the strength of sin, the law; and obtain a blessed life and immortality for us. O unexampled love! Greater love hath no man than this, to lay down his life for his friend: and what is the life of a sinful man, a vanishing vapor, a life mixed with troubles and vexation? And to lay down this for a friend deservedly dear, is the highest expression of human love: but for the Son of God to lay down his life, a life without sin, and without end, (for immortality was a privilege due to his innocence) and for enemies, for the worst enemies, rebels by revolture from obedience to their creator and king, is a love truly divine, and infinitely surpassing not only the affections, but the understanding and knowledge of all creatures, Ephes. 3. Briefly; he gave his life for us, and gives himself to us, the most excellent testimonies of love that we can receive from love itself; and we shall love him with all the strength of our glorified spirits.

CHAPTER V.

Union with God by knowledge and love, causes the perfection and felicity of the saints. That union briefly unfolded. The pleasure that springs from knowledge. In heaven, the knowledge of the saints incomparably excels the knowledge acquired here. The felicity that flows from the enjoyment of God, that fully satisfies the love of the saints. The blessed communion between the saints and Christ in heaven. The love of the saints is most fully pleased in the glory of God.

Union with God by knowledge and love, accomplishes the perfection and happiness of the saints. The most pernicious ef fect of sin is the separation of the soul from God; and the restoral of us to happiness, is by reunion with him. This we obtain by Christ, who is Emanuel in his nature, and by office; who took our flesh, which he offered as a sacrifice to God to atone his displeasure, and gives "his spirit to dwell in us," as a permanent active principle, by whose special operation faith is produced in our hearts; that is, such a belief of his love in redeeming us, as inspires us with a sincere and superlative love to him: and by these vital bands we are united to him, and, as his true members, live the same life with him in grace and glory.

Now in heaven, our union with God is more near and noble, more intimate and influential, more inseparable and eternal. It is observable in natural causalities, that what is of a more refined and purer nature, is more active and penetrating, and more

closely unites with other things, than what is more gross and material. Light, which is the purest quality in the world, actuates all colors, and makes them visible, and actuates the eye, and conveys the lively image of the object with shining evidence into it. The sun shoots its invisible virtue into the deepest mines. Fire is more subtile and pure than water, and will pierce into solid metals, which the water cannot soak into. The glowing iron seems to be all fire. Now God is the purest spirit, and of infinite energy, and can unite himself to our spirits more intimately than the closest union between any creatures in the world. He unites himself to the understanding, by an immediate irradiation and discovery of his glorious excellencies; "In thy light," saith the Psalmist, "we shall see light." He unites himself to the will, by the infusion of his love, and by that drawing forth our love to him. This union is coraplete in heaven, and most communicative of the divine influences to the saints; and consequently their conformity and fruition of God, is in the highest degrees that created spirits are capable of. This is the most desirable and perfect state of reasonable creatures; for God is the overflowing fountain of felicity, the only stable centre of the soul, wherein it reposes itself forever. Accordingly the Psalmist speaks, "Return to thy rest, O my soul, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee."

When the soul opens its eyes to the clear discoveries of the first truth, in which is no shadow of error, and its breast to the dear and intimate embraces of the supreme good, in which is no mixture of evil, and beyond which nothing remains to be known, nothing to be enjoyed, what a deluge of the purest and sweetest pleasure will overthrow it? We cannot ascend in our thoughts so high, as to conceive the excess of joy that attends those operations of the glorified soul upon its proper object. But something we may conjecture.

Those who are possessed with a noble passion for knowledge, how do they despise all lower pleasures in comparison of it?" How do they forget themselves, neglect the body, and retire into the mind, the highest part of man, and nearest to God? The bare apprehension of such things that by their internal nature have no attractive influence upon the affections, is pleasant to the understanding. As the appearance of light, though not attended with any other visible beauties, refreshes the eye after long darkness: so the clear discovery of truths, how abstract soever, that were before unknown, is grateful to the intellective faculty. Thus some have been strangely transported with the pleasure of a mathematical demonstration, when the evidence, not the importance, of the thing was so ravishing; for what is more dry and barren of delight than the speculation of figures and numbers? Solon when near his end, and some of his friends that visited him were speaking softly of a point of philosophy,

by that sound of wisdom was awakened from the sleep of death that was just seizing on him; and opening his eyes, raising his head to give attention, being asked the reason of it, answered,* "That when I understand what you are discoursing of, I may die." Such was his delight in knowledge, that a little of it made his agony insensible.

But here are many imperfections that lessen this intellectual pleasure, which shall cease in heaven. Here the acquisition of knowledge is often with the expense of health: the flower of the spirits, necessary for natural operations, is wasted by intense thoughts. How often are the learned sickly? As the flint when it is struck, gives not a spark without consuming itself; so knowledge is obtained by studies that waste our faint sensitive faculties. But then our knowledge shall be a free emanation from the spring of truth, without our labor and pains. Here we learn by circuit, and discern by comparing things; ignorant darkness is dispelled by gradual succession of light: but then perfect knowledge shall be infused in a moment. Here, after all our labor and toil, how little knowledge do we gain? Every question is a labyrinth, out of which the nimblest and most searching minds cannot extricate themselves. How many specious errors impose upon our understandings? We look on things by false lights, through deceiving spectacles: but then our knowledge shall be certain and complete. There is no forbidden tree in the celestial Paradise, as no inordinate affection. But suppose that all things in the compass of the world were known, yet still there would be emptiness and anguish in the mind: for the most comprehensive knowledge of things that are insufficient to make us happy, cannot afford true satisfaction. But then we shall see God in all his excellencies, the supreme object and end, the only felicity of the soul. How will the sight of his glorious perfections in the first moment quench our extreme thirst, and fill us with joy and admiration! It is not as the naked conception of treasures, that only makes rich in idea but that divine sight gives a real interest in him. The angels are so ravished with the beauties and wonders of his face, that they never divert a moment from the contemplation of it.

[2.] The pure love of the saints to God, is fully satisfied in the possession and enjoyment of him, and consequently the greatest delight and complacency is shed abroad in their hearts. Love considered as an affection of friendship, is always attended with two desires; to be assured of reciprocal love, and to enjoy the conversation of the person beloved, the testimony of his esteem and good will. This kind of † affection seems to be incon

*Ut cum istud quicquid est de quo disputatis percepero, moriar. Val. Max.

† Aristotle.

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sistent with that infinite distance that is between God and the creature. But though it is disproportionable to the divine majesty, it is proportionable to his goodness. Accordingly our Saviour promises, "He that loves me, shall be loved of my father, and I will love him, and manifest myself unto him :" and to confirm our belief of this astonishing condescension, repeats it, "If a man love me, my Father will love him, and we will come to him, and make our abode with him." In the present state, the signs of God's special favor are exhibited to his friends. Now he bestows on them the honor of being his sons, the graces and comforts of his spirit, precious earnest of his love," and seal of their redemption." But in eminency of degrees, the emanations of his love, and the effects of his beneficence, are incomparably more glorious in heaven. Here the saints are adopted, there crowned: there he opens all the bright treasures of his wisdom, the riches of his goodness, the beauties of holiness, the glories of his power, and by the intimate application of his presence makes his love most sensible to them. Infinite goodness excites and draws forth all the powers of the soul, and fills the utmost capacity and expansion of the spirit: from hence perpetual pleasure and satisfaction springs. O the pure delights between God and glorified souls! God looks on them with an engaged eye, as his own by many dear titles, and is ravished with the reflex of his own excellencies shining in them. "As the bridegroom rejoices over the bride (it is the language of divine love) so their God rejoices over them. The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy he will rest in his loves; he will rejoice over thee with singing." He is infinitely delighted in the communication of his goodness to them. And what a blessed rest do they find in the complete fruition of his goodness! All their desires quietly expire in his bosom. What triumphs of joy follow! Can we frame a fuller conception of happiness, than to be perfectly loved by the best and most blessed being, and perfectly to love him, and to partake of the richest emanations of his loving-kindness, that is far more valuable and desirable than life itself?

How precious and joyful will the presence of Christ be to the saints! it was his prayer on earth "Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory." When the saints are received into the everlasting kingdom, the first object that draws their admiring regards, is Christ on the throne. Inestimable felicity! whether we consider him as the Son of God, in whose conspicuous countenance all the glory of his Father shines; or as the Saviour of men, and the head of the elect, upon a double account: partly, that "he that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his blood," after suffering all indignities and cruelties for our sake, has re

ceived the reward of his meritorious sufferings, the triumph of his victory, being "glorified with the Father, with the glory he had before the world was;" and partly, because every member shall be conformed to him in glory. The sight of the face of Moses when radiant, had no transforming efficacy, for the light of it was not in him as its spring, but by derivation. But the Son of God is light essentially, and the sight of his glory will transform us into his likeness. And how dear and joyful is the presence of the saints to Christ? "He then sees of the travail of his soul, the fruit of his sharp sufferings and bleeding love, and is satisfied." How delightful is it to him to see all his spiritual progeny safely brought to heaven, and made partakers of his glory and joy in his everlasting kingdom? For according to the extent of the object, and dearness of the affection, joy rises. He will then present them to his father with infinite complacency; "Behold here am I, and the children whom thou hast given me."

The dearest affections of Christ and the saints in heaven, are mutual and reflexive. In the sacred song, the expressions of love, desire and joy, borrowed from the espousals of Solomon and his beloved wife, are as it were characters in the dark, to be understood in a spiritual sense, of the mystical marriage of Christ and the church. What endearing intercourse is there between the most perfect lover, and his spouse, inspired with the same pure flame? Here amiable perfections attract his eye and heart Thou art all fair my love, there is no spot in thee, Cant. 7. His propriety in the church is his unvaluable treasure: "My vineyard which is mine, is ever before me." He repeats the word mine, in the sweetest and most tender manner. And the church, with the same harmonious affections, speaks of Christ. She contemplates in a soft extasy his ever-satisfying beauty. My beloved is the chiefest of ten thousand, he is altogether lovely, Cant. 10. 16. She breaks forth in triumph, My beloved is mine, and I am his, Cant. 6. By all their expressions of joyful love and union, we may ascend in our thoughts, what are the joys of heaven, where the communion of Christ and the church is entire and uninterrupted forever. If faith and love of our unseen Saviour produce "a joy unspeakable and glorious," as if believers were wrapt up to Paradise, or Paradise descended into them, what will the sight and fruition of him? There is as great a difference in degrees between the joy that flows from the assurance and application of faith, and the joy from vision and full possession, as between the impression of joy the forerunner of Christ felt, when he sprang in the womb at the coming of our Saviour; and his ravishing joy, when he saw Christ, and pointed him out to his disciples, "Behold the Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world."

[3.] The supreme joy of the saints is for the felicity and glory