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First, 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 sometime the Lord's people have in praying together, and conversing about these 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 they seem to themselves to dwell alone; having no access to such, as they could freely unbosom themselves to, in the matter of their spiritual case. They sigh and say, "Wo 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," Mic. vii. 1, 2. 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 missing. 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, Eph. v. 27. And all natural, as well as sinful imperfections, are then done away; "They shall shine as the brightness of the firmament," Dan. xii. 3.

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 righteous. ness, 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 us. 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 these they were acquainted with on

earth, and such as have been most eminent in the church; howbeit that knowledge will be purged from all earthly thoughts and affections. 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, Gen. ii. 23, 24. 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, 1 Thess. ii. 19. 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 (Matth. xvii. 19.) 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 king dom of heaven, Matth. viii. 11. Lazarus was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom, Luke xvi. 23. which denotes most intimate and familiar society. And though diversity of tongues shall cease, (1 Cor. xiii. 8.) I make no question, but there will be an use of speech in heaven; and that the saints will glorify God in their bodies there, as well as in their spirits, speaking forth his praises with an audible voice. (As for the language, we shall understand what it is, when we come thither.) When Paul was caught up to the third heaven, the seat of the blessed, he heard there unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter, 2 Cor. xii. 4. Moses and Elias, on the mount with Christ, talked with him, Matth. xvii. 3. and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem, Luke ix. 31.

Secondly, 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 with 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

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brought acquainted with the blessed spirits, who never' sinned. How bright will these 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, as the tutor doth in the prosperity of his pupils! The saints shall be no more afraid of them, as sometime 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 join in the praises of God, and of the Lamb, "Saying, with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain," &c. Rev. v. 11, 12. Whether the angels shall (as some think) assume airy bodies, that they may be seen by the bodily eyes of the saints, and be in nearer capacity to converse with them, I know not; but as they want not ways of converse amongst themselves, we have reason to think, that conversation betwixt them and the saints, shall not be for ever blocked up.

Lastly, They shall have society with the Lord him self in heaven, glorious communion with God and Christ, which is the perfection of happiness. I chuse to speak of con.munion 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 unto all the saints. This seems to be taught us by these scriptures, which express heaven's happiness by being with Christ. Luke xxiii. 43. " This day shalt thou be with me in paradise." John xxvii. 24. "Father, I will that these also, whom thou hast given me, be with me." (And remarkable to this purpose is what follows, that they may behold my glory.) 1 Thess. iv. 17. "So shall we ever be with the Lord," viz. the Lord Christ, whom we shall meet in the air. This also seems to be the import of these scriptures, wherein God and the Lamb, the slain Saviour, are jointly spoken of, in the

point of the happiness of the saints in heaven, R 17. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fo of waters and God shall wipe away all tears fro eyes." Chap. xxi. 3. "Behold the tabernacle of with men, and he will dwell with them," viz. as bernacle, (so the word signifies) that is, in the Christ, (compare John i. 14. and 22.) "The Lo Almighty, and the Lamb are the temple of it." H the chief happiness of the saints in heaven, that which they could never be happy, though lodged glorious place, and blessed with the society of there. What I will venture to say of it, shall b prised in three things.

1st, The saints in heaven shall have the glorio sence of God, and of the Lamb; "God himself with them," Rev. xxi. 3. and they shall be ever v Lord. God is every where present, in respect of sence; the saints militant have his special gracio sence; but in heaven they have his glorious pr There they are brought near to the throne of th King, and stand before him, where he shews his ceivable glory. There they have the tabernacle on which the cloud of glory rests, the all-glorious nature of Christ, wherein the fulness of the G dwells, not veiled as in the days of his humiliati shining through that blessed flesh (that all the sai behold his glory) and making that body more glori a thousand suns; so that the city has no need of t nor of the moon, but the glory of God doth lighter the Lamb is the light thereof, (properly, the candi of,) Rev. xxi. 23. i. e. The Lamb is the luminary, o nous body, which gives light to the city, as the sun ar now give light to the world, or as a candle lightens room; and the light proceeding from that gloriou nary, for the city is the glory of God. Sometime t dle burnt very dim, it was hid under a bushel, in t of his humiliation; but that, now and then, it da some rays of this light, which dazzled the eyes of th tators; but now it is set on high, in the city where it shines, and shall shine for ever, in perfe glory. It was sometimes laid aside, as a stone dis

of the builders; but now it is, and for ever will be, the light or luminary of that city; and that, like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone clear as crystal,

ver. 11.

Who can conceive the happiness of the saints, in the presence-chamber of the great King, where he sits in his chair of state, making his glory eminently to appear in the man Christ? His gracious presence makes a mighty change upon the saints in this world; his glorious presence in heaven then must needs screw up their graces to their perfection, and elevate their capacities. The saints do experience, that the presence of God now with them in his grace, can make a little heaven of a sort of hell; how great then must the glory of heaven be, by his presence there in his glory! If a candle, in some sort, beautifies a cottage or prison, how will the shining sun beautify a palace or paradise! The gracious presence of God made a wilderness lightsome to Moses, the valley of the shadow of death to David, a fiery furnace to the three children: What a ravishing beauty shall then arise from the sun of righteousness, shining in his meridian brightness, on the street of the city laid with pure gold? The glorious presence of God in heaven, will put a glory on the saints themselves. The pleasant garden hath no beauty, when the darkness of the night sits down on it; but the shining sun puts a glory on the blackest mountains; so these who are now as bottles in the smoke, when set in the glorious presence of God, will be glorious both in soul and body.

2dly, The saints in heaven shall have the full enjoyment of God and of the Lamb. This is it that perfectly satisfies the rational creature; and here is the saints everlasting rest. This will make up all their wants, and fill the desires of their souls, which, after all here obtained, still cry, Give, give, not without some anxiety; because, though they do enjoy God, yet they do not enjoy him fully. As to the way and manner of this enjoyment, our Lord tells us, John xvii. S. "This is life eternal, that they may know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." Now, there are two ways, how a desirable object is known most perfectly and satisfyingly; the one is by sight, the other by experience: sight satisfies

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