evil is preſent with me. And, p. 5723 I ſee another Law in my Members, warring againſt the Law of my Mind, and bridging me into captivity to the Law of Sin that is in my Members. In the ſenſe whereof, he cries out as a Man greatly oppreſſed, in the next Words; Oh wretched man that I am, who ſhall deliver me from the Body of this Death? In-dwelling Sin renders the Lives of God's People very bitter and uncomfortable: And how can it be otherwiſe? For Sin is the conſtant Source and Fountain of all their Miſeries. There is no Diſtreſs, or Trouble befalls a Godly Man, but Sin is the meritorious procuring Cauſe of it. Sometimes Sin diſturbs his Peace, ſometimes it impairs his Grace, ſometimes it breaks his Bones, but it always pollutes and defiles his Soul. Oh what ſad work doth Sin make continually! and the beſt it can end in, is Repentance and godly Sorrow. A Chriſtian in this Life is always in a Conflict with Corruptions. Sin and Luſt are continually warring againſt the Soul: So ſaith the Apoſtle, Gal. 5.17. The Fleſh iuſteth againſt the Spirit, and the Spirit againſt the Fleſh; and theſe two are contrary the one unto the other, ſo that ye cannot do the things that ye would. Sin draws a godly Man one way, and Grace draws him another; Sin in him will not yield, and Grace in him cannot yield: And though through the ſtrength of the Spirit; enabling him to exerciſe Grace, he is daily getting ground of his Corruptions; yet is it very ſlowly; what he gains, is as it were, by Inches; every ſtep he takes through his Enemies Country, he is fain to force his way; and he never obtains a Victory over Sin, but it is with great ſtrugling and wreſtling. He is always ſtanding upon his Guard; and if he chance to ſlumber never ſo little, or be negligent in his ſpiritual watch, he is preſently furprized by a diligent Enemy, that always lies in wait, and obſerves him. This now is p. 58the conſtant Life of a Chriſtian, always to be maintaining a Warfare with Sin, that is continually ſtirring in him, and ever ready to put forth it ſelf one way or other to do him Miſchief.

Sin is continually making the Life of a godly Man uncomfortable; and while Sin is in him, it will not be otherwiſe: Now Sin will always be in him while he is in this World; and therefore he will always have ſome Troubles, ſome Perplexities, to afflict and diſquiet him. But when Death, that Friend of the Saints (for ſo Death is to them, and to none but them) comes, they ſhall be perfectly free from all that which now afflicts and troubles them; becauſe they ſhall be perfectly free from Sin, that is the Cauſe of it. And therefore, that I may note it by the way, With what rejoycing of Soul ſhould a godly Man, upon this account, entertain the thoughts of Death? How welcome ſhould the approach of this Friend of his be unto him? For certainly a Saint hath not a better Friend in all the World; for next unto Jeſus Chriſt, who hath made ſatisfaction for a Believer's Sins, and obtained Life and Salvation for his Soul, Death muſt needs be his beſt Friend; becauſe it frees him from all Sin. He that frees us from the Evil of our Sins, and from ſuffering eternal Puniſhments due to us becauſe of them, by ſatisfying the Juſtice of God for them, muſt needs be our beſt and chiefeſt Friend; and next unto him, he that frees us from the being of Sin, that we may no more offend God thereby, and that is Death. And indeed none in the World can be kinder to a Saint, or do ſuch an Office of Love for him as Death doth; for at once it ſets him not only out of the reach of all his Enemies, but perfectly frees him from that which cauſed them to be ſo, and that is Sin; and herein the Goodneſs of God is greatly to be obſerved, that Death, which is a Puniſhment p. 59for Sin, ſhould be turned into the deſtruction of the very Being of Sin; and ſo it is to every Believer: For after Death, Sin ſhall not only ceaſe to act, but ſhall ceaſe to be.

Two Things commend Death, and ought to make it deſirable to every Believer: One is, That it frees him from all Sin; and the other is, That it brings him to the everlaſting enjoyment of God; and the latter depends upon the former; for till a Believer is perfectly freed from all Sin, he can have no entrance into Heaven, where God, the Fountain of all Bliſs and Happineſs, is ſeen and enjoyed. And certainly where Sin is felt as a heavy Burthen, by any Soul, and where God is the Delight of that Soul, Death muſt needs have an amiable Aſpect; and ſo it will, if the Soul act as it ought to do. Should God ask one Godly Man after another, What is it that you moſt deſire; tell me, and it ſhall be given you? would they not all with one conſent, ſay, Lord, that we might be freed from Sin? Oh that we might be delivered from our Corruptions, that we might never offend and diſpleaſe God; Lord, thou that knoweſt our hearts, knoweſt that nothing in all the world is ſo great a Burthen to us, as theſe ſinful Hearts and Natures of ours, whereby we are neceſſitated to offend thee; this is the conſtant Language of their Prayers, of their Cries, of their Tears day and night, that they might be rid of Sin. Would it not be the moſt welcome News in the world to them, that the Time were come, wherein they ſhould ſin no more? Certainly were it offered to their choice, there is no godly Man in all the World, but would rather chuſe to be freed from Sin, than to be made the Heir, yea, than to be the Poſſeſſor of the whole World. What good, ſays a Godly Man, would the World do me, ſo long as Sin, and a naughty Heart inhabit in me? Theſe, Lord, ſaith a gracious p. 60Soul, would do me more hurt in one day, than the Enjoyment of the whole World to Eternity, can do me good: O Lord; therefore whatever thou doſt with me, or whatever thou doſt for me, deliver me from this Body of Sin and Death that I continually carry about with me.

Why, know, all ye holy and gracious Souls, whoever you are, that thus go up and down mourning and complaining by reaſon of Sin, know for your eternal Comfort, that when you have continued waiting but a few days longes, God will grant your Deſires; for when you come to Heaven, whither Death will certainly and ſuddenly bring you, Sin, an unholy Heart and Nature ſhall never more afflict or trouble you; for Sin, that was here your Burthen to feel, ſhall there be your Delight to be for ever without; that impenitent, unbelieving Heart, thoſe vain, yea, ſinful Thoughts, which were wont to lie down, and riſe up with you, which did uſe to follow you to every Duty, and accompany you in every Place and Service, and which you could no more leave behind you when you went to Pray, to Hear, to Read, or to Meditate, than you could leave your ſelves behind you, ſhall all be left behind you, when you come to die; they did, and would keep you company while you lived, but they ſhall not go one ſtep with you beyond Death; then you take your leave of them, bidding an eternal Farewel to all Sin. O my Soul, when ſhall that bleſſed day come that thou ſhalt thus take thy leave of Sin, never to wound thy Conſcience, never to defile thy Soul, nor never to diſpleaſe thy God thereby any more! O what a bleſſed ſtate will that be, when Death ſhall ſend a godly Man to Heaven, perfectly free from all Sin, not only as to the Power of it, but alſo as to the vexing and diſquieting Preſence of it, where he ſhall ſpend ars p. 61Eternity in ſerving and praiſing of God without the leaſt interruption, imperfection, or wearineſs of Soul for ever. And doth not Death in this appear a Believer's great Friend, in that what Prayers and Tears, Sighs and Groans, together with the aſſiſtance of the Spirit of God did gradually, that is mortifie and deſtroy Sin; that Death doth for a Believer at one blow, perfectly freeing him from the Burthen and Being of Sin for ever?

Fourthly, In Heaven the People of God ſhall arrive unto a Perfection of Grace and Holineſs.

As all that the Saints have here, is but mean, compared to what they ſhall attain to hereafter; ſo all that the Saints do here, is but mean, compared to what they ſhall be enabled to do hereafter. Grace in a godly Man in this Life, is in its minority, and therefore the acting of Grace muſt needs be accordingly. The Excellency and Beauty of a Saint lies inward, in the hidden Man of the Heart; or as the Pſalmiſt ſpeaks, he is one that is all glorious within. And becauſe Grace in him is inward, therefore its Excellency is not ſo viſible and apparent. Grace in a godly Man, neither doth, nor can ſhine forth in its Glory and Beauty here, becauſe Sin in him eclipſes the ſplendor of its appearance. The imperfection of Grace is diſcernable here; but the Perfection and Beauty of Grace is neither known nor attainable here. The higheſt degrees of Grace and Holineſs that the beſt of God's People reach unto here, comes infinitely ſhort to what they ſhall attain to in Heaven. It is true, a little Grace in a Saint now, makes him glorious in the eyes of thoſe who have a Spirit of diſcerning to behold it; in reſpect whereof, the Saints are called the excellent ones of the Earth, Pſal. 16.3. Now if the weakneſs and imperfection of Grace (for that which the People of God attain to of Grace here, it no more compared with what they ſhall attain p. 62to in Heaven,) if this weakneſs and imperfection of Grace be ſo excellent and glorious, O how exceeding glorious will the perfection and beauty of Grace be hereafter? How glorious have ſome of the Saints of God of old appeared, when their Excellency hath chiefly appeared in the Oriency and ſparkling Beauty but of ſome one particular Grace; as for inſtance, How glorious was Abraham for his Faith; Moſes, for his meekneſs & ſelf-denial; Nehemiah for his zeal for God and his Glory; David, for his Love to God and his Ordinances; Job, for his Patience; S. Paul, for his unwearied Induſtry and Laboriouſneſs in the Work of God, and the Service of Souls? O how eminently glorious have the particular actings of theſe particular Graces in theſe Servants of God made them in all Ages; inſomuch that the Spirit of God hath thought good to record their Excellencies in the holy Scriptures; and their Praiſe ſhall be in all the Churches of God to the end of the World. Now if the Saints Eminency in ſome particular Graces. have made them ſo glorious, notwithſtanding their Imperfections other ways, how glorious and excellent will they appear, when all that Grace and Holineſs that ſhall accompany them to Heaven, and is there neceſſary unto their Happineſs, that they may ſee and enjoy God to eternity, ſhall be fully and compleatly perfected, having nothing of the leaſt allay of any ſpot or imperfection in their Graces, or in their Perſons, to take off from the Beauty and Glory of the one or of the other for ever? In Heaven Grace in a Saint is in its excellency, and in its viſibility, there is Grace, and nothing but Grace; there is Grace, and all Grace; yea, there is all Grace ſhining forth in its fulneſs, and utmoſt perfection of Glory to eternity. In this Life Grace in the People of God is never perfect; in ſome things they are always defective, in other things always p. 63wanting; they are continually aiming at, and going on unto Perfection, though while they are here they do not attain unto it. In the Work of Regeneration, they are truly ſanctified and made holy; but it is in Heaven only that they are perfectly ſanctified. The Lord Jeſus Chriſt now loves his Church, and he hath abundantly manifeſted that he doth ſo, in giving himſelf for it, that he might ſanctifie and cleanſe it with the waſhing of water by the word, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks: But he never preſents it to himſelf a Glorious Church, not having ſpot or wrinkle till he brings it to Heaven. By a work of Sanctification he is now daily cleanſing and purifying of it; but the full Perfection and Beauty of Holineſs is not put upon it, till the Marriage between him and his Church be conſummated in Glory. Here in this Life there is much Imperfection in the Righteouſneſs and Holineſs of the Saints, many Faults and Infirmities they have, that others may cenſure and condemn, and themſelves ought to bewail and mourn for; but in Heaven they ſhall be Faultleſs, ſo ſaith the Apoſtle, Jude 24. Whilſt the Church is Militant upon Earth, though ſhe is black, and hath her ſpots, yet is ſhe comely; but when ſhe comes to be Triumphant in Heaven, then will ſhe be as a beautiful Bride, adorned with fulneſs and perfection of Grace and Holineſs, fitted and prepared for her Lord and Husband's Company, Rev. 22.2. where every Saint ſhall behold and love the Bleſſed and Holy God, and their dear Lord Jeſus, with a Love equal to Angels and Cherubims, ſatiating and delighting their Souls in him, with a Joy far exceeding the higheſt Joys that any of the People of God ever were acquainted with here, continually ſinging Praiſes and Hallelujahs unto the great God, and to the Lamb that ſits upon the Throne, and be no more weary thereof than the Angels themſelves are; underſtanding p. 64perfectly the Will of God, and readily obeying it, without ſo much as one vain Thought paſſing thorough their Minds, or one idle Word dropping from their Mouths, or one wry Look in their Countenances, to Eternity. O what a bleſſed Frame is here! What would not a Gracious Soul give or do that he could attain to it now! How would he rejoice to find a connaturality or perfect ſuitableneſs and agreement in himſelf unto Divine and Heavenly Employments! O how happy would he think himſelf, were his heart always as holy as his work! Unto this tend all his Duties and performances, even unto the perfecting of him in Grace and Holineſs; it is for this that he ſo often faſts and prays; it is for this that he ſo often hears, reads, and meditates upon the Word of God; for this it is he ſo often partakes of the Supper of the Lord, and is ſo frequent in the Communion of Saints, even for the deſtroying of Sin and Corruption, and the encreaſing and perfecting of Grace in his Soul. Oh how full of longing Deſires is he after that Day and Time! Oh, how earneſtly doth he cry! when, when will the ſhadows flee away, when will Days and Nights be at an end, when will Time be ſpent, when ſhall the Curtains be drawn, that he may not only look at, but eternally poſſeſs that bleſſed Place, where Sin ſhall be for ever excluded both out of him and it, where Grace and Holineſs ſhall be perfected in him, and where he ſhall always behold it ſhining in its raviſhing Beauty and Glory? Well, be of good Chear, O all ye Holy and Gracious Souls whoſe Deſires are thus bent; for in Mount Sion there ſhall be both a Deliverance from Sin, and a Perfection of Holineſs. In Heaven the Spirits of juſt Men are made perfect. Let the Thoughts therefore of your perfect Holineſs in Heaven ſupport you againſt all your natural Infirmities and Failings here on Earth: Yea, let all thoſe that have a real Love to Holineſs, p. 65and a Hatred unto Sin; long for Heaven, and be deſirous to die, that they may ſin no more, but be for ever perfect in Grace and Holineſs.

Fifthly, The Saints in Heaven ſhall be Partakers of Fulneſs of Joy. Joy is the peculiar Privilege of a Saint: None in all the World, notwithſtanding all their great Poſſeſſions, have that Cauſe of rejoicing that a godly Man hath. That which makes a wicked Man rejoice, is ſomething that delights his Senſes, ſomething that pleaſeth his Fancy; all which is vain and vaniſhing. But that which delights a Godly Man is that which is ſolid and ſubſtantial, ſomething within that reacheth the very Soul and Conſcience, and that is God reconciled to him in Jeſus Chriſt, evidenced to his Soul upon Scripture grounds, followed with the Teſtimony of the bleſſed Spirit in his Conſcience, witneſſing with his Spirit, that he is among the number of the Children of God; upon which follows the Love of God, ſhed abroad in his Heart by the ſame Spirit, filling him with that Joy and Peace by Believing that is unſpeakable and glorious. Now though this be the Privilege of a godly Man, yet hath he not always the ſenſe and feeling of this Joy; but though he hath not always the Comfort of it, yet hath he always the ground of this Joy: for Light is always ſown for the Righteous, and Gladneſs for the Ʋpright in Heart, Pſalm 97.11. Though it doth not preſently ſpring up and break ſorth, yet the Seed of it is there. None in all the World do, or might lead ſuch a pleaſant, joyful Life as the People of God, were it not their own Fault, they giving way to the omiſſion of ſome Duty, or the commiſſion of ſome Sin, and this mars all their Joy. It is true, the Devil doth what he can to diſquiet them, and the Wicked of the World give them moleſtation and trouble; ſometimes they are tempted with the Allurements of Profit and Advantage; p. 66and ſometimes they are aw'd with Fears and Threatnings: But if they would put forth their Grace into Exerciſe, and by Prayer implore Divine Aſſiſtance, they would be enabled not only to ſtand up againſt all the Enemies of their Peace; but with a holy Joy and Triumph to vanquiſh and over come them. This is that Life a godly Man might lead, were he ſo watchful as he ought. But Experience tells us, it is not ſo; for there are many Clouds of Diſcontent and Trouble, that darken the Sun-ſhine of a Believer's Joy. O the Complaints of paſt Sorrows! O the Senſe of preſent Evils, and the Fears of worſe for the future! theſe in a great meaſure ſhare our Lives among them. But in Heaven it ſhall not be ſo; there's no Sorrow, no Troubles, no Evils, no Dangers, no nor ſo much as any Fears of them; for all is Peace; there's nothing but Joy, nothing but Pleaſure and Sweetneſs: Nor can it be otherwiſe, with a godly Man in Heaven; becauſe that which was the Cauſe of all his Grief and Sorrow, which is Sin is now perfectly taken away.

Now in the Joys of Heaven there are theſe four Properties; they are pure, they are ſpiritual, they are full, they are everlaſting Joys.

Firſt, The Joys of a Saint in Heaven are pure Joys, and pure they are in reſpect of the Object of them, and in their being free from any Mixture.

Firſt, They are pure in reſpect of the Object of them. The Joy of the Wicked is terminated upon ſome carnal Object: His Joy is in the Fleſh, not in the Spirit. When he rejoiceth, it is among his wicked Companions; his Delight is commonly in ſomething that is ſinful or ſenſual, in Chambring and Wantonneſs, or at beſt in Corn, Wine and Oil. But now the Joy of a Saint is in God; he now cries out p. 67with Holy David, Pſalm 73.25. Whom have I in Heaven but thee, and there is none upon Earth that I deſire beſides thee: Thy Favour, O Lord, is Life, and thy Loving Kindneſs is better than Life. And with how much greater Joy and Delight doth a Saint ſay ſo of God, and of the Enjoyment of him in Heaven? It is true, Saints in Heaven enjoy the Bleſſedneſs of Peace and Reſt from all their former Troubles and Sorrows, which they remember with Delight and Praiſe unto their Deliverer; but though this eternal Peace and Reſt be a great Bleſſing, and that which paſſeth all Underſtanding; yet is it the leaſt part of the Saints Happineſs in Heaven; for their greateſt Satisfaction and Contentment ariſeth from the Joy and Delight which proceeds from beholding the Face of God in Heaven: This is that which fills and ſatifies; yea, raviſheth the Soul of a Saint, when enlarged to its utmoſt Capacity, with that Joy and Delight that is unexpreſſibly great and glorious.

Secondly, The Joys of Heaven are pure Joys in regard they are free from any Mixtures. The Joys of the Wicked are always mixed with Fear and Sorrow, and ſo are oftentimes the Joys of the Saints alſo: And herein God manifeſts great Wiſdom and Goodneſs to his People thus to temper their Joys. Even as it is with Men of weak Conſtitutions, who muſt have their Wine mingled with Water, for fear of diſtempering their Bodies. And ſo muſt the Godly in this Life (ſuch is their Weakneſs) have their Joys mingled with Fears and Sorrows, leſt they ſhould grow proud or wanton. Sometimes their Joys are mixed with Fear: Hence it is, Pſalm 2.11. that we are commanded to ſerve the Lord with fear, and to rejoice with trembling. And thus we read of the two Women, Matth. 28.8. who though aſſured by Angels that Chriſt was riſen; yet 'tis ſaid, they departed p. 68from the Sepulchre with fear and great joy. And ſo is it with a godly Man, though by an Eye of Faith he beholds the Death and Sufferings of Chriſt, and looking into his Grave, is aſſured that he is riſen from thence, for his Juſtification and Salvation; yet cannot but have his heart filled with a fearful trembling kind of Joy. And as a Saint's Joy here is mixed with Fear, ſo is it alſo ſometimes mixed with Sorrow; for when a Believer by Faith looks upon Chriſt crucified, and conſiders that a perſon ſo infinitely great and glorious ſhould die ſuch a painful, ſhameful, curſed Death, for ſo vile a Sinner, and ſo great an Enemy unto God as he was, the conſideration of this ſo great, and incomprehenſible a Love manifeſted towards him, in reconciling God and him together, in delivering him from Wrath and Hell, and in obtaining Eternal Life for him in Heaven: Though this Love of Chriſt in doing all this for him, cannot but affect him with great Joy; yet the Conſideration of his Sins that pierced and wounded; yea, crucified the Lord of Life and Glory, cannot but break his Heart with godly Sorrow.

But now in Heaven the Joy of a Saint will be free from all mixtures both of Sorrow and Fear; there ſhall be no Sorrow for preſent Troubles, nor any Fears of future Dangers; all their Sorrows will then be turned into Joy. The ſight of their Eyes will then affect their Hearts, that is, the ſight and knowledge of the great God, the Supreme and Inſinite Good, whom the Saints ſhall always have with them in Heaven, is that which will fill and raviſh their Souls with unſpeakable Joy.

Secondly, the Joys of a Saint in Heaven are ſpiritual Joys. Now ſpiritual things are things both of the greateſt Reality, and of the greateſt Excellency: Spiritual things are things of the greateſt Reality, all other things comparatively are not, they are ſuch p. 69things as have no Being, no Subſiſtence; therefore ſays the Wiſe Man, Why wilt thou ſet thine Eyes upon that which is not? ſpeaking of the admired things of the World. We do but abuſively call Men that abound with worldly Enjoyments, rich, ſubſtantial Men; for Subſtance is no where but with God; he only is the true, ſubſtantial Good, the things of this World are no more than a ſhadow. If a Man were hungry, would painted Bread ſatisfie him; if a Man were ſtarving with Cold, would painted Fire warm him? No, why truly all the things of this World will appear no better to a Man when he comes to die; there's no Comfort nor Satisfaction to be fetch'd from them: The Reality and Subſtantialneſs of Good is only laid up in God, and in the Enjoyment of him, who is the Saint's Happineſs both on Earth and in Heaven There is a Vanity, as in all the Troubles of the World; ſo alſo in all the Comforts of the World. There is a Vanity in the Troubles that the Saints endure, they are but skindeep, a varniſh of Trouble; ſo ſays the Apoſtle, 2 Cor. 6.10. as ſorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet poſſeſſing all things. And as it is with the Troubles of the World, ſo is it with the Comforts of the World; all that ſenſe looks at, it is meerly out-ſide and appearing; all the Enjoyments of the World are but a ſhadow, an appearance of that which is Good: God and Heaven are Realities; but whatever elſe is Good, is but appearingly ſo. The things of the World are not when they are; they are not in Reality when they are in Appearance. It is a very great miſtake to think nothing to be real, but what we can touch and handle with our hands, or what we can ſee with our Eyes, ſuch as Gold, Silver, Houſes, Lands; theſe are not really, ſubſtantially good things; they make a fair ſhow outwardly; they have p. 70a Gaudery and Excellency as to Senſe, but nothing of real Excellency as to the Soul. Nothing is real but what is ſpiritual, though the Body be more ſeen than the Soul, yet the Soul is a more real Good, becauſe it is a ſpiritual Good, and comes neareſt to God who is a Spirit, and who only is; ſo ſays the Prophet, ſpeaking concerning God, Iſai. 43.11. who only art, and there is none beſides thee. God, Chriſt, Grace, and Heaven, theſe are ſpiritually and ſubſtantially good; and therefore it is ſaid of Chriſt, I cauſe them that love me to inherit Subſtance, Prov. 8.21. And the Apoſtle tells the believing Hebrews, Heb. 10.34. Ye took joyfully the ſpoiling of your Goods, knowing that in Heaven you have a better and an enduring Subſtance. The Joys and Delights of Heaven they are real, becauſe they are ſpiritual.

But this is not all; for the Saints Joys in Heaven, becauſe they are ſpiritual they are therefore excellent, yea the moſt excellent. There is nothing that is earthy in Heaven, but all of a ſpiritual and refined Nature, and therefore the more real and the more excellent; and by how much the more ſpiritual, by ſo much the more real, and the more excellent alſo. All Joy and Delight placed upon any thing below God, is carnal and earthly, that which hath dregs in it, and comes not up to the Excellency of the Soul, it may refreſh the Senſes and delight the outward Man, but it reacheth not the Soul and Conſcience: it muſt be ſomething that is ſpiritual for its Nature, and refined for its Excellency, that muſt ſuit with, and be the Delight of a Soul that is ſpiritual, and ſuch is Heaven, and the Joys and Delights that are there ſuperlatively excellent and ſpiritual, flowing into the nobleſt and moſt excellent part of Man, his Soul and Spirit, from God who is a Spirit.

p. 71Thirdly, The Joys of Heaven are full Joys. The Pſalmiſt calls them Fulneſſes of Joy, and Rivers of Pleaſures, for the abundance of them, Pſal. 116.11. And the Apoſtle ſpeaking of Believers, tells us, 1 Pet. 1.8. That though now they ſee him not, yet believing, they rejoyce with joy unſpeakable and full of Glory. If now the Joy of Faith in the Promiſes of God, from ſome ſmall experience of his Love and Favour to the Soul, be above expreſſion, what will be the Joy of the Beatifical Viſion of God in Heaven? If now the believing Soul doth ſo greatly rejoyce in hearing from its Lord and Saviour in preaching and reading of his Word, wherein there are ſuch ſecret Meſſages of Love ſent down from Heaven unto it; O what will be the Joy of ſuch a Soul in ſeeing him, and dwelling with him for ever? It ſhall never be ſaid unto the Saints in Heaven, what our Lord ſaid unto his Diſciples, Hitherto you have asked nothing, ask, and you ſhall receive, that your Joy may be full. No, the Joys of the Bleſſed in Heaven, are always perfect and full: For how can it be otherwiſe, when there is nothing in Heaven but what is Matter of Joy to the Saints? They are there in their Father's Houſe, come to the Inheritance and Poſſeſſion of Children in an everlaſting glorious Kingdom, where they continually behold the Face of God, and of the Lamb. The Joys of Heaven far exceed, not only all earthly Joys, ſuch as the Joy of Marriage, the Joy of Harveſt; but the Joy of Ordinances, the Joy of Faith; yea, the Joy of the Holy Ghoſt: All theſe Joys are ſwallowed up in Heaven, and are almoſt as no Joys, compared with the Joys thereof; for in that holy Place, there is nothing to diſturb, or to diminiſh the Joys of the Saints for ever: O why then do not the People of God more fetch their Joys and Delights from Heaven while they are here! This, if any thing. p. 72ſhould comfort their Hearts, and ſupport their Spirits under all the Troubles they meet with here; for though this World he a Valley of Tears, yet in Heaven there will be Fulneſs of Joy, and Rivers of Pleaſures, of which they may drink as deep, and take in as much as their Hearts can hold, though enlarged to their utmoſt capacity.

Fourthly, The Joys of Heaven are permanent and everlaſting; and this makes it full Conſolation indeed. When our Lord told his Diſciples he was to leave them, and to return to Heaven unto his Father, their Hearts were filled with Sorrow thereupon; what courſe now doth our Lord take to comfort them? Why, he tells them, John 16.20. Their Sorrow ſhould be turned into Joy; But when was this to be? Why, it was when he ſhould come again, and receive them to himſelf. Not that they were to be without comfort until then; no, for he tells them when he departed he would ſend the Comforter to them, who was to continue with them while they continued in the World. But the Fulneſs and Perfection of their Joy they were to wait for till they come to Heaven; and then when he ſhall come for that end and purpoſe, to receive them to himſelf, their Hearts ſhould rejoyce, and their Joy no Man ſhould take from them; for at God's right hand there are Pleaſures for evermore. A Believer hath always cauſe of Rejoycing in God; but by reaſon of many ſharp Trials that God ſees good to lay upon his People, there are ſome ſad interruptions of his Joy for a time.

The Joy that the People of God partake of in this Life, is like the Joy of the Husbandman in time of Harveſt; which though it be great for the preſent, yet is it ſoon over; and if he expect to partake of any more of the ſame nature, he muſt firſt be p. 73at the pains and trouble of a Seeds-time. So after the People of God have had their Joys here, they again ſow in Tears before they receive another crop of Comfort. It is in Heaven only that our Joy will be everlaſting; there is fulneſs of Joy without any mixture of Sorrow, a continual Feaſt, a Joy that is ever in fulneſs and perfection, even as the Fruits are in time of Harveſt. A Believer ſhall never ſow in Tears there, but have a perpetual Joy without wearineſs, becauſe there ſhall continually ariſe infinite variety of freſh Delights in God, which ſhall fill the Soul with a continual Feſtival of Joy for ever.

Sixthly, In Heaven the Saints ſhall partake of excellent Glory and Honour. Heaven is the Palace of the great King of Glory, the Preſence-Chamber where he unvails himſelf, and manifeſts his Glory both to Saints and Angels; and this indeed is the moſt glorious Sight in Heaven, and that which makes Heaven to be the moſt glorious Place. We read in Acts 6.15. That when Stephen ſtood before the Councel, his Face did ſhine with an Angelical Brightneſs. This was a glorious Sight, to ſee the Face of a Man to ſhine as the Face of an Angel. But this is nothing, compared with that Glory with which the Saints ſhall ſhine when they ſhall ſtand before the great God of Heaven, ſeeing him face to face.

The Scripture deſcribing to us this part of the Saints Happineſs in Heaven, abounds with variety of Expreſſions, that diſcover the Greatneſs and Excellency thereof: Thus the Saints Glory there is ſet forth by the Glory of Kings at their Coronation, and taking poſſeſſion of their Kingdoms, which is the greateſt and higheſt of all worldly Glory. Every Saint in Heaven is a Crowned King, having taken poſſeſſion of a glorious Kingdom, prepared for them p. 74before the foundations of the world; when alſo they receive a Crown of Glory that fadeth not away. Sometimes it is deſcribed by the Glory of the Sun; Thus our Lord tells us, Matth. 13.43. The Righteous ſhall ſhine forth as the Sun in the Kingdom of their Father. Sometimes it is compared to the Glory of the Angels, who, as they excel in ſtrength, ſo do they alſo excel in Glory all the Princes of the Earth: Hence we read, the Saints in Heaven ſhall not only he like unto, but equal with the Angels, Luke 22.36. Sometimes alſo this Glory of the Saints is ſet forth by the Glory of Chriſt himſelf, who is the Lord of Glory, which is the higheſt pitch of Glory that can be. Thus we read, that when Chriſt ſhall come at the laſt Day, to be glorified in his Saints, and to be admired in them that believe, the Saints alſo ſhall then appear with him in Glory, Col. 3.4. Shining gloriouſly, by reaſon of his Glory that he will put upon them; for then ſhall they be made like unto him for ever, ſeeing him as he is; ſo ſays the Apoſtle, 1 John 3.12. Sometimes the Glory of Heaven is called a weight of Glory; ſo we read, 2 Cor. 4.17. An exceeding, exceſſive, eternal weight of Glory. High Expreſſions ſetting forth the Glory of Heaven and almoſt to an Hyperbole, but that Chriſt and Heaven can never be Hyperbolically expreſſed. Sometimes again this glorious State of Believers is called Eternal Glory, 2 Tim 2.10. That they may attain that Salvation that is in Chriſt, with eternal Glory. So, 1 Pet. 5.10. The God of all Grace, who hath called you to his eternal Glory. Worldly Honour and Glory is tranſitory, inconſtant, and vaniſhing: The Faſhion of the World paſſeth away, 1 Cor. 7.31. And the Glory of Man, ſays St. Peter, is as the Flower of the Graſs, which flouriſheth for a while, but is ſoon withered and gone, 1 Pet. 1.24. But the heavenly Glory is permanent, p. 75and perpetual; a Flower that never withers. Saints ſhall receive a Crown that fadeth not away.