see, but "eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God." They shall behold the Mediator's glory, and be satisfied with his good ness. way No flaming sword will be there, to keep the of that tree of life; but they shall freely eat of it, and live for ever. And they shall drink of the river of pleasures, those sweetest and purest pleasures, the which Emmanuel's land doth afford. Since VII. They shall have royal treasures, sufficient to support the dignity they are advanced to. the street of the royal city is pure gold, and the twelve gates thereof are twelve pearls; their treasure must be of that which is better than gold or pearl. It is "an eternal weight of glory." O precious treasure a treasure not liable to insensible corruption by moths or rust; a treasure which none can steal from them. Never did any kingdom afford such a precious treasure, nor a treasure of such variety: for "he that overcometh shall inherit all things." This then is the peculiar treasure of those kings who inherit the kingdom of heaven. Now they are rich in hope: but then they will have their riches in hand. Now all things are theirs in respect of right: then all shall be theirs in possession. They may go for ever through Emmanuel's land, and behold the glory and riches thereof, with the satisfying thought, that all they see is their own. It is a pity those should ever be uneasy under the want of earthly good things, who may be sure they shall inherit all things at length. VIII. Although there is no material temple therein, no mediate serving of God in the use of ordinances, as here on earth; yet, as for this kingdom, "The Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it." As the temple was the glory of Canaan, so will the celestial temple be the glory of heaven. The saints shall be brought in thither as a royal priesthood, to dwell in the house of the Lord for ever; for Jesus Christ will then make every saint 66 a pillar in the temple of God, and he shall go no more out." There the saints shall have the cloud of glory, the divine presence, with most intimate and uninterrupted communion with God. This leads me more particularly to consider, IX. The society in this kingdom. What would royal power and authority, ensigns of royalty, richest treasures, and all other advantages of a kingdom, avail, without comfortable society? Some crowned heads have had but a sorry life through the want of it: their palaces have been but unto them as prisons, and their badges of honour, as chains on a prisoner: while hated of all, they had none they could trust in, or whom they could have comfortable fellowship with. But the chief part of heaven's happiness lies in the blessed society the saints shall have there. For clearing of which, consider these few things: 1. The society of the saints among themselves, will be no small part of heaven's happiness. The communion of saints on earth is highly prized by all those who are travelling through the world unto Zion and companions in sin can never have such true pleasure and delight in one another, as sometimes the Lord's people have in praying together, and conversing about those things which the world. is a stranger to. Here the saints are but few in company at best: and some of them are so posted, as that they seem to themselves to dwell alone; having no access to such as they would freely unbosom themselves to in the matter of their spiritual case. They sigh and say, "Woe is me! for I am as when they have gathered the summer fruits-there is no cluster to eat the good man is perished out of the earth." But in "the general assembly of the first born" in heaven, none of all the saints, who ever were, or will be on the earth, shall be amissing. They will be all of them together in one place, all possess one kingdom, and all sit down together to the marriage-supper of the Lamb. Here the best of the saints want not their sinful imperfections, making their society less comfortable: but there they shall be perfect, without "spot or wrinkle, or any such thing." There we will see Adam and Eve in the heavenly paradise, freely eating of the tree of life; Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and all the holy patriarchs, no more wandering from land to land, but come to their everlasting rest; all the prophets feeding their eyes on the glory of him, of whose coming they prophesied ; the twelve apostles of the Lamb, sitting on their twelve thrones; all the holy martyrs in their long white robes, with their crowns on their heads; the godly kings advanced to a kingdom which cannot be moved; and them that turn many to righteousness, shining as the stars for ever and ever. There will we see our godly friends, relations, and acquaintances, pillars in the temple of God, to go no more out from And it is more than probable that the saints will know one another in heaven; that, at least, they will know their friends, relatives, and those they us. : were acquainted with on earth, and such as have been most eminent in the church. This seems to be included in that perfection of happiness to which the saints shall be advanced there. If Adam knew who and what Eve was at first sight, when the Lord God brought her to him, why should one question, but husbands and wives, parents and children, will know each other in glory? If the Thessalonians, converted by Paul's ministry, shall be his "crown of rejoicing in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming," why may not one conclude, that ministers shall know their people, and people their ministers in heaven? And if the disciples, on the mount of transfiguration, knew Moses and Elias, whom they had never seen before, we have ground to think we shall know them too, and such as they, when we come to heaven. The communion of saints shall be most intimate there: " they shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven." Lazarus "was carried by the angels unto Abraham's bosom," which denotes most intimate and familiar society. 2. The saints will have the society of all the holy angels there. An innumerable company of angels shall be companions to them in their glorified state. Happy were the shepherds who heard the song of the heavenly host when Christ was born! But thrice happy they who shall join their voices to theirs in the choir of saints and angels in heaven, when he shall be glorified in all who shall be about him there! Then shall we be brought acquainted with those blessed spirits who never sinned. How bright will those morning stars shine in the holy place! They were ministering spirits to the heirs of salvation, loved them for their Lord and Master's sake, encamped round about them to preserve them from danger: how joyfully will they welcome them to their everlasting habitations, and rejoice to see them come at length to their kingdom! The saints shall be no more afraid of them, as some time they were wont to be; they shall then have put off mortality, and infirmities of the flesh, and be themselves as the angels of God, fit to entertain communion and fellowship with these shining ones. And both being brought under one head, the Lord Jesus Christ, they shall join in the praises of God and of the Lamb, "saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain." Lastly, They shall have society with the Lord himself in heaven, glorious communion with God and Christ, which is the perfection of happiness. I choose to speak of communion with God, and the man Christ together: because, as we derive our grace from the Lamb, so we will derive our glory from him too; the man Christ being (if I may be allowed the expression) the centre of the divine glory in heaven, from whence it is diffused to all the saints. This seem's to be taught us by those scriptures, which express heaven's happiness by "being with Christ:" "This day shalt thou be with me in paradise." "Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me, (and remarkable to this purpose is what follows,) that they may behold my glory." "So shall we ever be with the Lord," to wit, the Lord Christ, whom we shall meet in the air. This also seems to be the import of those scriptures, wherein |