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when he hath made thee truly lovely? He that keepeth thee so constant in thy love to him, that thou canst challenge tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, or sword, to separate thy love from Christ, how much more will himself be constant? Indeed thou mayest be persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.' And now are we not left in the apostle's admiration, 'What shall we say to these things?' Infinite love must needs be a mystery to a finite capacity. No wonder angels desire to look into this mystery. And if it be the study of saints here, to know the breadth, and length, and depth, and height, of the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge;' the saints' everlasting rest must consist in the enjoyment of God by love.

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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, and 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 commands them to rejoice. He never brings them into so low a condition wherein he does not leave them more cause of joy than sorAnd hath 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 saints' 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,

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longest for joy: thou then shalt have full joy, as much as thou canst hold, and more than ever thou thoughtest on, 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 until 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 inconceivable. 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 a 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, labour, 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 labours; 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 himself puts on joy too, in our joy. As we grieve his Spirit, and weary him with our iniquities, so he is 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 sabba tism, 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, he will 6 N

rejoice over thee with joy, he will rest in his love, 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. I 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 untered that I understood not, things too wonderful for me, which I know 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.'

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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 vail, 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

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The porch of this temple is exceeding 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 in 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 to the contrary. We have his word, his many promises, his sacraments, which show 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 here 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 surely 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 the 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, for

get 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.

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 was, in poverty and contempt, to be spit upon, and buffeted, and crucified again. He will not come, O 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, he enter Jerusalem with hosannas, with what peace and glory will he come toward the New Jerusalem! If, when he was in the form of a servant, they cried out, 'What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?' what will they say, when they shall see him coming in his glory, and the heavens and the earth obey him! Then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn.' To think and speak of that day with horror, doth well beseem the impenitent sinner, but ill the believing saint. Shall the wicked behold him, and cry, Yonder is he whose blood we neglected, whose grace we resisted, whose council we refused, whose government we cast off? And shall not the saints with inconceivable gladness, cry, Yonder is he whose blood redeemed us, whose Spirit cleansed us, whose law did govern us, in whom we trusted, and he hath not deceived our trust; for whom we long waited, and now we see we have not waited in vain! O cursed corruption! that would have had us turn to the world, and present things, and say, Why should we wait for the Lord any longer? Now we see, Blessed are all they that wait for him. And now, Christians, should we not put up that petition heartily, Thy kingdom come? The

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Spirit and the bride say, Come: and let him that heareth,' and readeth, 'say Come.' Our Lord himself says, Surely I come quickly, Amen: even so, come, Lord Jesus.'

4. (2) Another thing that leads to paradise is, that great work of Jesus Christ, in raising our bodies from the dust, and uniting them again unto the soul. A wonderful effect of infinite power and love! Yea, wonderful indeed, says unbelief, if it be true. What! shall all these scattered bones and dust become a man?-Let me with reverence plead for God, for that power whereby I hope to arise. What beareth the massy body of the earth? What limits the vast ocean of the waters; Whence is that constant ebbing and flowing of the tides? How many times bigger than all the earth is the sun, that glorious body of light? Is it not as easy to raise the dead, as to make heaven and earth, and all of nothing?-Look not on the dead bones, and dust, and difficulty, but at the promise. Contendedly commit these carcasses to a prison that shall not long contain them. Let us lie down in peace, and take our rest; it will not be an everlasting night, nor endless sleep. If unclothing be the thing thou fearest, it is that thou mayest have better clothing. If to be turned out of doors be the thing thou fearest, remember, that when the earthly house of this tabernacle is dissolved, thou hast a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.' Lay down cheerfully this lump of corruption; thou shalt undoubtedly receive it again in incorruption. Lay down freely this terrestial, this natural body; thou shalt receive it again a celestial, a spiritual body. Though thou lay it down with great dishonour, thou shalt receive it in glory. Though thou art separated from it through weakness, it shall be raised again in mighty power- In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; (for the trumpet shall sound ;) and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.' 'The dead in Christ shall rise first. Then they who are alive and remain, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air.' Triumph now, O Christian, in these promises; thou shalt shortly triumph in their performance. This is the day which the Lord will make, we shall rejoice and be glad in it. The grave, that could not keep our Lord, cannot keep us. He arose for us, and by the same power will cause us to arise. For if we believe that Jesus died, and rose again, even so them also who sleep in Jesus, will God bring with him. Let us never look at the grave, but let us see the

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7. What inexpressible joy, that our dear Lord, who loveth our souls, and whom our souls love, shall be our Judge! Will a man fear to be judged by his dearest friend? Or a wife by her own husband? Christian, did Christ come down and suffer, and weep, and bleed and die for thee, and will he now condemn thee? Was he judged, condemned, and executed in thy stead, and now will he condemn thee himself? Hath he done most of the work already, in redeeming, regenerating, sanctifying, and

resurrection beyond it. Yea, let us be stead- | Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the fast, immoveable, always abounding in the work Spirit.' Who shall lay any thing to the charge of the Lord, for as much as we know our labour of God's elect? Shall the law? The law of is not in vain in the Lord.' the spirit of life in Christ Jesus, hath made them 5. (3.) Part of this prologue to the saints' rest, free from the law of sin and death. Or shall is the public and solemn process at their judg- conscience? The Spirit itself beareth witness ment, where they shall first themselves be ac- with their spirit, that they are the children of quitted and justified, and then with Christ judge God.' It is God that justifieth, who is he that the world. Young and old, of all estates and condemneth? If our judge condemn us not, nations, that ever were, from the creation to that who shall? He that said to the adulterous woday, must here come, and receive their doom. man, Hath no man condemned thee? Neither O terrible! O joyful day! Terrible to those that do I;' will say to us, more faithfully than Peter have forgot the coming of their Lord! Joyful to him, 'Though all men deny thee, or condemn to the saints, whose waiting and hope was to see thee, I will not.' Having confessed me before this day! Then shall the world behold the good-men, thee will I also confess before my Father ness and severity of God: on them who perish, who is in heaven.' severity; but to his chosen, goodness. Every one must give an account of his stewardship. Every talent of time, health, wit, mercies, afflictions, means, warnings, must be reckoned for. The sins of youth, those which they had forgotten, and their secret sins, shall all be laid open before angels and men. They shall see the Lord Jesus, whom they neglected, whose word they disobeyed, whose ministers they abused, whose servants they hated, now sitting to judge them. Their own consciences shall cry out against them, and call to their remembrance all their misdo-preserving thee, and will he now undo all again? ings. Which way will the wretched sinner look? Well, then, let the terror of that day be ever so Who can conceive the terrible thoughts of his great, surely our Lord can mean no ill to us in heart? Now the world cannot help him; his old all. Let it make the devils tremble, and the companions cannot; the saints neither can nor wicked tremble; but it shall make us leap for will. Only the Lord Jesus can; but, there is joy. It must needs affect us deeply with the the misery, he will not. Time was, sinner, when sense of our mercy and happiness, to see the Christ would, and you would not; now, fain most of the world tremble with terror, while we would you, and he will not. All in vain, to cry triumph with joy; to hear them doomed to everto the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and lasting flames, when we are proclaimed heirs of hide us from the face of Him that sitteth upon the kingdom; to see our neighbours that lived in the throne;' for thou hast the Lord of mountains the same towns, came to the same congregation, and rocks for thine enemy, whose voice they dwelt in the same houses, and were esteemed will obey, and not thine. I charge thee, there- more honourable in the world than ourselves, fore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who now, by the Searcher of hearts, eternally sepashall judge the quick and the dead at his appear-rated. This, with the great magnificence and ing, and his kingdom, that thou set thyself seri- dreadfulness of the day, the apostle pathetically ously to ponder on these things. expresses: It is a righteous thing with God, to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you ; and to you who are troubled, rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven, with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ ; who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe in that day.'

6. But why tremblest thou, O humble gracious soul? He that would not lose one Noah in a common deluge, nor overlook one Lot in Sodom: nay, that could do nothing till he went forth; will he forget thee at that day? The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished. He knoweth how to make the same day the greatest terror to his foes, and yet the greatest joy to his people. There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ

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8. Yet more, we shall be so far from the dread | he will give them the morning-star.' The Lord of that judgment, that ourselves shall become himself will give them possession with these apthe judges. Christ will take his people, as it plauding expressions; Well done, good and were into commission with himself, and they faithful servant, thou hast been faithful over a shall sit and approve his righteous judgment. few things, I will make thee ruler over many 'Do you not know that the saints will judge things; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. the world? Nay, 'know ye not that we shall 10. And with this solemn and blessed proclajudge angels? Were it not for the word of mation shall he enthrone them: 'Come, ye blessed Christ that speaks it, this advancement would of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for seem incredible, and the language arrogant. you from the foundation of the world.' Every 'Even Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophe-word is full of life and joy. Come'-this is the sied this saying, Behold the Lord cometh with holding forth of the golden sceptre, to warrant ten thousands of his saints, to execute judg- our approach unto this glory. Come now as ment upon all, and to convince all that are near as you will; fear not the Bethshemite's ungodly among them, of all their ungodly deeds judgment; for the enmity is utterly abolished. which they have ungodly committed, and of all This is not such a Come' as we were wont to their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have hear, Come, take up your cross, and follow me.' spoken against him.' Thus shall the saints be Though that was sweet, yet this much more. honoured, and the upright shall have dominion Ye blessed'-Blessed indeed, when that mouth in the morning. O that the careless world shall so pronounce us! For though the world hath 'were wise, that they understood this, that they accounted us accursed, and we have been ready would consider their latter end!' That they to account ourselves so; yet certainly those that would be now of the same mind as they will be, he blesseth, are blessed; and those whom he when they shall see the heavens pass away with curseth, only are cursed, and his blessing cannot a great noise, and the elements melt with fer- be reversed. Of my Father'-Blessed in the vent heat, and the earth also, and the works Father's love, as well as the Son's, for they are that are therein, burnt up,-when all shall be one. The Father hath testified his love in their in fire about their ears, and all earthly glory election, donation to Christ, sending of Christ, consumed! For the heavens and the earth, and accepting his ransom, as the Son has also which are now, are reserved unto fire against testified his. Inherit'-No longer bondmen, the day of judgment, and perdition of ungodly nor servants only, nor children under age, men. Seeing then that all these things shall who differ not in possession, but only in title, be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye from servants; but now we are heirs of the to be in all holy conversation and godliness, kingdom, and joint heirs with Christ. 'The looking for and hasting unto the coming of God, kingdom'-No less than the kingdom! Indeed, wherein the heavens, being on fire, shall be dis- to be King of kings, and Lord of lords, is our solved, and the elements shall melt with fervent Lord's own proper title; but to be kings, and reign with him, is ours. The enjoyment of this kingdom is as the light of the sun; each have the whole, and the rest never the less. Prepared for you'-God is the Alpha, as well as the Omega of our blessedness. Eternal love hath laid the foundation. He prepared the kingdom for us, and then prepared us for the kingdom. This is the preparation of his counsel and decree; for the execution whereof Christ was yet to make a further preparation. For you'--Not for believers only in general, who, without individual persons, are nobody; but for you personally. From the foundation of the world'—Not only from the promise after Adam's fall, but from eternity.

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9. (4.) The last preparative to the saints' rest is their solemn coronation, and receiving the kingdom. For, as Christ, their Head, is anointed both King and Priest, so, under him, are his people made unto God both kings and priests, to reign, and to offer praises for ever. The crown of righteousness, which was laid up for them, shall by the Lord, the righteous Judge, be given them at that day. They have been faithful unto death, and therefore he will give them a crown of life. And according to the improvement of their talents here, so shall their rule and dignity be enlarged. They are not dignified with empty titles, but real dominion. Christ will grant them to sit with him on his throne and will give them power over the nations, even as he received of his Father; and

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11. Thus we have seen the Christian safely landed in paradise, and conveyed honourably to his rest. Now let us a little further, in the next

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