§ 13. Nor hath joy the least share in this fruition.It is that, which all the former lead to, and conclude in; even the inconceivable complacency which the blessed feel in their seeing, knowing, loving, and being beloved of God. This is the "white stone which no man knoweth, saving he that receiveth it." Surely this is the joy which "a stranger doth not intermeddle with." All Christ's ways of mercy tend to an end in the saint's joys. He wept, sorrowed, suffered, that they might rejoice; he sendeth the Spirit to be their Comforter; he multiplies promises; he discovers their future happiness, "that their joy may be full." He opens to them the fountain of "living waters," that they may "thirst no more," and that it may "spring up in them to everlasting life." "He chastens them, that he may give them rest." He makes it their duty to "rejoice in him alway," and again, he commands them to "rejoice." He never brings them into so low a condition, wherein he does not leave them more cause of joy than sorrow. And hath not the Lord such a care of our comfort here? O what will that joy be, where the soul being perfectly prepared for joy, and joy prepared by Christ for the soul, it shall be our work, our business, eternally to rejoice! It seems the saint's joy shall be greater than the damned's torment; for their torment is the torment of creatures, "prepared for the devil and his angels;" but our joy is "the joy of our Lord." "The" same "glory which the Father gave the Son, the Son hath given them, to sit with him in his throne, even as he is set down with his Father in his throne." Thou, poor soul, who prayest for joy, waitest for joy, complainest for want of joy, longest for joy; thou then shalt have full joy, as much as thou canst hold, and more than ever thou thoughtest of, or thy heart desired. In the mean time walk carefully, watch constantly, and then let God measure out to thee thy times and degrees of joy. It may be he keeps them till thou hast more need. Thou hadst better lose thy comfort than thy safety. If thou shouldst die full of fears and sorrows, it will be but a moment, and they are all gone, and concluded in joy inconceiv able. As "the joy of the hypocrite," so the fears of the upright are but for a moment. God's anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life; weeping may

endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." O blessed morning! Poor, humble, drooping soul, how would it fill thee with joy now, if a voice from heaven should tell thee of the love of God, the pardon of thy sins, and assure thee of thy part in these joys? What then will thy joy be, when thy actual possession shall convince thee of thy title, and thou shalt be in heaven before thou art well aware?

§ 14. And it is not thy_joy only; it is a mutual joy as well as mutual love. Is there joy in heaven at thy conversion, and will there be none at thy glorification? Will not the angels welcome thee thither, and congratulate thy safe arrival? Yea, it is the joy of Jesus Christ; for now he hath the end of his undertaking, labor, suffering, dying, when we have our joys; "when he is glorified in his saints, and admired in all them that believe;" when "he sees of the travail of his soul, and is satisfied." This is Christ's harvest, when he shall reap the fruit of his labors, and it will not repent him concerning his sufferings, but he will rejoice over his purchased inheritance, and his people will rejoice in him. Yea, the Father hitnself puts on joy too in our joy. As we "grieve his Spirit," and "weary him with our iniquities;" so is he rejoiced in our good. O how quickly does he now spy a returning prodigal, even "afar off!" How does he "run and meet him!" and with what "compassion" does he "fall on his neck and kiss him; and put on him the best robe, and a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet, and kills the fatted calf to eat and be merry!" This is indeed a happy meeting; but nothing to the embracing and joy of that last and great meeting. Yea, more; as God doth mutually love and joy, so he makes this His rest, as it is our rest. What an eternal Sabbatism, when the work of redemption, sanctification, preservation, glorification, is all finished, and perfected for ever! "The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; He will save thee, He will joy over thee with singing." Well may we then rejoice in our God with joy, and rest in our love, and joy in him with singing.

§ 15. Alas! my fearful heart scarce dares proceed. Methinks I hear the Almighty's voice saying to me, "Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?" But pardon thy servant, O Lord. I have not pried into unrevealed things. I bewail that my apprehensions are so dull, my thoughts so mean, my affections so stupid, and my expressions so low, and unbeseeming such a glory. " have" only “heard by the hearing of the ear:" O let thy servant "see thee," and possess these joys; and then shall I have more suitable conceptions, and shall give thee fuller glory; I shall abhor my present self, and disclaim and renounce all these imperfections. "I have uttered that I understood not, things too wonderful for me, which I knew not. Yet "I believed, and therefore have I spoken." What, Lord, canst thou expect from dust, but levity? or from corruption but defilement? Though the weakness and irreverence be the fruit of my own corruption, yet the fire is from thine altar, and the work of thy commanding. I looked not into thy ark, nor put forth my hand unto it, without thee. Wash away these stains" also "in the blood of the Lamb." Imperfect, or none, must be thy service here. O take thy Son's excuse, "the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."

CHAPTER II.

The Great Preparatives to the Saint's Rest.

§ 1. The happiness of Christians in having a way open into paradise. There are four things which principally prepare the way to enter into it; § 2, 3, particularly, (1.) The glorious appearing of Christ; § 4. (2.) The general resurrection; § 5-8. (3.) The last judgment; § 9, 10, and, (4.) The saint's coronation; § 11. Transition to the subject of the next chapter.

§ 1. THE passage of paradise is not now so blocked up, as when the law and curse reigned. Wherefore finding, beloved Christians, "a new and living way consecrated for us through the veil, that is to say, the

flesh of Christ, by which" we may with "boldness, enter into the holiest," I shall "draw near with fuller assurance:" And finding the "flaming sword" removed, shall look again into the paradise of our God: And because I know that this is no "forbidden fruit," and withal that "it is good for food, and pleasant to the" spiritual "eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one” truly "wise" and happy: I shall, through the assistance of the Spirit, "take and eat thereof' myself, and give to you, according to my power, that you may eat. The porch of this temple is exceedingly glorious, "and the gate of it is called Beautiful." Here are four things as the four corners of this porch. Here is the most glorious coming and appearance of the Son of God; that great work of Jesus Christ in raising our bodies from the dust, and uniting them again to the soul; the public and solemn process at their judgment, where they shall first themselves be acquitted and justified, and then with Christ judge the world; together with their solemn coronation, and receiving the kingdom.

§ 2. (1.) The most glorious coming and appearance of the Son of God may well be reckoned into his people's glory. For their sake he came into the world, suffered, died, rose, ascended, and for their sake it is that he will return. To this end "will Christ come again to receive his people unto himself, that where he is, there they may be also." The bridegroom's departure was not upon divorce. He did not leave us with a purpose to return no more. He hath left pledges enough to assure us of the contrary. We have his word, his many promises, his sacraments, which "showeth forth his death till he come;" and his spirit, to direct, sanctify and comfort, till he return. We have frequent tokens of love from him, to show us, he forgets not his promise nor us. We daily behold the forerunners of his coming foretold by himself. We see "the fig tree putteth forth leaves," and therefore "know that summer is nigh." Though the riotous world "say, my Lord delayeth his coming;" yet let the saints "lift up their heads, for their redemption draweth nigh." Alas, fellow Christians, what should we do if our Lord should not return? what a case are we left in? What! leave us "in the midst of wolves," and "among lions, a generation of vipers," and here forget us? Did he buy

us so dear and then leave us sinning, suffering, groaning, dying daily, and will he come no more to us? It cannot be. This is like our unkind dealing with Christ, who, when we feel ourselves warm in the world, care not for coming to him: But this is not like Christ's dealing with us. He that would come to suffer will sure. ly come to triumph. He that would come to purchase, will surely come to possess. Where else were all our hopes? What were become of our faith, our prayers, our tears, and our waiting? What were all the patience of the saints worth to them? Were we not left "of all men most miserable?" Christians, hath Christ made us forsake all the world, and be forsaken of all the world? to hate all, and be hated of all? and all this for him, that we might have him, instead of all? And will he, think you, after all this, forget us and forsake us himself? Far be such a thought from our hearts! But why staid he not with his people while he was here? Why? Was not the work on earth done? Must he not take possession of glory in our behalf? Must he not intercede with the Father, plead his sufferings, be filled with the Spirit to send forth, receive authority, and subdue his enemies? Our abode here is short. If he had staid on earth, what would it have been to enjoy him for a few days, and then die? He hath more in heaven to dwell among; even the spirits of many generations. He will have us live by faith, and not by sight.

was,

§ 3. O fellow christians, what a day will that be, when we, who have been kept prisoners by sin, by sinners, by the grave, shall be fetched out by the Lord himself? It will not be such a coming as his first in poverty and contempt, to be spit upon, and buffetted, and crucified again! He will not come, careless world, to be slighted and neglected by you any more. Yet that coming wanted not its glory. If "the heavenly host," for the celebration of his nativity, must "praise God," with what shoutings will angels and Saints "at that day" proclaim "glory to God, peace and good will towards men?" If a star must lead men from remote parts of the world "to come to worship" a child in a manger; how will the glory of his next appearing constrain all the world to acknowledge his sovereignty? If, "riding on an ass,”