shall be freed from all infernal torments: "Jesus hath delivered us from the wrath to come." A prison is not made for the king's children. Christ drank that bitter cup of God's wrath, that the saints might never drink it.

but you cannot enter into them; but you may | ever:" but, in the heavenly kingdom, the elect enter into the joys of heaven, "enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." The soul shall be satisfied while it bathes in those rivers of pleasure at God's right hand; "I shall be satisfied, when I awake with thy likeness," Ps. xvii. 15. Thus you see what the kingdom of glory implies; namely, a blessed freedom from all evil.

13. We shall in the kingdom of heaven, be freed from the torments of hell, 1 Thess. i. 10, "Jesus which delivered us from the wrath to come."

(1). The multiplicity of these torments. In this life, the body is usually exercised but with one pain, the stone or head-ach; but in hell there is a diversity of torments, there is darkness to affright,-fire to burn, a lake of sulphur to choke,-chains to bind, -the worm to gnaw.

(2). The torments of hell will seize upon every part of the body and soul; the eye shall be tortured with the sight of devils; the tongue that hath sworn so many oaths shall be tortured, Luke xvi. 24, “Send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue." The memory shall be tormented to remember what mercies have been abused, what seasons of grace neglected; the conscience shall be tormented with selfaccusations.

A. 2. In the kingdom of heaven there is a glorious fruition of all good. Had I as many tongues as hairs on my head, I could not fully describe this. I may say, as Judges xviii. 9, 10. Heaven is called "the excellent glory," 2 Pet. i. 17. I may as well span the firmament, or drain the ocean, as set forth the glory of this kingdom. Cœlum non habit hyperbolum; the kingdom of heaven is above all hyperbole. Were the sun ten thousand times brighter than it is, it could not parallel the lustre of this kingdom; Apelles' pencil would blot, angels' tongues would lessen it; I can but give you the skiagraphia, or dark shadow of it; expect not to see it in all its orient colours, till you are mounted above the stars. But let us not stand afar off, as Moses, to behold this Canaan, but enter into it, and taste the honey. Concerning the fruitions and privileges of this heavenly kingdom,

1. We shall have an immediate communion with God himself, who is the inexhausted sea of all happiness; this divines call the beatifical vision.' The Psalmist did triumph in that enjoyment he had of God (3). In the pains of hell there is no miti-in this life, Ps. lxxiii. 25, "Whom have I gation, no mixture of mercy. In this life, in heaven but thee?" If God, enjoyed by God in anger remembers mercy, Hab. iii. 2; faith, doth give so much comfort to the but in hell there is no alleviation or lessening soul; how much more, when he is enjoyed of the pains. As in the sacrifice of jealousy, by immediate vision! Here we see God but Numb. v. 15, God would have no oil or frank-darkly through the glass of ordinances, but, incense put into it: so in hell there is no oil in the kingdom of heaven we shall see him of mercy to lenify the sufferings of the damn-"face to face," 1 Cor. xiii. 12. We shall ed, no incense of prayer to appease God's wrath.

(4). In the pains of hell there is no intermission. The poets feign of Endymion, that he got leave of Jupiter always to sleep. What would the damned in hell give for one hour's sleep? Rev. iv. 8, "They rest not day and night." They are perpetually on the rack.

(5). In the pains of hell there is no expiration; they must always lie scorching in flames of wrath, Rev. xiv. 11, "The smoke of their torment ascended up for ever and

have an intellectual sight of God, i. e. we shall see him with the eyes of our mind; we shall know God as much as the angels in heaven do, Matt. xviii. 10, and 1 Cor. xiii. 12, We shall know as we are known. We shall have a full knowledge of God, though not know him fully; as a vessel in the sea, is full of the sea, though it holds not all the sea. To see and enjoy God will be most delicious; in God are beams of majesty, and bowels of mercy. God hath all excellencies concentered in him, bonum in quo omnia bona.

If one flower should have the sweetness of all flowers, how sweet would that flower be! All the beauty and sweetness which lies scattered in the creature, is infinitely. to be found in God; therefore, to see and enjoy him, will ravish the soul with delight. We shall so see God as to love him, and be made sensible of his love; and, when we shall have this sweet communion with God, then God shall be "all in all," 1 Cor. xv. 28, light to the eye, manna to the taste, music to the ear.

rious workmanship shines in the angels; the angels are beautiful, glorious creatures; and as the several strings in a lute make the harmony sweeter, and the several stars make the firmament brighter, so the society with angels will make the delight of heaven the greater; and we shall not only see the angels with the glorified eye of our understanding, but converse with them.

4. We shall, in the kingdom of heaven, have sweet society with glorified saints; then the communion of saints will be illustrious. O what a blessed time will it be when those who have prayed, wept, suffered together, shall rejoice together! We shall see the saints in their white linen of purity, and see them as so many crowned kings; in beholding the saints glorified, we shall behold a heaven full of suns. Some move the question, whether we shall know one another in heaven? Surely our knowledge shall not be diminished, but increased. It is the judgment of Luther and Anselm, and many other divines, that we shall

2. We shall, in the kingdom of heaven, with these eyes, see the glorified body of Jesus Christ. This our Saviour makes a great part of the glory of heaven, to view the glory of his human nature, John xvii. 24, "That they may behold my glory." When Christ was transfigured upon earth, it is said, "that his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light," Matt. xvii. 2. If the glory of his transfiguration was so great, what will the glory of his exaltation be? Much of the glory of God shines in Christ, by virtue of the hypostatical union, Col. ii. 9, “In him dwell-know one another,―yea, the saints of all ages eth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily." whose faces we never saw; and, when we Through Christ's humanity, as through a shall see the saints in glory without their bright mirror, we may see some beams of the spots, viz. their infirmities, pride and passion, Divine Majesty shine forth. Put a back of this will be a glorious sight. We see how Pesteel to a glass, and you may see a face in it: ter was transported when he saw but two proChrist's human nature is as a back of steel phets in the transfiguration, Matt. xvii. 3; but, put to the divine nature; through this we what a blessed sight will it be when we shall may see God; and then our capacities shall see such a glorious company of prophets, and be enlarged to a wonderful degree, to receive martyrs, and holy men of God! How sweet this glorious object; and we shall not only will the music be, when they shall all sing see God's glory, but some of his glory shall together in concert, in the heavenly choir! be put upon us. Non tantum aderit gloria, | And though, in this great assembly of saints sed inherit, BERN. A beggar may behold and angels, "one star may differ from anthe glory of a king, and not be the happier; other in glory," yet no such weed as envy but Christ's glory shall be ours, "we shall be shall ever grow in the paradise of God; then like him," 1 John iii. 2. We shall shine by there shall be perfect love, which, as it casts out fear, so also envy; though one vessel of glory may hold more than another, yet every vessel shall be full.

his beams.

3. We shall, in the kingdom of heaven, enjoy the society of an innumerable company of angels,' Heb. xii. 22.

QUEST. But is there not enough in God to fill the soul with delight? Can the sight of angels add to the soul's happiness? What need is there of the light of torches, when

the sun shines?

ANS. Because the divine essence, the sight of angels is desirable; much of God's cu

death to life! What joy, when they are as vii. 5, "We were troubled on every side:" holy as they would be, and as God would have like a ship on the sea having the waves beating them to be! What joy to hear the music of on both sides: but in the kingdom of heaven angels, to see the golden banner of Christ's there is rest, Heb. iv. 9. How welcome is rest love displayed over the soul,-to be drinking to a weary traveller! When death cuts asunthat water of life which is quintessential, and der the string of the body, the soul, as a dove, is sweeter than all nectar and ambrosia! flies away, and is at rest. This rest is when What joy when the saints shall see Christ the saints shall lie on Christ's bosom, that clothed in their flesh, sitting in glory above hive of sweetness, that bed of perfume. the angels! Then they shall enter into the 8. The saints shall, in the kingdom of joy of their Lord, Matt. xxv. 21. Here joy heaven, have their bodies richly bespangled enters into the saints, in heaven, 'they enter with glory; they shall be full of clarity and into joy.' O thou saint of God who now brightness. As Moses's face shined that Ishangest thy harp upon the willows, and min-rael were not able to behold the glory, Exod. glest thy drink with weeping, in the kingdom xxxiv. 30. The bodies of the saints shall of heaven thy water shall be turned into wine; shine seven times brighter than the sun, you shall have so much felicity, that your saith Chrysostom; they shall have such a souls cannot wish for more! The sea is not resplendency of beauty on them, that the so full of water, as the heart of a glorified angels shall fall in love with them; and no saint is of joy; there can be no more sorrow wonder, for they shall be made like Christ's in heaven than there is joy in hell. glorious body, Phil. iii. 21. The bodies of saints glorified need no jewels, when they shall shine like Christ's body.

9. In the heavenly kingdom is eternity; 'tis an eternal fruition, they shall never be put out of the throne, Rev. xxii. 5, “They shall reign for ever and ever." It is called

6. In heaven there is honour and dignity put upon the saints. A kingdom imports honour. All that come into heaven are kings; they have, 1. A crown, Rev. ii. 10. Dabi tibi, the crown of life; corona est insigne regiæ potestatis. This crown is not lined with thorns, but hung with jewels; it" the everlasting kingdom," 2 Pet. i. 11, and is a never-fading crown, 1 Pet. v. 4.-2. The "an eternal weight of glory," 2 Cor. iv. 17. saints in heaven have their robes; they ex-The flowers of paradise, of which the saints' change their sackcloth for white robes, Rev. vii. 9, "I beheld, and lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, clothed in white robes!" Robes signify their glory, white their sanctity.—And, 3. They sit with Christ upon the throne, Rev. iii. 21. We read, 1 Kings vi. 32, the doors of the holy of holies were made of palm-trees and open flowers covered with gold: an emblem of that victory and that garland of glory which the saints shall wear in the kingdom of heaven. When all the titles and ensigns of worldly honour shall lie in the dust,-the mace, the silver star, the garter,-then shall the saint's honour remain.

7. We shall, in the kingdom of heaven, have a blessed rest. Rest is the end of motion; heaven is centrum quietatimum animæ, the blessed centre where the soul doth acquiesce and rest. In this life we are subject to unquiet motions and fluctuations, 2 Cor.

garland is made, never wither. If there could be a cessation of heaven's glory, or the saints had but the least fear or suspicion of losing their felicity, it would infinitely abate and cool their joy; but their kingdom is for ever, the rivers of paradise cannot be dried up, Ps. xvi. 11, "At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore." The kingdom of heaven was typified by the tem ple, which was built with stone, covered with cedar overlaid with gold: to show the fixed permanent state of glory, that kingdom abides for ever. Well may we pray, “Thy king. dom come."

Having spoken of the kingdom of grace, and how we may know that kingdom is set up in our hearts, I am next to speak of the kingdom of glory, or heaven.

1. What is meant hy the kingdom of heaven.

2. What are the properties of this kingdom.

3. Wherein this heavenly kingdom excels | from some defect, but God is an infinite good, all the kingdoms upon earth. and there can be no defect in that which is infinite.

4. When this kingdom shall be bestowed. 5. Wherein appears the certainty and infallibility of it.

A. 3. The glory of heaven's kingdom is pure and unmixed; the streams of paradise

6. Why we should pray for the coming of are not muddied,—omnia clara, omnia ju

this kingdom.

cunda,-there, that gold hath no alloy; no

QUEST. 1. What is meant by the king-bitter ingredient in that glory, pure as the dom of heaven?

ANS. 1. It imports a blessed freedom from all evil.-2. It implies a glorious fruition of all good. (1). Immediate communion with God, who is the inexhausted sea of all happiness. (2). A visible beholding the glorified body of Jesus Christ. (3). A glorious vision of saints and angels. (4). Dignity and honour, the crown, and white robes. (5). A blessed rest. QUEST. 2. What are the propertiss or qualifications of the kingdom of heaven?

honey-drops from the comb; there grows a rose without prickles, the rose of Sharon; there is ease without pain, honour without disgrace, life without death.

A. 4. The glory of this kingdom in constantly exhilarating and refreshing; there is fulness but no surfeit. Worldly comforts, though sweet, yet in time grow stale; a downbed pleaseth a while, but within a while we are weary, and would rise. Too much pleasure is a pain; but the glory of heaven doth never surfeit or nauseate; the reason is, because, as there are all rarities imaginable, so every moment fresh delights spring from God into the glorified soul.

ANS. 1. The glory of this kingdom is solid and substantial; the Hebrew word for glory signifies a weight, to show how solid and weighty the glory of the celestial kingdom is. The glory of the worldly kingdom is airy and imaginary, like a blazing comet, or fancy; Acts xxvi. 23, Agrippa and Bernice came with a great pomp, with a great fancy; Job xxvi. 7, The earth hangs like a ball in the air, without any thing to uphold it. The glory of the heavenly kingdom is sub-chiefly upon the heir, and the rest are ill pro stantial, it hath twelve foundations, Rev. xxi. vided for; but, in the kingdom of heaven, all 14. That which God and angels count glory the saints are heirs, Rom. viii. 17, "Heirs of is true glory. God, and joint heirs with Christ." God hath A. 2. The glory of this kingdom is satis-land enough to give to all his heirs. fying, Ps. xxxvi. 9, "With thee is the fountain of life." How can they choose but be full, who are at the fountain-head? Ps. xvii. 15, "When I awake, I shall be satisfied with thy likeness," i. e. when I awake in the morning of the resurrection, having some of the beams of thy glory shining in me, I shall be satisfied, Job xxviii. 14, The creature saith concerning satisfaction, "It is not with me." If we go for happiness to the creature, we go to the wrong box; only heaven's glory is commensurate to the vast desires of an immortal soul. A Christian bathing himself in A. 7. The glory of this kingdom is adequate these rivers of pleasure, cries out in divine and proportionable to the desire of the soul. ecstasy, "I have enough!" The soul is never In creature fruitions, that which doth comsatisfied till it hath God for its portion, and mend them, and set them off to us, is suitableheaven for its haven. Dissatisfaction arisethness; the content of marriage doth not lie

A. 5. The glory of this kingdom is distributed to every individual saint. In an earthly kingdom the crown goes but to one, a crown will fit but one head; but in that kingdom above, the crown goes to all, Rev. i. 6. All the elect are kings. The land is settled

A. 6. Lucid and transparent. This kingdom of heaven is adorned and bespangled with light, 1 Tim. vi. 16. Light is the glory of the creation, Eccl. xi. 7, "The light is sweet." Hell is a dark dungeon, Matt. xxii, 13. Fire, but no light. The kingdom of heaven is a diaphanum,—all embroidered with light, clear as crystal. How can they want light where Christ the Sun of Righteousness displays his golden beams? Rev. xxi. 23, "The glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof."

either in beauty or portion, but the suitableness of disposition. The excellency of a feast is when the meat is suited to the palate: this is one ingredient in the glory of heaven, it exactly suits the desires of the glorified saints. We shall not say in heaven, here is a dish I do not love! There shall be music suits the ear, -the anthems of angels; and food that suits with the glorified palate,-the hidden manna of God's love.

A. 8. The glory of this kingdom will be seasonable. The seasonableness of a mercy adds to its beauty and sweetness; it is like apples of gold to pictures of silver. After a hard winter in this cold climate, will it not be seasonable to have the spring-flowers of glory appear, and the singing of the birds of paradise come? When we have been wearied, and even tired out in battle with sin and Satan, will not a crown be seasonable?

QUEST. 3. Wherein the kingdom of heaven infinitely excels all the kingdoms of the

earth?

ANS. 1. It excels in the architect; other kingdoms have men to raise their structures, but God himself laid the first stone in this kingdom, Heb. xi. 10. This kingdom is of the greatest antiquity: God was the first king and founder of it; no angel was worthy to lay a stone in this building.

by precious stones, Rev. xxi. 19. What are all the rarities of the earth to this kingdom, coasts of pearl, rocks of diamonds, islands of spices? What are the wonders of the world to it, the Egyptian pyramids, the temple of Diana, the pillar of the sun offered to Jupiter! What a rich kingdom is that where God will lay out all his cost! Those who are poor in the world, yet, as soon as they come into this kingdom, grow rich, as rich as the angels; other kingdoms are enriched with gold, this is enriched with the Deity.

A. 4. The kingdom of heaven excels all other kingdoms in holiness. Kingdoms on earth are for the most part unholy; there is a common shore of luxury and uncleanness running in them; kingdoms are stages for sin to be acted on, Isa. xxviii. 8, "All tables are full of vomit." But the kingdom of heaven is so holy that it will not mix with any corruption, Rev. xxi. 27, There shall enter into it nothing that defileth. 'Tis so pure a soil that no serpent of sin will breed there; there is beauty which is not stained with lust, and honour which is not swelled with pride. Holiness is the brightest jewel of the crown of heaven.

A. 5. The kingdom of heaven excels all other kingdoms in its pacific nature; 'tis regnum pacis, a kingdom of peace. Peace is the glory of a kingdom; pax una triumphis innumeris melior. A king's crown is more adorned with the white lily of peace, than when it is beset with the red roses of a bloody war. But where shall we find an uninterrupted peace upon earth? Either homebred divisions, or foreign invasions, 2 Chron. xv. v.5, "There was no peace to him that went out, nor to him that came in." But the kingdom of heaven is a kingdom of peace; there are no enemies to conflict with; all Christ's enemies shall be under his feet, Ps. cx. 1. The gates of that kingdom always stand open, Rev. xxi. 25, "The gates shall not be shut at all:" to show that there is no fear of an assault of an enemy. The saints, when they die, are said to enter into peace. Isa. lvii. 2. There's no beating of drums or roar.

A. 2. This heavenly kingdom excels in altitude; it is higher situated than any kingdom; the higher any thing is the more excellent; the fire being the most sublime element is most noble. The kingdom of heaven is seated above all the visible orbs. There is, 1st. The airy heaven which is the space from the earth to the sphere of the moon. 2d. The starry heaven, the place where are the planets of a higher elevation, Saturn, Jupiter, Mars. 3d. The cœlum empyræum, the empyrean heaven, which Paul calls the third heaven; where Christ is, there is the kingdom of glory situated. This kingdom is so high that no scaling ladders of enemies can reach it-so high that the old serpent cannot shoot up his fiery darts to it. If wicked men could build their nests among the stars, yet the least being of cannons; but the voice of harpers liever would shortly be above them.

A. 3. The kingdom of heaven excels all others in splendour and riches; it is described

harping, in token of peace, Rev. xiv. 2. In heaven, "righteousness and peace kiss each other." Ps. lxxxv. 10.