THE HAPPINESSE OF THE SAINTS in Glory OR A Treatise of Heaven On ROM 8. 18. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us By THO. GOODWIN B. D. LONDON Printed by E. Griffin for Robert Dunscomb in Lillipot-lane 1638. The scope of the Treatise IS to open and describe Heaven and the glory of the Saints therein pag. 2 1. Comparatively in foure respects 1. By comparing it with all the good things which this World affords as pleasures honours riches beauty p. 4 2. By comparing it with all the aflictions which we suffer in this life p. 7. 3. By comparing it to that joy of the Holy Ghost which Gods children are capeable of in this World p. 8 4. By comparing it with those joyes and that glory which the Saints now in Heaven enjoy before the day of Judgment p. 15 2. Simply as it is in it selfe and that first by the causes of it 1. The efficient cause the great God of Heaven and Earth p. 19 2. The materiall cause Christ Iesus the Lord of glory p. 25 3. The exemplary cause the glory of the Lord Jesus p. 33 The Object of this glory is God himselfe p. 37 The Subject of this glory or the vessell which shall receive it is the soule of man p. 53 4. The finall cause in which First the persons for whom God hath prepared this glory viz. his Saints p. 66 Secondly the end for which to manifest his owne glory p. 70 Secondly by the properties of it 1. It is an inheritance and that of every beleever p. 75 2. An eternall inheritance p. 78 3. An inheritance incorruptible undefiled p. 83 Imprimatur Iohan. Oliver Reverend in Ch. patri Dom. Arch. Cant. Cap. Dom. Decemb. 11. 1637. THE HAPPINESSE Of the SAINTS in Glory ROM 8. 18. For I reckon that the sufferings this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us MY scope is to raise up your hearts to heaven and to consider that great glory which God hath prepared for them that love him to open and describe heaven whereof there are many uses both to those that are in the state of nature and those that are in the state of grace There is nothing more powerfull with the wicked for to bring them to Christ nothing more proportionable to a principle of selfelove and likewise to the godly that they may willingly and with cheerefulnesse passe through the afflictions of this life that they may passe through the evill world with their hearts raised up to heaven The Apostle from the 17. verse to the end of this chapter sends it in beating this upon the hearts of Gods people in steeling their hearts and raising them up against tribulations and among the rest this is one incouragement to consider the joy which shall not onely be revealed to us but in us which we shall be made partakers of Brethren the consideration of Heaven which is so little thought on by us Christians this I would lay open to you the excellency of which glory that we may more clearely behold man may looke upon many things but I will onely name two First comparatively and this the Text leades us unto For I reckon not the sufferings c. Secondly simply as it is in it selfe First of all to know this great glory let us compare it with all other things with all the goods the creature can afford with all the things here below which our hearts dote so much upon as pleasures honours riches beauty c. they are not to be compared to it it transcends all the glory of this world all the good things wee are capeable of one leafe of this Tree of Life I say one leafe of it better than all the fruits that grow in this world Revel 22. Out of the bowels of this earth are raised gold silver pearles and precious stones which serve but for the materials of the wals of this City and for paveing the streetes of it The most glorious things this World hath serve I say for the gates of the Temple If the outside be so glorious consider how glorious must the inside be how beautifull must it be within why no creature this world hath is worthy so much as to shadow it all the creatures be swallowed up with this glory even as a drop is swallowed up with the Ocean Take Salomon in all his royalty the most magnificent rich and glorious Prince the World ever had he lived indeed at the best rate he had the very quintessence of them all in so much that a Queen her selfe was amazed to see his great glory yet let me tell you this Salomon which is now in heaven 10 thousand times exceeds all the glory and pompe hee had on earth I say the glory hee hath now exceeds it infinitely I say the glory he hath now in heaven excels that glory hee had on earth being on his Throne in all his royalty even as much as he did then excell himselfe when hee was in his mothers womb we see then the good things of this life are not worth talking of they come farre short they are not worthy to be compared together In the second place compare this glory with the afflictions we suffer here and it doth as the Apostle saith waigh them all downe not onely the afflictions which befall one man but all men I say all of thē be they what they will be and lay them in one ballance Heaven its glory in another it will waigh them all down even as a grain of sand will bee weighed downe of the whole World There is no reckoning to bee made of them in respect of heaven and yet one of these afflictions will eclipse all the good we enjoy here being afflicted we take no pleasure in all our worldly contentments Therefore wee see that the afflictions of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory which shall be revealed in us In the third place to 3. Com. make a further demonstration of this to you There is a joy which Gods people are capeable of in this life the joy of the holy Ghost which is unspeakeable and glorious one drop of which transcends infinitely all the joy the creatures can afford us my brethren have you ever heard of this joy have you ever tasted of it hath God ever raised your hearts to see it and his glory if you have but tasted as the Apostle saith how good the Lord is you shall say with David Psal 4. Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon me Thou hast put gladnesse into my heart more than in the time when Corne and Wine and Oyle increased This is the joy which comes fresh from the fountaine My brethren marke well what I say the Divell himselfe when he transformes himselfe into an Angell of light affords more
comfort to the heart of an hypocrite than the World can doe why then how much more doth the joy of the holy Ghost which comes from a true fountaines if it be shed abroad in your hearts And hence it was that the Martyrs suffered so willingly ran through so many persecutions and yet the glory which is in Heaven if it be compared to this infinitely transcends it The joy which shall be revealed swallowes up all these joyes which we have here even as the sea swallowes up mole-hils it is nothing in comparison of Heaven it is but as a drop to the Ocean and yet one drop of this joy of the Holy Ghost is more excellent than Oceans of worldly comforts All the joyes of this world is but as a drop to the Ocean for infinite drops will make a Sea but infinite worlds will not make heaven but indeed infinite drops of this joy will make heaven because it is of the same nature yet this I say is not comparable to the joyes in heaven why its but the earnest penny of our inheritance 2 Cor. 5. 5. Now he that hath wrought us for the selfe same thing is God who hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit GOD doth fashon and prepare his people here at the revenewes of their joyes which shall come in hereafter all that the Holy Ghost makes us partakers of in this life is but as a sixe pence in respect of the whole payment of glory wee shall have in Heaven Phil. 1. 14. Which is the earnest of our inheritance untill the redemption of our purchased possession unto the praise of his glory This my brethren is but as a penny to the dowry of the Queene of Heaven which the Saints the Bride of Heaven are to enjoy The Scriptures calls it no more but the sealing of the holy Ghost the earnest of our inheritance Indeed it is of the same nature with the great summe of which it is an earnest for you know an earnest differs from a pledge in this a pledge is of another kinde but the earnest of the same kinde with the payment And so the joy of the holy Ghost is of the same kinde with that which is layd up for us but it is but an earnest and there is difference in the manner of producing it whatsoever we have here as our earnest is but from the light of faith we cannot see Christ from whom we have it we only beleeve on him as hee is absent wee never saw him and yet this workes a joy unspeakeable and glorious 1 Pet 8. Whilst we apprehend him by faith it is but as absent from him Therefore wee are alwaies confident 2 Cor. 5. 6 knowing that whilst wee are at home in the body wee are absent from the Lord and if we have such joy in his absence and seeing but a small glimpse or cranny of light comming to us by faith if this I say be so glorious what will it then be when to see him as he is to see him top to toe to be in the presence of him in which is fulnesse of joy By faith we see him but not all and this causeth joy unspeakeable and glorious what then to see him in perfection and have his presence the fulnesse of it whose presence in the least degree of it goeth farre beyond all the sight of him we have in the highest degree of faith yea in all the degrees of faith and yet the least degree of faith excells all the joy the World can give and therefore doe but thinke with your selves what Heaven is Compare it with those 4. Com. joyes and that glory the Saints that are in Heaven enjoy which infinitely transcends both the good things of this world the joy of the Holy Ghost and yet there is a glory to bee revealed after the day of Judgement that will transcend the joy of the Saints now mark the comparison The least drop of joy here that comes from the holy Ghost transcends the joy of the world the joy the Saints in Heaven now have as much transcends this joy of the holy Ghost as it doth that of the world yet after the day of Judgment there is a fuller treasure of joy to bee broken up And therefore let this raise up your hearts to conceive of the exceeding waight of glory laid up for the elect the Saints who are now in Heaven at the Well head of comforts who bathe themselves in these Rivers of pleasures why they have and are capeable of more joy than we can conceive of one Saint in heaven my Brethren hath more glory and joy in his heart than all the joy that is on earth and yet at the latter day their glory will as farre transcend that they have now even as it doth ours upon earth I may say of their condition as the Apostle doth Heb. 11. 40. God having provided some better things for us that they without us should not be made perfect while the Saints are without their fellowes they are not come to the highest degree of perfection Heb. 12. 23. To the generall assembly and Church of the first borne which are written in Heaven and to God the Judge of all and to the spirits of just men made perfect There is a perfection to be given them which they yet have not when all their fellow Saints all their fellow brethren when the whole number of the faithfull are together then shall a new treasure of glory bee broken up 2 Thes 1. 10. Who shall come saith the text to bee glorified in his Saints and to bee admired of all those that beleeve we doe usually admire a thing whē our expectation is exceeded now the Angels and the soules of the glorified Saints in Heaven they have seene and enjoyed many glorious things already and they looke for farre more glorious things but yet he will bring forth a glory at that day beyond their expectations he will not onely be admired by wicked men but all that beleeve shall admire this he will then put them to a new amazement Let now the consideration of this glory raise up your hearts to seeke for it that so such an unvaluable and great price may not passe out of your hands even the exceeding great riches of glory layd up for us Againe stand agast at the love of God that hath prepared such glory for you thus much comparatively Now secondly let us consider it simply as it is in it selfe and because things are best knowne by their causes we will begin with them And first of all the efficient 1. Cause cause of this great glory that is the great God of Heaven Earth whose Greatnesse and Glory wee cannot comprehend but only by his works he is the efficient cause of Heaven and all its glory he built this great City and all his workes shall bee like himselfe If King Ahashuerus make a feast he will make it like a King much more the King
of Kings will provide for his servants whom hee feasts hee made a World and how glorious is it but if he make a Heaven thinke with your selves what a Heaven it will be The Scriptures Heb. 11. commend this to us comparing the 10 and 16 verses together For hee looked saith hee for a City speaking of Abraham which hath foundations whose builder and founder is God and then verse 16. God is not ashamed to bee called their God for he hath built for them a City marke the reason In the first place it is said to bee a City whose builder and founder is God God is the Artist of it he shewed his art in it in this building of heaven God shewed himselfe an Artificer indeed God hath made other great works as the World but he hath shewed no art upon this in comparison of Heaven The heavens which we see are but the seeling of this Heaven which God hath prepared for his Saints and yet they are very glorious but yet he hath bestowed no cost in comparison hee hath shewed no art on it in respect of Heaven he hath bestowed all his cost on this in making heaven hee shewed himselfe an Artificer And would you know the reason of it it is because Heaven is his standing house Kings you know use to enrich their standing houses they bestow more cost upon them than others This World my brethren is not a house that hath foundation but it was builded by God as a stage upon which when men have acted their parts it is to be throwne downe it is set up for a few thousand yeares which are nothing to him and then hee meanes to pull it downe hee will then burne it but Heaven is Gods standing house his Pallace and therefore consider what great cost God hath bestowed on it Againe it is said to bee a City prepared Matthew 25. 24. Come yee blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the World Hee speakes as if GOD had beene a great while in making Heaven GOD hath beene long in contriving it nay further saith Christ I goe to prepare a place as if it were still in finishing as if it were not yet finished not but that all GODS workes are perfect from the beginning but it is spoken after the manner of men that wee might expect great glory for which there is such great preparation and saith he if it were not so I would have told you thinke what you will think of it and it will be answerable God will fulfill it Heaven is a City prepared if there be but preparation for a Coronation of an earthly King a moneth or a quarter of a yeere there are great things expected and yet more is shewed but now God hath beene alwaies in preparing Heaven he hath beene making of it from the beginning of the World David laid up materials for the Temple and Salomon builded so God prepares Heaven and Christ builds it And therefore consider with your selves there are great things to be found expect what you can and it shall be answered And thus you see God hath made a Heaven with a foundation he hath beene long in preparing of it hee set up the World in sixe daies but he hath beene setting up Heaven as I may so say sixe thousand yeeres and therfore let this raise up your hearts to consider what a waight of glory God hath layd up for those that love him Secondly consider the 2. Cause materiall cause of it why it is Christ the Lord of glory Christ Jesus himselfe hast purchased it for us in his blood he hath laid the foundation of it his blood was layd out for it hee spunne this thred of glory out of his owne bowels and therefore we may well argue the greatnesse of this glory seeing that his blood hath obtained it 1 Eph. It is there called the riches of the glory of his inheritance all the inheritance that Christ hath hee distributes it unto the Saints this is said to be a purchased possession why now my brethren thinke with your selves what shall be the revenues of glory purchased by his death Think what a large possession the blood of Christ will procure consider with your selves what this will amount to and this is Heaven Heaven it the revenues of Christs blood Thinke I say what glorious Heaven it must needs be which Christs blood hath purchased for us This is that hee aymed at in laying downe his life for us Justification Adoption and Sanctification they are but the way to Glorification they are but the subsidies of it wee are justified adopted and sanctified all to this end that we might bee glorified consider therefore what Christs blood will be worth what the revenues of it will come to and therefore what hath beene sayd of Heaven let it move you and worke upon you If I should single out any man present any particular man in this Congregation as our Saviour did the young man in the Gospell and bid him forsake all and hee shall have Treasure in Heaven if hee would forsake the Righteousnesse of the Law and his owne conscience within himselfe beloved this was a great offer Now I single out every man here present why consider with your selves you all stand arrested before GOD you deserve to bee accursed and to bee eternally so yet if you will leave all your iniquities repent and beleeve you shall have glory in Heaven Methinkes now you should lay hold on this offer and thinke no strictnesse too much so you could get Heaven If you were Merchant like men you would not let Heaven this precious Heaven passe you you would lay hold on it and spend all you had to get it and to be made partakers of those unvaluable treasures and thinke with thy selfe thou canst not bid enough for it Cor. 1. 14. Strive and runne so runne that you may attaine and every one that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things now they doe it that they may have a corruptible but we an incorruptible crown and if men bee so carefull here on earth to obtaine temporall preferments much more then run to get that preferment which of all other is the chiefe even everlasting happinesse in Heaven it s for Heaven an incorruptible Crowne for Heaven that transcends all other things and thinke with your selves how it will trouble you if you come short of your prize what a fearefull and sorrowfull voice will it be to you who can expresse your anguish when you heare Heaven and your Crowne is parted from you it was a pittifull saying to Nebuchadnezzar thy kingdome is departed from thee much more to us then to heare that we have lost Heaven how will it astonish thee to heare Christ say Heaven and thy Crowne is departed from thee thou must be turned to Divels for ever this will be thy condition to the end it is our duty to speake unto you wee can but exhort
you in Heaven let not pleasures hinder thee of the least degree of glory for to have but one pearle added to thy Crown is more than the whole World commit therefore no sinne that might hinder your attaining of glory for what though God pardon thy sin yet thou loosest glory thou mightest have gotten whilest thou wast in committing it the least shred of which glory transcends all the glory of the World Now wee come to the subject of this glory the Materia in qua the Vessell which shall receive this infinite masse of glory and that is the soule it is called the salvation of our soules the soule which will hold so much is the vessels of this glory the body shall be exceeding glorious but the soule is the receptacle which must receive this glory Rom. 9. 23. And that hee might make knowne the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy which hee had before prepared unto glory And S. Peter calleth Christ the salvation of our soules the end of your faith the salvation of your soules My brethren your soule howsoever you value it is capeable of more glory than this world can afford the pleasures of which will fill your soule no more than one droppe will fill a Cisterne or a little shower the place where the Ocean stands Eccles 3. 11. Now it is said that in this life God will put a World into the heart of man and yet all that World will not fill it why my brethren your soules are narrow in this life in respect of that they shall bee hereafter they hold but little in respect of that they shall hold in Heayen they are but little bladders which there shall bee blowne up they are but dunge bladders in respect of that they shall be in Heaven hereafter which may appeare in this Salomon had a very large heart he had as many notions in him as the sands of the sea shore for number and yet the soule of the least child in heaven happily but new come out of his mothers wombe exceedes all the knowledge which Salomon had on earth our soules are capeable of more joyes than the senses can give they are not able to satisfie it it will drinke up more glory even in one houre than the senses can provide in many hundred yeeres it will drinke them all up at one draught My beloved your senses cannot let in the King of glory such narrow gates cannot receive such infinite great glory Psal 24. In Heaven the doores of your hearts shal be opened and when those dores are open I say the everlasting dores of your hearts are open they cannot containe this glory you must bee contained in it Enter saith Christ into thy masters ioy If the joy of the holy Ghost in this life passe all understanding and beleeving wee reioyce with joy unspeakeable and full of glory how much more in the world to come shal our joyes passe all understanding when wee shall have fruition of Gods presence which is life it selfe My brethren your soules have two great gulphs viz. the understanding and the wil which must and shall bee satisfied Now saith Salomon The eye of the body is not satisfied with seeing it can comprize halfe the World in it and if the eye of the body be so hard to be satisfied much more the eye of the soule and yet in Heaven this shall be satisfied this gulph shall be satisfied Psal 17. 15. I shall bee satisfied when I awake with thy likenesse hee was to lay his head in the grave for a while but hee should arise when the Heavens shall bee no more As Iob said I shall see him againe so David I shall awake and then I shall bee satisfied with thy likenesse Iohn 14. 18. Show us the Father saith Philip and it sufficeth us you will say if you could but see God it would suffice and indeed you may well say so for the sight of God will suffice you why you shall see God Iohn 17. 24. for Christ doth desire this especially those that are his to make thē happy to be with him to behold his face Father I will that they also that thou hast given me to bee with mee where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me So Math. 5. 8. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God they shall bee able to behold him If the Queen of Sheba who had seene so much glory before and being a Queene had partaken of so much glory in her selfe if she I say was so astonished so amazed that shee had no spirit in her even to see Salomons wisedome and to see his magnificency in honour and riches how much more shall the glory of God ravish us part of which wee never saw no not the glimpse of it oh how wilt thou bee amazed with joy when thou shalt see his glory and see him as hee is when wee shall know as we are knowne and GOD knowes us as farre as can bee 1 Corinthians 13. 12. For now wee see through a glasse darkely but then face to face now wee know but in part but then we shall know even as we are knowne all our sight of him here it is but as in a glasse Now what a great difference is it to looke upon a man who is behinde us and to turne our face and to looke truely and sted fastly upon him why there is infinitely more difference betwixt that light wee have of God by faith on earth and that perfect light of him and fruition of his glory which wee shall have in heaven why as I said before the eye of a mans body as it is but a small thing and the apple of it much smaller and yet by the helpe of the sunne it is able to take halfe the World into it at once how much more shall the eye of our understanding conceive infinite joys pastour apprehension here when it hath the light of Gods glory shining about it Psal 36. 8 9. They shall bee abundantly satisfied with the fulnesse of thy house and thou shalt make them drink of the rivers of thy pleasures for with thee is the fountaine of life in thy light shall wee see light when as the Sunne of glory comes to shine about us we shall even draw God into our soules and thus you see the first gulph shall be filled The second gulph of mans soule is the will thou hast a will and amongst all the affections of it love is most comfortable now that shall be fully satisfied wee shall be satisfied with Gods loving kindnesse for Psal 73. all other affections bring paine with them but love is alwaies comfortable Phil. 2. 1. If there bee any consolation of Christ if any comfort of love Wee love things here on earth that cannot love us againe as money riches and the like how much more shall wee love love it selfe Indeed as Salomon saith The love of friends is very delectable Pro. 27. 9.
Oyntment and perfume rejoyce the heart so doth the sweetnesse of a mans friend by hearty counsell The same testifies David in his lamentation for Ionathan 2. Sam 1. 26. I am distressed for thee my brother Ionathan very pleasant hast thou beene unto me Thy love to me was wonderfull passing the love of a woman but I say though the love of friends bee great Ionathan exceeding lovely yet they are not so lovely as God it cannot be affirmed of them that they are love it selfe as God is on then how pleasant will it bee when this vase affection of love shall bee satisfied GOD will come into us and dwell with us and doe but thinke what a pleasant thing it is to have the great God of Heaven and Earth to dwell together with the creature in unity to have him who is love it selfe to dwell in us from all eternity it is said 1 Pet. 1. 8. Whom having not seene you love in whom though you see him not yet beleeving you reioyce with ioy unspeakeable and glorious Why if that bee a cause to make you rejoyce so unspeakably how much more joyfull will you be when you enjoy his presence not onely to kisse him through the lattice as here we doe enjoying onely his presence through his ordinances but to lie in the bosome of his love to bee enfolded in those everlasting armes of his mercy to be loved of love it selfe to be made partaker of all his goodnes and Gods love is free he loves us w th out any cause in our selves why thē brethren cōsider with your selves what is the height depth breedth and length of Gods love to bee filled with all fulnesse of God Eph. 3. 8. Oh what a bottomelesse sea of Gods love shall we be slung into one droppe of which is better than the gold of Ophir yea surpasseth the whole earth In the last place I will endeavour to shew the finall cause and demonstrate the greatnesse of Heaven by this that both the finis cui and the finis cuius that is the end why God hath prepared all this glory and the persons for whom Who is it for that God hath beene from everlasting preparing glory Is it not for his Saints Is it not for his friend and spouse Is it not for Sion Heb. 12. But you are come into Mount Sion and into the City of the living God the heavenly Hierusalem and to an innumerable company of Angels to the generall assembly and Church of the first borne which are written in Heaven and to God the Judge of all and to the spirits of just men made perfect and to Jesus the Mediator of the new Covenant and to the blood of the sprinkling that speakes better things than that of Abel God hath reserved Heaven for us Heaven is made for the feasting of his first borne he hath in heaven all his children about him there shall bee called a generall assembly of them one will not bee away you know parents they bestow the most cost when they have their children all at once together they respect no cost looking at the joy which is set before them they have joy unspeakeable in the presence of their children together and therefore at times of rejoycing men will send for their children home Now my brethren God will have all his Children home hee will have a generall invitation the great Congregation of the Elect shall bee called together hee will have them all home and therefore hee must needs make great provision consider what he hath vouchsafed to wicked men the worst of men beloved these runne away with the blessings of the World even such as God hath set himselfe against to hate with an eternall hatred why then thinke with your selves what hee hath prepared for those that love him whom with an everlasting love hee hath loved in his Sonne for his Sonnes sake which is as great as himselfe certainly hee will communicate himselfe to the uttermost I say then thinke with your selves what God hath prepared for those that love him Secondly consider the end for which this is and that is to manifest his owne glory hee truely hath had a great deale of glory out of this World already The Heavens declare the glory of God and the Firmament sheweth his handy worke hee hath had a great deale of glory out of this World by justifying poore sinners and sanctifying their hearts and also by punishments inflicted upon wicked men but all this is nothing to that glory he meaneth to have not comparable to that he will have in Heaven 2 Thes 3. 10. When hee shall come to be glorified in his Saints and bee admired of all them that beleeve Wee thinke wonderfull things of God and yet all our thoughts shall come farre short of the excellency of his comming he will come beyond our expectation hee will come to purpose to be admired of all them that beleeve The matter of Gods glory the revenues of it must come out of you the chiefest of his glory as for the manifestation of his glory it must come forth of that he will come to be glorified in his Saints hee will then shew how glorious a God he is by manifestation of his glory it must come forth of that he will come to be glorified in his Saints hee will then shew how glorious a God he is by manifesting what glorious creatures he hath made it is not a little glory that will content GOD it is not a little glory that will content a King when hee meaneth to take state Rom. 1. Hee will glorifie himselfe as God or else he would never have begun he would never have gone about it unlesse he meant to doe it to the utmost And in what doth this his glory consist why in making us glorious and the manifestation of his glory as hee is God comes from us It is true indeed Gods essentiall glory can not bee added unto us but the manifestation of his glory shall arise to us we shall have it communicatively as when you see the Sunne reflect upon the waters though you see not the Sunne it selfe yet you see as perfect a manifestation of it as if you should see the Sun it selfe So likewise though you cannot have Gods glory essentially yet you shall have it perfectly communicated to you manifested in you 2 Cor. 8. 23. And therefore the Saints are there called the glory of Christ now thinke with your selves God hath had infinite vast thoughts of glorifying himselfe there hath beene a fountaine of thoughts in him for that cause and that unceasing spring which hath runne in GOD from all eternity must needs make a vaste Sea and who must be the vessels that must goe into this into whom all this must be emptied are they not those that love him those that hee hath loved with an everlasting love why then doe but thinke with your selves how unutterable are the joyes we shall have in Heaven I would adde something
you wee can doe no more Math. 10. 14. If they will not retaine it saith he shake off the dust of your feete as a testimony against them If yee looke not to your selves in this life this will be the event of it Oh how will it fret you to the heart what inutterable perplexities will you be in when you see others follow Christ to his glory and you your selves have that curse denounced against you Goe you cursed c. Alasse then it will bee too late to get Heaven oh what terrour and amazement what bitter anguish to thinke Heaven came neere unto me it was offered me and yet because I would not part with some darling sinne some beloved corruption some base lust I have lost my interest in it I must not partake of those rivers of pleasures in Heaven This certainely will be the issue except here whilst you have space you make sure this Crowne to your selves by Faith and Repentance 3. Cause I proceed in the third place to the exemplary cause and the greatnesse of this glory appeares from this and this is the glory of Jesus Christ himselfe consider the great glory of the Lord of glory is the neerest patterne of it and therefore in Scripture that glory the Saints shall have in Heaven is said to be like his wee shall be like the Lord of glory hee is not onely made the efficient and meritorious cause but also the exemplary cause of this glory what can bee said more then this we shall be made like to Christ Jesus who is the Lord of glory the eye of all things the first-borne of every living creature in whom all excellencies remaine and all fulnesse dwels oh then what infinite glory to bee like what Jesus Christ now is why thou shalt bee made like to him Iohn 17. 24. That they may behold my glory which thou hast given me but that is not all though this was sufficient to make us happy A beggar may behold the glory of a King and bee never the happier for it nay bee more sad in his thoughts because none of his glory reflects upon himselfe but saith our Saviour Iohn 17. 22. The glory which thou gavest mee I have given them that they may bee one even as wee are one we shall weare the same kinde of glory which Christ weares and hee weares all the glory both of Heaven and earth about him at all times what kind of glory shall wee then weare We shall be made like unto his glorious body As we were all borne like Adam so wee shall be made like Christ wee are said to be predestinated to be made conformable according to the Image of his sonne so that as wee were predestinated to be made like him in grace and sufferings here so likewise in glory wee see here but as in a glasse the glory of Christ and yet are changed into the same Image from glory to glory 2 Cor. 5. last But we all with open face beholding as in a glasse the glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord If we seeing him here upon earth as an holy and a righteous man conceive and have such glory in him consider brethren what that shall be when we shall see him as he is what a comfort will that be when we shall see him face to face in Heaven and be made partaken of his glory we shall be like him 1 Iohn 3. 2. Behold now wee are the sonnes of God and it doth not yet appeare what wee shall be but wee know that when hee shall appeare we shall be like him In the fourth place let us consider the matter of this glory both Materia in qua circa quam the obiect and subject of this glory And first the object of this happinesse why it is not any other creature but God himselfe no creature in Heaven and Earth is the matter of our happinesse but God himselfe will be made happinesse to us he will not onely be the efficient cause but the materiall cause of our happinesse Gen. 17. He sums up all in himselfe I will bee an al-sufficient God unto thee he promises himselfe not heaven separated from himselfe but he will give us his owne glory he doth not onely promise us great and glorious things to bee created by him but hee himselfe will be our Heaven Psalm 73. Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none that I desire on earth besides thee marke the phrase indeed there are all other things here on Earth which we may stand in need of but saith David though I have neede of them why yet none of them all I desire besides thee God alone made David happy for indeed God himselfe makes Heaven though there were neither Saint nor Angell indeed they are all there but wee need nothing but God and Christ to make us happy of this glorious City which is the forerunner of Heaven if it be not Heaven it selfe yet of that glorious condition which indeed is the immediate forerunner of Heaven Revel 21. 23. The City had no need of Sunne or Moone to shine in it for saith he The glory of God did lighten it and the Lambe is the light thereof why my brethren though there be many glorious things in Heaven though there be the fruition of the company of Saints and Angels yet that is not it which makes us happy but God is our happines Indeed the glorious societies of the glorified bodies of Saints is very delectable and ten thousand times excels all the delights of creatures here below yet I say we have no need of them to make us happy it is but overplus God himselfe and Christ Jesus make our Heaven happinesse Thinke now my brethren with your selves what Heaven is are you all able to consider what it is to have God to be our happinesse It is impossible for you to conceive it and for me to expresse it I can no more reveale what God will doe to you then this light can reveale the light of the Sunne which can bee knowne by no light but its owne In the first place God containes all things all manner of divine perfections are bound up in him The pleasures of this earth are scattered here and there and therefore the soule goes wandering up and downe from one creature to another from one flower to another because some part of his happinesse is in one some part in another but my brethren in God we have all happines summed up and wrapped together all our delights are together in him Revel 21 7. He that overcomes shall inherit all things and I will be his God and hee shall be my sonne Consider with your selfe that God himselfe can but inherit all things and indeed he is all things and if we have God for our God wee shall inherit all things hee will be meate and drinke wife husband and whatsoever else unto