made in mercy the performance thereof dependeth upon the fidelity of the promiser not upon the merit of the worker the promise is sure not according to our merits but according to his mercy therefore go to God and say Lord thou hast promised to bestow the Crown of glory upon all that come unto thee Lord we have thy word there is a promise wherein thou hast caused me to hope Be it to thy servant according to thy Word CHAP. XXXIII SECT I. Sheweth how a man may know whether he hath a title to Heaven Quest BVt here peradventure thou may'st demand how shall I know whether the promise of eternal life belongeth to me or not Sol. I answer first dost thou love God the promise of giving the crown of life is made to them that love him Jam. 1.12 He that is the best lover is the best and most accomplished Christian it is not so much what thou doest or what thou sufferest what thy actions or what thy sufferings are as what thy love to God is so then the greatest Saint is not barely he that hath done most or suffered most but he that loveth most as it was said of Mary Magdalen Luk 7.47 that many sins were forgiven her because she loved much If thou hast true saith it will be the fountain of thy love to God who believing God to be such and so merciful to to thee it swalloweth up thy affections and draweth out thy love and devotion toward him which is not unfelt in us but by the feeling thereof in our selves we gather a further confirmation and assurance to our selves that we are beloved of God both which S. Bernard well declareth saying that the love of God breedeth in the soul love toward God and by feeling it self to love it is also out of doubt that it self is beloved now if thou art one that lovest God thou maist conclude thou art beloved of him for we love him because he loved us first and therefore thou hast an interest in the crown of life which God hath promised to them that love him True it is sometimes it is said it shall be given to such as the Lord loveth his love to us that is it that shall set this glorious crown upon our heads The Apostle Eph. 2.4 speaking both of our Sanctification and Salvation makes God the Author of them both and in God the cause of both the riches of his mercy and the greatness of his love God who is rich in mercy through his great love wherewith he hath loved us hath raised us up together and made us to fit together in Heavenly places So S. John saith it was God's love to us that he sent his onely Son to us in him to give us life and salvation herein was the great love of God manifested towards us in that God sent his onely begotten Son into the world that we might live through him 1 Joh. 4.9 Yet S. James tells us the crown of life shall be given to them that love the Lord as if it were not so much his love to us as did graciously vouchsafe it as our love to him that did deservedly merit it But these may both stand together the promise of eternal life may be said to belong both to those whom the Lord loveth and to those that love the Lord for first this love of God to us and our love to him do alwayes go together like fountain and stream seed and fruit fire and light cause and effect whensoever his love takes hold upon us it generates and begets in us love toward him again We read of Solomon that he was named Jedidjah because he was the beloved of the Lord 2 Sam. 12.25 and we likewise read of him 1 Kings 3.3 that he loved the Lord he was the beloved of the Lord and he loved the Lord God's love working upon him it wrought in him again love toward God now they that are beloved of God and they that love God they have both of them the promise of eternal life God's love to them is properly the cause of it their love to him that 's onely the Seal of it What S. John saith of the love of our Brethren the same may we say of the love of God We know by it that we are translated from death to life 1 Joh. 3.14 which life is a token of assurance by which we know we shall be saved The cause of our salvation is in God's loving us our loving of God is a token only by which we know we are sealed up unto salvation SECT II. 2. ARt thou Holy thou hast hence good ground and reason to expect whatsoever reward God hath promised unto holiness Being made free from sin and become servants unto God ye have your fruit unto holiness and the end everlasting life Rom. 6.22 Are ye pure in heart they onely shall see God Math. 5.8 Are ye holy in life then shall you see the Lord Hebr. 12.14 Beware how thou dost go on in any sin answer thy lusts thy temptations thy wicked company that seduce and entice thee to sin as Solomon answered Bathsheba when she desired Abishag for Adonijah let him take my Kingdom too so say thou to thy lusts to thy temptations to thy wicked company if you beg my company then take away my Kingdom too take away my glory take away my happiness too take heed of laying down thy head in the lap of any lust as Sampson did in the lap of Dalilah What said she to him The Philistines be upon thee Sampson So if thou sufferest thy self to be deceived by thy lusts by thy sinful pleasures I will not say the Philistines be upon thee but all the Devils in Hell be upon thee it may be thou expectest Angels to carry thee like Lazarus into Abraham's bosome and the evil Angels will take thee and hurry thee into Belzebub's bosome nothing but sin will make thee uncapable of glory it is only Christ and interest in Christ by saving faith and grace and holiness that can fit thee for glory that can make thee capable of glory and happiness we must be gracious here otherwise we shall never be glorious hereafter consider the nature of this glory which God will communicate to his Saints it is pure glory therefore it is necessary that the subjects which must receive it be pure also God will put pure glory into pure vessels What ado had Queen Esther before she was brought to the King Est 2.12 She was to purifie her self a whole year before she could attain to be Queen six months with oyl of Myrrh and six moneths with sweet Odours then she was brought to the King shall an earthly Prince expect such exact purification before he will bestow his honours and shall not God expect our purifying our selves before we come and sit upon thrones of glory can we think that God will cloath our Bodies of sin with Robes of glory and that God will put the pure white
utter darkness but through God's permission Satan's chain is sometimes lengthened but then no more lengthening now he walketh up and down assaying to devour and seeking whom he may devour but then he shall walk no longer the Saints shall follow the Lamb wheresoever he goeth and shall not in all their walks meet with a Devil to tempt them to any sin whatsoever 5. The state of glory is liberty from death from the fears of it and from all things tending to mortality bondage to death will be swallowed up of this life of liberty glory is triumphant over Death Hell and the Grave bidding defiance to them O Grave where art thou O Hell where art thou O Death where art thou 1 Cor. 15.54 55. Death and Hell were cast into the lake of fire Rev. 20.14 By Hell there we must understand the Grave Death and the Grave shall be damned as well as the wicked 6. The state of glory is a liberty from the rage wrath and persecution of all the wicked men in the world their rage and persecution is a bondage and captivity to the Saints hindring them from serving God with desired freedom they cannot put forth their godliness but they expose themselves to the scoffs hatred rage and persecutions of the world now the state of glory will put a great gulf between the Godly and the Wicked which will hinder them from all intercourse for know that if the damned could again be in company or in the place where the godly are they would persecute them again to the uttermost though they know they must be damned and therefore the Devils now hate and tempt them though they aggravate their own torments 7. It is a liberty from all imperfections of graces and weakness in their serving God 1. From all imperfections of their graces which in this present life are very imperfect we know but in part saith the Apostle so we believe but in part we love God but in part we are Holy but in part we are zealous for God but in part there is more doubts and ignorance than knowledge more unbelief than faith more want of love than love there is more sin than grace and holiness now the state of glory is a state of perfection we shall know as we are known our understandings will be enlarged that we shall know God fully and perfectly our faith will be turned into sight our hope into possession we shall then love God with all our hearts with all our souls c. The Angels are called Seraphims because as some say they burn in love and zeal toward God so shall all the Saints be filled with this Seraphical love we shall be as holy as our natures are capable The Church and people of God in this life are compared to the Moon because of those spots in her which are imperfections but in the state of glory they are compared to the Sun which hath no spots in it and as the Prophet speaks of the Sun and Moon that the light of the Sun shall be seven-fold more resplendent than now so the graces the holiness of the Saints shall be seven-fold more holy than now they are 2. It shall be a liberty from all weaknesses and infirmities in serving God this is the necessary consequent of the former for the more glorious and holy a man is the more able he is to serve God if perfectly sanctified then he serveth God perfectly the Angels fulfil the whole will of God because they are filled with grace they run yea they fly in the wayes of his commandements this liberty and enlargement shall all the Saints have in the state of glory while they are here they are in bondage to much spiritual deadness and slothfulness they pray they praise God acceptably though they cannot pray nor praise him perfectly they may pray and purpose to run the wayes of God's Commandements but cannot because they are too weak and are fettered with spiritual slothfulness and deadness glory will do away all this and make us as ready and able to do the whole will of God as Angels do 8. It is a liberty from all natural clogs which the body in this state of union fastens upon the soul insomuch that the body is animae ergastulum the prison of the soul it is pondus or onus animae the burden or weight of the soul the regenerate soul cannot act vigorously because the body is so unweildy the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak but when the soul and body shall be reunited and meet in a state of glory the body will be a nimble handmaid and pliable to all the motions and commands of the soul the body then which is now the souls prison will be the souls paradise and both soul and body will act most vigorously the soul will never tyre out the body nor will the body clog the soul they will both be unwearied in their glorious services the body then will be spiritual though not a spirit and become immortal incorruptible as the soul is 9. It is a liberty from many duties and services and spiritual exercises which are now required of us the Saints work shall be lessened in Heaven The Service of the Church and people of God under the Gospel is much less than it was under the Law hence the state of the Church under the pedagogy of the Law is by the Apostle called a state of bondage a state of subjection but the state of the Church under the Gospel is called a state of liberty but when the Church shall be taken up into glory then their services shall be far less than now they are many duties and graces shall be done away in Heaven we shall pray no more for any mercy for our selves all praying shall be turned into praising of God we shall not hear the Word nor receive the Sacraments any more nor fast and afflict our souls any more we shall no longer mourn for sin repentance will be done away yea faith it self as many Divines conceive shall be done away Pray we shall not because then we shall never be in want our souls shall be so abundantly satisfied with the fulness of God's house we shall mourn and repent no more because we shall sin no more Our service in the state of glory will be taken up in praising God in admiring God in loving God rejoycing in God giving him praise and glory for the riches of his grace toward us in Christ Jesus 10. In respect of the place it is a state of liberty indeed the vast Heaven of Heavens O ye Saints shall be the place of your habitation and delight what is the whole world compared to it it is but a narrow prison an house of correction an house of bondage to a gracious spirit it is but as a Cage to a bird so is the world to the soul of a Godly man 11. It is a liberty from all fears or dangers of everlosing their glory and blessedness
it not rather be said Count this a cause of weeping sighing wringing of hands No saith the Apostle count it all joy when trouble cometh upon trouble wave upon wave storm upon storm when the winds blow and the rain falls and the waves beat upon you then count it all joy call upon your souls to rejoyce call upon your hearts to Magnifie God clap your hands leap for joy 2. It informs us that they are the happy ones of the Earth who are the greatest sufferers for Righteousness sake thus St. James Chap. 1.2 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation or tribulation James 5.11 Behold we count them happy which endure saith the same Apostle What a paradox is this to a man that mindeth earthly things Call you him blessed that is imprisoned in fetters in a dungeon reviled mocked tortured persecuted hated of all count you him an happy man that is spoiled of his goods destitute of friends who is ready to perish through famine count you a man in misery an happy man Yes saith the Apostle he is a blessed man we count him happy whom all men hate who suffer hunger cold nakedness imprisonment death banishment for the name of Christ we count him happy who endures most misery with and for Christ we count him and him only a miserable man that can laugh and sing away care and sorrow who sits like a Queen and sees no sorrow who fares deliciously every day who can eat drink and play and so pass his time of life away he is a miserable man For 't is not what a man is for the present which makes him happy or miserable but what a man shall be to eternity he that is miserable for the present but shall be happy to eternity we count him happy and he that is happy for the present time but shall be miserable to eternity we count him a cursed man Lazarus in the depth of his misery was an happy man because he is glorious to all eternity the rich Glutton was a miserable wretch in the height of his jollity because he is miserable to eternity Hence I conclude that the glory that shall be revealed in us will make us perfectly blessed but our present sufferings cannot make us miserable for the Saints are happy in the thickest of them Math. 5.11 12. Then doth the Spirit of God and of glory rest upon them 1 Pet. 4.14 Our present miseries at the uttermost can but rob us of a temporal life which will come they or come they not fail us at length but glory bestows upon us and crowns us with an everlasting blissful life He that hath an interest in Christ may cry out with that great Apostle What shall separate us from the love of Christ and may say I am perswaded that neither Death with its terrours nor life with its charmes neither Angels with their beauties nor Devils with their deformities things present with their allurements things future with their promises or threatnings nor Hell with its torments can ever separate me from the love of God in Christ and indeed how should they saith St. Augustine because death though never so hideous leads us to him life is found in his possession Angels and Devils are the Ministers of his justice or his mercy things present are false things to come uncertain Hell with God would be our happiness and Heaven without him would be our torment or we may say again with the same Father that nothing can separate a Christian from Jesus Christ and make him miserable Not death because there is no Christian can be brought into so dismal an estate as to be deprived of his love not the Angels because being united to Christ we are stronger then all Spirits combined together against us not the vexations of life because they are sweet when undergone for his honour and serve only to give us a nearer conjunction to his person Not things to come because nothing can be bestowed nor promised which can countervail him Not Heaven because it is the recompence of them that serve him Not Hell because it is made for none but those that forsake him by all which we see that a man firmly united to Christ cannot by these outward things be removed from him Oh the solidity perspicuity and self-sufficiency of that Paradise and place of delights of that Celestial company and Crowned society who is able to express the comfort and contentment of that estate and condition where we shall have all blessedness Internal External and Eternal what can be done or suffered to answer so great a reward the diseased will endure the cutting and searing of their Members for the enjoyment of a short tedious life Heathens have suffered great things for a little vain glory if they prize the shadow so much at what rate should we value the substance what are a few drops of blood for the Kingdom of Heaven how may this comfort us under afflictions considering that the afflictions of this life are but small showers at the most but some short storms which are followed with an Eternal calm Isa 54.8 CHAP. XII Sect. I. I shall now in the next place by Divine assistance adventure to speak something of the excellency of Heavens glory though some there be that think silence and astonishment to be the best commendations we can give it I confess our understandings are too shallow to comprehend the greatness of it When the great Voice saith Come up hither come and see then we shall be best resolved concerning it If the Queen of Sheba confessed that the one half was not told her of the Wisdom Prosperity and Glory of Solomon which she had heard reported in her own Countrey when she came in person to his Court how much more shall the Saints confess when they come to Heaven that the Thousandth part was not told them of all the honour glory and blessedness which they shall find in that heavenly Jerusalem Here then let us consider The Circumstances of this glory The Substance of this glory The Adjuncts of this glory The Circumstances are two Time and Place as for the Time it shall be 1. In the day of the Creatures Restoration we read Act. 3.21 That the Heavens must conlain Christ until the time of the restitution of all things And St. Paul tells us That the Creature it self also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God Rom. 8.21 Here divers questions are to be propounded Quest 1. What Creatures are to be delivered into this glorious liberty Resp 1. Under this word Creature we are not to comprise the Elect Angels because never subject to vanity nor the reprobate Angels and Men because they are destroyed with an everlasting destruction from the presence of God 2. Neither are we to comprise the godly Elect men under this Word Creature in this place for although it be most true that all the godly shall be perfectly delivered from all
God in glory that they shall be Priests of God and Christ Rev. 20.6 As they are all made spiritual Kings and Priests to God on Earth Rev. 1.6 so they shall be Priests to God in Heaven and reign with him for ever and ever They shall be Priests to God two ways in Heaven First As soon as they leave this life in the interim before the second coming of Christ they shall perform the offices of Priests in Soul only offering to God the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving that themselves are already delivered out of the miseries of this World and praying for their Brethren upon the Earth that they may shortly be delivered For so St. John tells us that he saw under the Altar the Souls of those that were slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held crying out with a loud voice How long O Lord holy and true dost not thou avenge our blood upon them that dwell on the Earth Rom. 6.9 10. And secondly at Christ's second coming both they that are deceased already and they that shall then be found alive shall joyntly and joyfully sing Hallelujah salvation and glory and honour and power unto the Lord our God for true and righteous are his judgments Rev. 19.1 2. and v. 6. St. John saith he heard as it were the voice of a great multitude and as the voice of many waters and as the voice of mighty thunderings saying Hallelujah for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth let us be glad and rejoyce and give honour to him for the marriage of the Lamb is come and his Wife hath made her self ready The high praises of God shall then be in the mouthes of all his Saints being now made perfect in holiness and freed from all frailties they shall never mourn but ever sing and laud their Redeemer without defatigation or satiety But to pass by this it is needful in few words to shew how the Heavens cannot properly be said to be the house of God as those buildings wherein men dwell are called their houses least any should be so ignorant as to entertain any vain thoughts not beseeming the infinite Majesty of God 1. Heaven cannot contain and hold the infinite being of the Divine Nature as the house holdeth him that dwelleth in it Behold the Heavens and the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain thee 2. God hath no need of Heaven either for rest or safety as a man hath of his house he is not subject to weariness no work is toilsome to him he slumbereth not sleepeth not he is above all dangers one word of his mouth is enough to crush all Enemies to powder he needeth not this House as a Castle of defence unto him 3. He is not more essentially present there then in any other place nor more absent from any other place then from it but every where alike essentially present though there he giveth forth more glorious demonstrations of his presence then in any other place SECT II. SEeing Heaven is God's house then there should our hearts be even at home with our Father how can we sing the Lord's Song in a strange Land how can we please our selves so well in this house of our pilgrimage when we are from home thus far absent from our Father's house why are our minds so knit unto the earth that nothing â—ut leath will part it and us as if not Heaven but this lower sinful part of the World were the Lord 's dwelling place with what face can we call him our Father which is in Heaven and in the mean time our strongest and most hearty affections are deeply buried in the Earth St. Paul was of another temper I desire to be dissolved saith he and to be with Christ which is best of all Best of all so the blessed Apostle found and felt it he spake out of a true discerning spirit he spake as he found he desired Heaven for love of Christ and not so much for love of his own ease and happiness though he could not but long for that also but principally for love of Christ therefore he longed to leave the Earth and go to Heaven because that was the house of Christ the house where God the Father sheweth his glorious presence the house where Christ sitteth at the right hand of the Majesty on high Oh that I were there saith that holy Apostle let me go through poverty through persecution fire sword stripes imprisonment and a thousand deaths and dangers so that I can but get unto my Saviour it is best of all to be with him what shall I say better then to be with sinful men better then to be with a multitude of unruly corruptions cleaving to me shall I say better then to be in the midst of heaps of Gold or all manner of earthly abundance I will not for the honour of my Saviour once bring him in comparison with these dunghils and heaps of dross but it is best of all to be with him It is better to be with him then simply to be in Heaven it self it were better to be with him out of Heaven then to be in Heaven without him if that were possible yea if being with Christ were not salvation it self I would say that to be with Christ were better then salvation it is best of all Now then when Heaven is thus glorious when our dearest Saviour the King of glory is entered within those everlasting doors when it is the very house of God how should we long after it that we might be with the Lord what shame should it cast upon our faces who have the First-fruits of the Spirit Is our Gaol now become more pleasing to us then our Father's house do we grow more and more earthly minded Oh that we had more of Heaven in us to raise and draw our hearts thither and less Earth to sink us downward let us pray and labour for more supernatural and heavenly affections then we shall find our hearts rising and lifted upwards Moreover if Heaven be the house of God and the place of his special presence this should move us all to labour to be such as may be fit for the presence of God Do we not all desire to be in Heaven alas many of us do little consider what Heaven is or what it is to be in Heaven It is true that none even those that are most heavenly minded can consider of it according to its excellent glory yet some there are who though they cannot conceive it for the height of its excellency yet they conceive the nature of it though not the measure they conceive of what kind of what temper that glory and happiness is which they shall receive by that earnest of the Spirit which they have received as a man knoweth in what coyn he shall be paid by that money which he hath received in earnest already But many others know not what Heaven meaneth how many are there that cannot now endure the presence
go to receive his reward With this consideration Hilarion speaks to his trembling Soul upon his Death-bed Hieron in vit Hilar Egredere Anima cur times egredi go forth my Soul go forth depart out of this prison of pain into a place of pleasure hast thou served Christ these seventy years and dost thou fear to take thy wages now thou hast done thy work Let this therefore be matter of shame to us that we have done so little work considering the greatness of the reward as a holy dying Martyr said I am exceedingly grieved that being now to receive so great a reward I have done so little work Truly O Lord thou art great above all gods and great is thy reward for thou art not great August in Soliloq and thy reward little thou art the rewarder and the reward of eternal happiness it self saith St. Augustine SECT VII Sheweth that Heaven is the place where God shall give his People a kind welcome and loving entertainment HEaven is also the place where God will most affectionately receive all his Children to himself with much love and tenderness of affection at the last day they shall be received into the arms of his embraces Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel and afterward receive me to glory Psal 73.24 that is thou shalt receive me with a most vehement and ardent affection When the prodigal Son was but coming towards his Father when he was yet afar off his Father ran toward him and fell upon his neck and kissed him now this is but a shadow of that full and glorious reception of the Saints to himself when God shall make them all glorious and receive them without spot or wrinkle if this Prodigal returning from his Harlots and coming in his rags was thus acceptable and welcome to his Father Oh what abundance of love will God then express to his Saints at the last day when they shall be all cloathed in long white robes and be received into the perfection of glory Mark what is said to the faithful Servant Well done thou good and faithful Servant thou hast been faithful over a few things I will make thee Ruler over many things enter thou into the joy of thy Lord Matth. 25.23 Then will the Lord Jesus most affectionately say to all his Servants Enter my dear Friends and receive your consolation enter Servants and receive your wages enter my Children and take possession of your patrimony and inheritance enter my Brethren and receive your portion and all ye that have fought the good fight and kept the faith and offered violence to the Kingdom of Heaven enter ye and take your Crowns He doth not say Come toward it and look upon it with a greedy desire and earnest longing after your happiness but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 come into the joy of thy Lord take part and possession of it with abundance of delight and satisfaction The soul of man in this World is capable of more pleasure then the eye or ear yea then all the senses can bring in to her our soul can drink up all the pleasures at one draught it can presently swallow them up but the joys of Heaven do exceed the desires of our souls therefore saith Christ Enter thou into thy Master's joy he doth not say let the joy of thy Master enter into thee it is to shew that the joy of our glorious condition doth infinitely surpass the largest capacity of our souls though they be stretched to the uttermost So at the last day Christ will say to the Sheep on his right hand Come ye blessed of my Father receive the Kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the World Matth. 25.34 The first word is Venite Come it is the voice of the Bridegroom that saith Come Come to me my Spouse that where the Husband is there the Bride the Lamb's Wife may be that where the Head is there the Members may be where the Father is there the Children may be where the Master is there the Servants may be where the Prince and Captain of our Salvation is there his Fellow-Souldiers may be When Christ was going out of the World he chears up the hearts of his Disciples with these consolatory words Let not your hearts be troubled in my Father's House are many Mansions I go to prepare a place for you and if I go I will come again and receive you to my self that where I am there you may be also John 14.1 2. See how much affection Christ expresseth in these words if Christ said when he was upon Earth Come to me all ye that are weary and heavy laden and I will ease you take my yoke upon you and you shall find rest to your souls Matth. 11.28 29. then much more will he retain the same sweetness of affection when he cometh to sit down in his Judgment-seat Christ is as it were a Servant among his People Luke 22.27 I am among you as he that serveth He condescendeth to serve his People he went to Heaven in Person to prepare a place for them and he will come again in Person to receive them thither True it is he will do it with a glorious Train of Angels yet he will come himself and take them home to his Father's House that where he is they may be also and then will he receive them with much affection Come my Love my Dove my Spouse my Undefiled where hast thou been so long all this while out of my presence come ye into my bosome which is now wide open ready to receive you If Jacob's and Joseph's meeting were so unexpressibly comfortable when they had thought never to have seen the faces of each other after so long a distance Oh what shall the joy of that last day be and how shall those noble souls rejoyce yea leap for joy to whom these soul-ravishing words are spoken Come ye blessed of my Father all the Musick in Heaven and Earth will not so ravish them as this voice will do Now though they were the out-casts of the World Heaven gates shall be set wide open for their reception the King of glory will bid them come and welcome the Spirit and the Bride say come c. Come ye blessed of my Father the World hath cursed you but God hath blessed you yea and you shall be blessed Come ye and inherit a Kingdom I have heretofore told you of a Kingdom promised you a Kingdom you have often prayed for Lord let thy Kingdom come come now my dear Friends I am come to put you into the possession of that Kingdom I will make you all Kings and you shall reign with me for ever Great reason there is for us to think that God will take home all his People to himself with abundance of affection at the last day they are the Sons and Daughters of the Lord God Almighty and will not our heavenly Father receive all his Sons and Daughters to glory with a most
love every one of them as well as himself CHAP. XXV SECT I. Of the joy of glorified Saints what it is and to what it extendeth it self OUt of love floweth joy which openeth and enlargeth the heart upon the enjoyment of God and Glory the beatifick joy is as sublime supernatural and wonderful as the beatisick Vision of God and Love it self is for these are altogether equal and commensurate among themselves as well by intensive perfection as by eminency of nature or specifical perfection so much do the Saints love as they see and so much do they rejoyce as they love The chief object which delighteth the Saints is of infinite goodness beauty and sweetness comprehending in it self the goodness beauty and sweetness of all things and this joy of the Saints doth so far surpass all worldly joys which are taken in either by the sense or understanding as the Vision of God in Heaven doth excell all the knowledge we have here upon earth and as much as an infinite good doth exceed a finite good for that joy is infinitely greater and sweeter than all the joyes of this life I say infinitely so that although all the joyes of the world and all the delights of the senses which may be had in this life should be gathered together in one and should be augmented never so much yet could they never be equalled with the joyes of glorified Saints because this joy is of an higher kind viz. Divine and the sweetness of it is of a far other nature than the sweetness of earthly joyes This will the more evidently appear if we consider the eminency variety and stability of the good things in which the Saints in glory do rejoyce 1. First and above all things they do rejoyce in the intrinsecal good things of God which are infinitely abundant in him viz. because they see him to be of infinite power wisdom and goodness they see him to be eternal and incomprehensible they see him to be the Author of all things the end of all things the preserver of all things they see all good sweetness and blessedness most abundantly contained in him and their joy is the greater because they see him possess all these things after a most eminent manner for as they love God incomparably more than themselves so do they rejoyce more in those eminencies that are in him than in all their own blessedness If the joyes that the Saints have here in this vale of tears be many times unspeakable and far greater than all worldly joyes how incomparably greater then shall their joy be when it shall be said to every faithful Soul Enter thou into thy Masters joy Math. 25. Then they shall as it were enter into an ocean and abysse of joyes and therewith shall be compassed about on every side and dwell eternally in it 2. They shall rejoyce in all the extrinsecal good things of God They shall rejoyce in that glory which God hath from the perpetual praises benedictions and thanksgivings of all his Saints they shall rejoyce in that glory which accrueth to him from the salvation of his elect Children and from the torments of the wicked which they do and shall suffer in the Prison of Divine Justice to all eternity and all this joy of theirs ariseth from their love to God as when a Kings Son rejoyceth in the wisdom power riches and glory of his Father without having any respect at all to his own profit or honour but meerly out of love to his Father and for his Father's sake Of this joy Anselm thus speaketh so much as any one loveth another Quoniam quantum quisque diligit alterum tantum de bono ejus gaudet Anselm Proso log Ca. 25. so much he rejoyceth in his good and as in Heaven every one will incomparably love God more than himself and all others with himself so he will rejoyce more in the blessedness of God than in his own happiness and of all others with him As for their joy it shall be most full and abound a perpetual feast of marrow and fatness in God's presence is fullness of joy and at his right hand pleasures for evermore Psal 16.11 S. John saith That which we have seen and heard that we declare unto you that you also may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ and these things write we unto you that your joy may be full 1 Joh. 1.3 4. This seems to assure us that Christians in this life may have a fulness of joy through communion and fellowship with God the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ viz. a fulness of eminency not of perfection such a fulness of joy as surpasseth all sinful and worldly joyes such as overcometh all worldly losses and sorrows how much more in the life to come shall their full enjoyment of God cause in them an absolute and most perfect fulness of joy as much joy as their hearts can hold their hearts also being enlarged and made capable of abundance of joy unspeakable and full of glory they shall have joy then not that shall overcome all sorrow onely but they shall be altogether free from all mixtures of sorrow never a cloud of sadness or discontent shall ever in the least measure eclipse or darken their joy what are all our terrene joyes they are but as a dream to this fulness of joy that is in the presence of God in Heaven SECT II. MOreover besides this which is also unspeakable although inferiour to those beforementioned 1. They do rejoyce in their own happiness which as it is very great so shall their joyes be multiplied accordingly and first of all and above all they shall rejoyce in this that they are come to the sight and possession of God and are made partakers of his glory and blessedness for if mortal men in this life having found a great treasure or coming to possess a rich inheritance or having obtained a Kingdom they looked not for or some earthly and frail good which yet draweth a thousand cares with it and lasteth but a short time are so exceedingly affected with joy that they are not able to contain themselves and are even transported beyond themselves with an extasie of joy with what joy then think you shall the Saints be affected when they shall come to the possession of an infinite good which excludeth all sollicitude and wherein all riches all honours all dignities all beauty all sweetness and whatsoever the mind of man can desire is most abundantly contained and that which addeth to this joy is that they shall see the possession of this good to be most firm and sure and to abide for ever without any change or alteration therefore upon a double account their joy shall be incomparably greater than all the joyes of this world viz. because the good which they shall possess shall be infinitely greater and more sublime than all the good things of
which then they shall enjoy they shall never be afraid of losing God Christ Heaven Happiness but shall be secured to all eternity which is the Crown of this glorious liberty of the Children of God It is a sore thraldome to be perplexed with fears of losing our enjoyments it imbittereth all our joyes it is death to a worldling to think he must die and leave all his riches honours friends delights much more will it be a very Hell to the afflicted if they should be afflicted with the fears of losing Heaven but no such fears or thoughts shall at any time during eternity perplex the hearts of the Godly it casteth out all such fears they shall see it is impossible for them to lose what they do possess Notable is that phrase Luk. 16.26 Between us and you there is a great gulf fixed that if the glorified would get out of Heaven they cannot come to the damned and the damned cannot come out of Hell to Heaven God hath fast bolted the gates of Heaven and Hell with an everlasting decree CHAP. XXVIII Of the eternity of the glory of Heaven II. THe second adjunct of this glory is the perpetuity of it it shall be everlasting this is abundantly witnessed in the Scriptures I give to them eternal life saith Christ and they shall never perish Joh. 10.28 He that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life Joh. 5.24 To them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory honour and immortality eternal life Rom. 2.7 it is called eternal life eternal glory eternal salvation 2 Tim. 2.10 Hebr. 5.9 Hebr. 9.15 The Hebrews when they did speak of eternal life they would speak in the plural number 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vitae not vita lives not life implying eternity Quest Here it may be demanded how the blessedness of the Saints is made perpetual endless everlasting Adam was made perfect after the Image of God perfectly blessed perfectly holy and yet he fell both from holiness and happiness this blessed estate of his seemed to have been of very short continuance yea many of the Angels which were more excellent and glorious than man and had none to tempt them yet left their habitation and fell from this blessed estate how then cometh it to pass that the happiness of man shall be everlasting Resp For answer hereunto if I should say that they shall see God face to face and so shall be filled with God and so all occasions of sin and revolting from God shall be prevented and they shall be so abundantly satisfied in God and so invincibly strengthened and confirmed by God dwelling in them that nothing shall so far prevail over them as in the least degree to withdraw their affections from God I see not how this might suffice for doubtless the Angels that kept not their first estate did thus see and enjoy God yet they fell totally and finally Therefore the sole reason is the will of Almighty God his infinite goodness his eternal love toward them according to which he hath made a covenant of grace with them in his Son by his promise and oath assuring them of eternal life and this immutable will and love of God declared in the infallible truth of his gracious promise and covenant is a better and firmer assurance than the highest perfections and excellencies that any meer creature is capable of yea a child of God here on earth having the least measure of true grace mixt with many corruptions almost stifled with the body of death opposed discouraged discountenanced by a wicked and ungodly world assaulted by all the powers of darkness and with numberless temptations is in a safer condition for perseverance and is better assured to hold out to eternal life because of the verity of God's promise and the firmness of his covenant grounded upon the rock Christ-Jesus than one that were by creation perfectly upright and happy if his holiness and happiness were only in his own keeping and not established upon this everlasting foundation the will of God and the infallibility of his promise This being the cause we may also conceive divers holy ends for which as he doth preserve every child of his by his effectual working power unto salvation so having brought them thither he will for ever preserve them in his Heavenly Kingdom As I. That he may have some of the lost seed of Adam to be everlasting Monuments of his rich grace who to all eternity shall be real demonstrations of his infinite love and unspeakable mercy and goodness in redeeming justifying sanctifying cleansing and preserving them II. That he may be to eternity praised for his glorious victories over all his enemies that when the Devil and his Angels have used the utmost of their craft might and malice when the hands of the world have been hot and smoking with the blood of the Saints and their hearts sick with blasphemy and malice against Christ and his followers when sin hath thrown out its most deadly poyson or when death hath been devouring Man-kind so many ages yet shall the Almighty power of God be so prevalent over all as to make and everlastingly to keep his elect in a blessed state and he in them and they with him shall celebrate an eternal and most glorious triumph in the Kingdom of Heaven III. That Jesus Christ may be eternally honoured as a Redeemer God the Father will have the fruit of his Son's purchase to be perpetual and everlasting he will magnifie the infinite value of that price which Christ hath paid the infinite vertue of that blood which Christ shed for the redemption of lost souls by establishing his ransomed ones in everlasting happiness therefore it is said He shall come to be glorified in his Saints and admired in all them that do believe 2 Thes 1.10 Christ is now very admirable and glorious in the hearts of his redeemed ones who are illightened with saving knowledge who have an experimental taste in themselves of the efficacy of his blood and the fruit of that redemption which he hath wrought But oh how admirable and glorious shall he then appear when they shall enjoy the fulness of his redemption in an unchangeable state of blessedness for evermore IV. That he may have everlasting objects of his love to whom he may communicate his goodness sweetness fulness whom he may enrich with the treasures of his Kingdom feast with his love beautifie with his salvation and adorn with the brightness of his glory for ever and this is that wherein the infinite goodness of God delighteth even to give forth and to communicate it self such is his blessedness and perfection that it is beyond all possibility of addition he can receive nothing from any but delighteth to give and communicate and as he is an everlasting fountain of blessedness so he will have everlasting vessels of honour into whom fulness of blessedness may stream and