hard, that till their extremities he is not moved with compassion, but for wise and holy reasons: either "that they may not return to folly," if by any presumptuous sin they forfeited their peace; or if they have been careful to please him, yet he may deprive them of spiritual comforts for a time, to keep them humble, and that with an obedient resignation to his sovereign pleasure they may wait for his reviving presence. And then joy returns greater than before: for thus God usually renders with interest, what he suspended only for trial. But the saints above are forever enlightened with the vital splendor, and dear regards of his countenance, always enjoy his beamy smiles. A continual effusion of glory illustrates heaven and all its blessed inhabitants.

And their contemplation of God is fixed. If the object, though extraordinarily glorious, were transient, or the eye so weak, that it could only see it but by glances, the height of joy would not be perpetual. But the mind is prepared with supernatural vigor, to see the brightness of God's face, and by the most attentive application always converses with that blessed object: so that the joy of heaven is never intermitted for a moment. They always see, and love, and rejoice, and praise him.

It is possible a carnal suspicion may arise in some, as if the uniform perpetual vision of the same glory might lose its perfect delightfulness. For those who seek for happiness in the vanity of the creatures, are always desirous of change, and have their judgments so corrupted, that while they languish with a secret desire after an unchangeable God, yet they conceive no God as desirable, that is not changed.

But to correct this gross error of fancy, let us a little inquire into the causes of dissatisfaction, that make the constant fruition of the same thing here to be tedious.

1. Sensible things are of such a limited goodness, that not any of them can supply all our present wants, so that it is necessary to leave one for another. And the most of them are remedies of our diseased appetites, and if not temperately used, are destructive evils. Eating and drinking are to extinguish hunger and thirst, but continued beyond just measure, become nauseous. Besides the insufficiency of their objects, the senses themselves cannot be satisfied all at once. The ear cannot attend to delightful sounds, and the eye be intent on beautiful colors at the same time. The satisfaction of one sense defeats another of enjoying its proper good; therefore the same object is not constantly pleasant, but the heart is distempered from as many causes, as there are desires accomplished. And farther, all things under the sun afford only a superficial delight, and miserably deceive the expectations raised of them: and many times there is a mixture of some evil in them, that is more offensive than the good is delightful. The honey is attended with a sting, so that often those very things we sigh after through vehement desire, when

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they are obtained, we sigh for grief. Now all these causes of dissatisfaction cease in heaven; *for there is an infinite variety in God, and whatever is truly desirable, is eminently enjoyed in him. And in his presence all the powers of the soul are drawn out in their most pleasant exercise, always enjoy their entire happiness. The fruition of him exceeds our most raised hopes, as much as he is more glorious in himself, than in any borrowed representations. God will be to us incomparably "above what we can ask or think." The compass of our thoughts, the depth of our desires are imperfect measures of his perfections. And as he is a pure good in himself, so he is prevalent over all evil. It is evident therefore, that nothing can allay the joys of saints, when they are in God's presence.

2. Novelty is not requisite to ingratiate every good, and make it perfectly delightful. God is infinitely happy, to whom no good was ever new. It is indeed the sauce that gives a delicious taste to inferior things. For men relish only what is eminent; and the good things of this world are so truly mean, that they are fain to borrow a shew of greatness, by comparison with a worse estate preceding. But an infinite good produces always the same pure, equal, complete joy, because it arises from its intrinsic perfection, that wants no foil to command it. The Psalmist breaks forth, "Whom have I in heaven but thee?" This is no vanishing rapture, but a constant joyful height of affection. God, the essential happiness of the saints, is always perfectly lovely and delightful to them.

3. The glorified saints in every period of their happy state, have as lively a perception of it as in the beginning. To make this evident, we must consider that the pleasure of novelty springs from a quick sense of the opposite terms, between our condition in the want of some desired good, and after obtaining it. Now the mind is more intense on the advantage, and more strongly affected at first. One newly freed from the torments of a sharp disease, feels a greater pleasure than from a constant tenor of health. Those who are raised from a low state to eminent dignity, are transported with their first change; but in tract of time, the remembrance of their mean condition is so weakened and spent, that it is like the shadow of a dream, and proportionably their joy is lessened. Honors, like perfumes, by custom, are less sensible to those that carry them. But the saints above always consider and feel the excellent difference between

* Vitæ nos tædium tenet timor mortis, natat omne consilium, nec implere nos ulla fælicitas potest. Causa autem est, quod non pervenimus ad illud bonum immensum et insuperabile, ubi necesse est, consistat nobis voluntas nostra, quia ultra summum non est locus. Senec. Ép. 74.

† Ει η φύσις απλη εἴη, η αυτή πράξις η δίκη ἐξαι. Διο ο Θεός αἰει μίαν καὶ αἱ πλην χαίρει η δονην. Arist. Eth. 1. 7. c. ult.

their suffering and triumphant state. They never lose that ravishing part of felicity, the vivid sense of past evils. Their reflections are always as strong on the misery from whence they were raised to the pitch of happiness, as in their first glorious translation. In what an extasy of wonder and pleasure will they be, from the fresh memory of what they were, and the joyful sense of what they are? I was (says the admiring soul) poor, blind, and naked; but, O miraculous and happy alteration! I am full of light, enriched with the treasures of heaven, adorned with divine glory. I was under the tyrannous power of Satan, "but he is bruised under my feet." I was sentenced to an everlasting separation from the presence of God, my only life and joy; but now am possessed of my supreme good. O how transporting is the comparison of these wide and contrary extremes? How beautiful and pleasant is the day of eternity, after such a dark tempestuous night! How does the remembrance of such evils produce a more lively and feeling fruition of such happiness! How strangely and mightily does salvation with eternal glory affect the soul! This gives a sprightly accent to their everlasting hallelujahs: this preserves an affectionate heat in their thanksgivings to their victorious deliverer. And thus their happiness is always the same, and always new. Their pleasure is continued in its perfection.

CHAPTER VII.

The number of possessors of heaven cannot lessen its felicity. The blessedness of the saints is without end. In the first creation, the happiness of angels and men was mutable. The happiness in heaven as unchangeable as the love of God to the saints, and the love of the saints to him. The woful folly of men in refusing such a happiness. An excitation to seek this happiness. The original moving cause of conferring this happiness, is the mercy of God: the meritorious cause, is the obedience and passion of Christ. It is impossible for an innocent creature, much more for the fallen creature, to deserve any good thing from God. Our Saviour expiated the guilt of sin, and by the merits of his obedience purchased the kingdom of heaven for believers.

The number of possessors cannot lessen their felicity. The divine presence is an unwasted spring of pleasure, equally full and open to all, and abundantly sufficient to satisfy the immensity of their desires. Envy reigns in this world, because earthly things are so imperfect in their nature, and so peculiar in their possession, that they cannot suffice, nor be enjoyed by all.

But

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