The Introduction to the Work, with some account of the nature of the
Saint's Rest.
§ 1. The important design of the apostle in the text, to which the
Author earnestly bespeaks the attention of the Reader. § 2. The Saint's
Rest defined, with a general plan of the Work. § 3. What this Rest
presupposes. § 4. The Author's humble sense of his inability fully to
shew what this rest contains. § 5. It contains, (1.) A ceasing from
means of grace; § 6. (2.) A perfect freedom from all evils; § 7. (3.)
The highest degree of the saint's personal perfections, both in body
and soul; § 8. (4.) The nearest enjoyment of God the Chief Good;
§ 9-14. (5.) A sweet and constant action of all the powers of soul and
body in this enjoyment of God; as, for instance, bodily senses,
knowledge, memory, love, joy, together with a mutual love and joy.
§ 15. The Author's humble reflection on the deficiency of this account.
§ 1. It was not only our interest in God, and actual enjoyment of him,
which was lost in Adam's fall, but all spiritual knowledge of him, and
true disposition towards such a felicity. When the Son of God comes with
recovering grace, and discoveries of a spiritual and eternal happiness
and glory, he finds not faith in man to believe it. As the poor man,
that would not believe any one had such a sum as an hundred pounds, it
was so far above what himself possessed: So men will hardly now believe
there is such a happiness as once they had, much less as Christ hath now
procured. When God would give the Israelites his Sabbaths of rest, in a
land of rest, he had more ado to make them believe it, than to overcome
their enemies, and procure it for them. And when they had it, only as a
small intimation and earnest of an incomparably more glorious rest
through Christ, they yet believe no more than they possess, but say,
with the glutton at the feast, _Sure there is no other heaven but this_!
Or, if they expect more by the Messiah, it is only the increase of their
earthly felicity. The apostle bestows most of this epistle against this
distemper, and clearly and largely proves, that the end of all
ceremonies and shadows, is to direct them to Jesus Christ the substance;
and that the rest of Sabbaths, and Canaan, should teach them to look for
a farther rest, which indeed is their happiness. My text is his
conclusion, after divers arguments; a conclusion, which contains the
ground of all the believer's comfort, the end of all his duty and
sufferings, the life and sum of all gospel promises and Christian
privileges. What more welcome to men, under personal afflictions, tiring
duties, successions of sufferings, than rest? It is not our comfort
only, but our stability. Our liveliness in all duties, our enduring
tribulation, our honoring of God, the vigor of our love, thankfulness,
and all our graces; yea, the very being of our religion and
Christianity, depend on the believing serious thoughts of our rest. And
now, Reader, whatever thou art, young or old, rich or poor, I intreat
thee, and charge thee, in the name of thy Lord, who will shortly call
thee to a reckoning, and judge thee to thy everlasting unchangeable
state, that thou give not these things the reading only, and so dismiss
them with a bare approbation; but that thou set upon this work, and take
God in Christ for thy only rest, and fix thy heart upon him above all.
May the living God, who is the portion and rest of his saints, make
these our carnal minds so spiritual, and our earthly hearts so heavenly,
that loving him, and delighting in him, may be the work of our lives;
and that neither I that write, nor you that read, this book, may ever be
turned from this path of life; _lest a promise being left us of entering
into his rest, we should come short of it_, through our own unbelief
or negligence![1]
[Footnote 1] Hebrews iv, 1.
§ 2. The Saint's rest is, 'the most happy state of a Christian;' or it
is, 'the perfect endless enjoyment of God by the perfected saints,
according to the measure of their capacity, to which their souls arrive
at death, and both soul and body most fully after the resurrection and
final judgment.' According to this definition of the saint's rest, a
larger account of its nature will be given in this chapter; of its
preparatives, chap. ii; its excellencies, chap. iii; and chap. iv, the
persons for whom it is designed. Farther to illustrate the subject, some
description will be given, chap. v, of their misery who lose this rest;
and, chap. vi, who also lose the enjoyments of time, and suffer the
torments of hell. Next will be shewed, chap. vii, the necessity of
diligently seeking this rest; chap. viii, how our title to it may be
discerned; chap. ix, that they who discern their title to it should help
those that cannot; and, chap. x, that this rest is not to be expected on
earth. It will then be proper to consider, chap. xi, the importance of a
heavenly life upon earth; chap. xii, how to live a heavenly life upon
earth; chap. xiii, the nature of heavenly contemplation, with the time,
place, and temper fittest for it; chap. xiv, what use heavenly
contemplation makes of consideration, affections, soliloquy, and prayer;
and likewise, chap. xv, how heavenly contemplation may be assisted by
sensible objects, and guarded against a treacherous heart. Heavenly
contemplation will be exemplified, chap. xvi, and the whole work
concluded.
§ 3. There are some things necessarily presupposed in the nature of this
rest; as, for instance,—that mortal men are the persons seeking it. For
angels and glorified spirits have it already, and the devils and damned
are past hope.—That they choose God only for their end and happiness. He
that takes any thing else for his happiness, is out of the way the first
step.—That they are distant from this end. This is the woeful case of
all mankind since the fall. When Christ comes with regenerating grace,
he finds no man sitting still, but all posting to eternal ruin, and
making haste towards hell; till, by conviction, he first brings them to
a stand, and then by conversion, turns their hearts and lives sincerely
to himself.—This end, and its excellency, is supposed to be known, and
seriously intended. An unknown good moves not to desire or endeavor. And
not only a distance from this rest, but the true knowledge of this
distance, is also supposed. They that never yet knew they were without
God, and in the way to hell, did never yet know the way to heaven. Can a
man find he hath lost his God, and his soul, and not cry out, _I am
undone_? The reason why so few obtain this rest, is, they will not be
convinced, that they are, in point of title, distant from it; and, in
point of practice, contrary to it. Who ever sought for that, which he
knew not he had lost? _They that be whole need not a physician, but they
that are sick._[2]—The influence of a superior moving cause is also
supposed; else we shall all stand still, and not move toward our rest.
If God move us not, we cannot move. It is a most necessary part of our
Christian wisdom, to keep our subordination to God and dependence on
him. _We are not sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of
ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God._[3] _Without me_, says Christ,
_ye can do nothing_.[4]—It is next supposed, that they who seek this
rest, have an inward principle of spiritual life. God does not move men
like stones, but he endows them with life, not to enable them to move
without him, but in subordination to himself the first mover. And
farther, this rest supposes such an actual tendency of soul towards it,
as is regular and constant, earnest and laborious. He that hides his
talent shall receive the wages of a slothful servant. Christ is the
door, the only way to this rest. But _strait is the gate, and narrow is
the way_;[5] and we must _strive_, if we will _enter, for many will seek
to enter in, and shall not be able_;[6] which implies that _the kingdom
of heaven suffereth violence_.[7] Nor will it bring us to the end of the
saints, if we _begin in the spirit, and end in the flesh_.[8] _He_ only
_that endureth to the end shall be saved_.[9] And never did a soul
obtain rest with God, whose desire was not set upon him above all things
else in the world. _Where your treasure is, there will your heart be
also._[10] The remainder of our old nature will much weaken and
interrupt these desires, but never overcome them. And considering the
opposition to our desires, from the contrary principles in our nature,
and from the weakness of our graces, together with our continued
distance from the end, our tendency to that end must be laborious, and
with all our might.—All these things are presupposed, in order to a
Christian's obtaining an interest in heavenly rest.
[Footnote 2] Matthew ix, 12.
[Footnote 3] 2 Corinthians iii, 5.
[Footnote 4] John xv, 5.
[Footnote 5] Matthew vii, 13.
[Footnote 6] Luke xiii, 24.
[Footnote 7] Matthew xi, 12.
[Footnote 8] Galatians iii, 3.
[Footnote 9] Matthew xxiv, 13.
[Footnote 10] Matthew vi, 21.
§ 4. Now we have ascended these steps into the outward court, may we
look within the vail? May we shew what this rest contains, as well as
what it presupposes? Alas, how little know I of that glory! The glimpse
which Paul had, contained what could not, or must not, be uttered. Had
he spoke the things of heaven in the language of heaven, and none
understood that language, what the better? The Lord reveal to me what I
may reveal to you! The Lord open some light, and shew both you and me
our inheritance! Not as to Balaam only, whose eyes were opened to see
the goodliness of Jacob's tents, and Israel's tabernacles, where he had
no portion, and from whence must come his own destruction! Not as to
Moses, who had only a discovery, instead of possession, and saw the land
which he never entered! But as the pearl was revealed to the merchant in
the gospel, who rested not till he had sold all he had, and bought it!
And as heaven was opened to blessed Stephen, which he was shortly to
enter, and the glory shewed him which should be his own possession!—The
things contained in heavenly rest are such as these;—a ceasing from
means of grace;—a perfect freedom from all evils;—the highest degree of
the saint's personal perfection, both of body and soul;—the nearest
enjoyment of God the chief good; and a sweet and constant action of all
the powers of body and soul in this enjoyment of God.
§ 5. (1.) One thing contained in heavenly rest is, the ceasing from
means of grace. When we have obtained the haven, we have done sailing.
When the workman receives his wages, it is implied he has done his work.
When we are at our journey's end, we have done with the way. _Whether
prophecies, they shall fail; whether tongues, they shall cease; whether
knowledge it_ also, so far as it had the nature of means, _shall vanish
away_.[11] There shall be no more prayer, because no more necessity, but
the full enjoyment of what we prayed for. Neither shall we need to fast
and weep, and watch any more, being out of the reach of sin and
temptations. Preaching is done; the ministry of man ceaseth; sacraments
become useless; the laborers are called in, because the harvest is
gathered, the tares burned, and the work finished; the unregenerate past
hope, and the saints past fear, for ever.
[Footnote 11] 1 Corinthians xiii, 8.
§ 6. (2.) There is in heavenly rest a perfect freedom from all evils.
All the evils that accompanied us through our course, and which
necessarily follow our absence from the chief good: Besides our freedom
from those eternal flames, and restless miseries, which the neglecters
of Christ and grace must remedilessly endure; a woeful inheritance,
which, both by birth and actual merit, was due to us, as well as to
them! In heaven there is _nothing that defileth_, or is unclean: All
_that_ remains _without_.[12] And doubtless there is not such a thing as
grief and sorrow known there: Nor is there such a thing as a pale face,
a languid body, feeble joints, unable infancy, decrepit age, peccant
humors, painful or pining sickness, griping fears, consuming cares, nor
whatsoever deserves the name of evil. We did _Weep and lament_, when
_the world did rejoice_; but our _sorrow is turned into joy, and_ our
_joy shall no man take from_ us.[13]
[Footnote 12] Revelation xxi, 27, xxii, 15.
[Footnote 13] John xvi, 20, 22.
§ 7. (3.) Another ingredient of this rest is, the highest degree of the
saint's personal perfection, both of body and soul. Were the glory ever
so great, and themselves not made capable of it, by a personal
perfection suitable thereto, it would be little to them. _Eye hath not
seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the
things which God hath prepared for them that love him._[14] For the eye
of flesh is not capable of seeing them, nor this ear of hearing them,
nor this heart of understanding them: but there the eye, and ear, and
heart, are made capable; else how do they enjoy them? The more perfect
the sight is, the more delightful the beautiful object. The more perfect
the appetite, the sweeter the food. The more musical the ear, the more
pleasant the melody. The more perfect the soul, the more joyous those
joys, and the more glorious to us is that glory.
[Footnote 14] 1 Corinthians ii, 9.
§ 8. (4.) The principal part of this rest, is our nearest enjoyment of
God the chief good. And here, reader, wonder not if I be at a loss; and
if my apprehensions receive but little of that which is in my
expressions. If _it did not appear_, to the beloved disciple, _what we
shall be_, but only in general, that _when Christ shall appear, we shall
be like him_,[15] no wonder if I know little. When I know so little of
God, I cannot much know what it is to enjoy him. If I know so little of
spirits, how little of the Father of spirits, or the state of my own
soul, when advanced to the enjoyment of him? I stand and look upon an
heap of ants, and see them all with one view; they know not me, my
being, nature, or thoughts, though I am their fellow-creature; how
little then must we know of the great Creator, though he with one view
clearly beholds us all? A glimpse the saints _behold as in a glass_;[16]
which makes us capable of some poor, dark apprehensions of what we shall
behold in glory. If I should tell a worldling what the holiness and
spiritual joys of the saints on earth are, he cannot know; for grace
cannot be clearly known without grace; how much less could he conceive
it, should I tell him of this glory? But to the saints I may be somewhat
more encouraged to speak; for grace gives them a dark knowledge and
slight taste of glory. If men and angels should study to speak the
blessedness of that state in one word, what could they say beyond this,
that it is the nearest enjoyment of God? O the full joys offered to a
believer in that one sentence of Christ, _Father, I will that those whom
thou hast given me be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory
which thou hast given me_.[17] Every word full of life and joy. If the
queen of Sheba had cause to say of Solomon's glory, _Happy are thy men,
happy are thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that
hear thy wisdom_;[18] then sure they that stand continually before God,
and see his glory, and the glory of the Lamb, are more than happy. To
them will Christ _give to eat of the tree of life_; and _to eat of the
hidden manna_: yea, he will _make them pillars in the temple of God, and
they shall go no more out; and he will write upon them the name of his
God, and the name of the city of his God, which is New Jerusalem, which
cometh down out of heaven from his God, and he will write upon them his
new name_; yea, more, if more may be, he _will grant them to sit with
him in his throne. These are they who came out of great tribulation, and
have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb:
Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night
in his temple, and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them:
The Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall
lead them unto living fountains of water; and God shall wipe away all
tears from their eyes._[19] O blind, deceived world! Can you shew us
such a glory? This is the city of our God, where _the tabernacle of God
is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people,
and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. The glory of God
shall lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. And there shall be
no more curse; but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and
his servants shall serve him, and they shall see his face, and his name
shall be in their foreheads. These sayings are faithful and true, and
the things which must shortly be done._[20] And now we say, as
Mephibosheth, _let_ the world _take all, forasmuch as our Lord will come
in peace_.[21] _Rejoice_ therefore _in the Lord, O ye righteous_, and
say with his servant David, _the Lord is the portion of mine
inheritance: The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I
have a goodly heritage. I have set the Lord always before me, because he
is at my right hand I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad,
and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. For thou wilt
not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to
see corruption. Thou wilt shew me the path of life; in thy presence is
fulness of joy, at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore._[22]
What presumption would it have been, once to have thought or spoke of
such a thing, if God had not spoken it before us? I durst not have
thought of the saint's preferment in this life, as scripture sets it
forth, had it not been the express truth of God. How indecent to talk of
being _Sons of God—speaking to him—having fellowship with him—dwelling
in him and he in us_;[23] if this had not been God's own language? How
much less durst we have once thought of _shining forth as the sun_—of
being _joint heirs with Christ_—of _judging the world_—of _sitting on
Christ's throne_—of being _one in him and the Father_;[24] if we had not
all this from the mouth, and under the hand, of God? _But hath he said,
and shall he not do it? Hath he spoken, and shall he not make it
good?_[25] Yes, as the Lord God is true, _thus shall it be done to the
man whom_ Christ _delighteth to honor_.[26] Be of good cheer, Christian,
the time is near, when God and thou shalt be near, and as near as thou
canst well desire. Thou shalt dwell in his family. Is that enough? It is
better to _be a door-keeper in the house of God, than to dwell in the
tents of wickedness_.[27] Thou shalt ever stand before him, about his
throne, in the room with him, in his presence-chamber. Wouldst thou yet
be nearer? Thou shalt be his child, and he thy Father; thou shalt be an
heir of his kingdom; yea more, the spouse of his Son. And what more
canst thou desire? Thou shalt be a member of the body of his Son; he
shall be thy head; thou shalt be one with him, who is one with the
Father, as he himself hath desired for thee of his Father, _that they
all may be one, as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they
also may be one in us; and the glory which thou gavest me I have given
them, that they may be one, even as we are one; I in them and thou in
me, that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know
that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them as thou hast loved me_.[28]
[Footnote 15] 1 John iii, 2.
[Footnote 16] 2 Corinthians iii, 18.
[Footnote 17] John xvii, 24.
[Footnote 18] Kings x, 8.
[Footnote 19] Revelation ii, 7, 17. iii, 12, 21. vii, 14, 15, 17.
[Footnote 20] Revelation xxi, 24. xxii, 3, 4, 6.
[Footnote 21] 2 Samuel xix, 30.
[Footnote 22] Psalm xxxi, 1. xvi, 5, 6, 8, 11.
[Footnote 23] 1 John iii, 1. Genesis xviii, 27. 1 John i, 3. iv, 16.
[Footnote 24] Matthew xiii, 43. Romans viii, 17. 1 Corinthians vi, 2.
Revelation iii, 21. John xvii, 21.
[Footnote 25] Numbers xxiii, 19.
[Footnote 26] Esther vi, 11.
[Footnote 27] Psalm lxxxvi, 10.
[Footnote 28] John xvii, 21-23.
§ 9. (5.) We must add that this rest contains a sweet and constant
action of all the powers of the soul and body in this enjoyment of God.
It is not the rest of a stone, which ceaseth from all motion when it
attains the centre.—This body shall be so changed, that it shall no more
be flesh and blood, which _cannot inherit the kingdom of God; but a
spiritual body. We sow not that body that shall be, but God giveth it a
body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body._[29] If
grace makes a Christian differ so much from what he was, as to say, _I
am not the man I was_; how much more will glory make us differ? As much
as a body spiritual, above the sun in glory, exceeds these frail,
noisome, diseased lumps of flesh, so far shall our senses exceed those
we now possess. Doubtless as God advanceth our senses, and enlargeth our
capacity, so will he advance the happiness of those senses, and fill up
with himself all that capacity. Certainly the body should not be raised
up and continued, if it should not share in the glory. As it hath shared
in the obedience and sufferings, so shall it also in the blessedness. As
Christ bought the whole man, so shall the whole partake of the
everlasting benefits of the purchase. O blessed employment of a
glorified body! To stand before the throne of God and the Lamb, and to
sound forth for ever, _Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and
honor, and power. Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive power,
and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and
blessing; for thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every
kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation, and hast made us unto our
God kings and priests. Alleluia; salvation, and glory, and honor, and
power, unto the Lord our God. Alleluia, for the Lord God omnipotent
reigneth._ O Christians! this is the blessed rest; a rest, as it were,
without rest; for _they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy
Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come_.[30]—And if the body
shall be thus employed, oh, how shall the soul be taken up! As its
powers and capacities are greatest, so its actions are strongest, and
its enjoyments sweetest. As the bodily senses have their proper action,
whereby they receive and enjoy their objects, so does the soul in its
own action enjoy its own object, by knowing, remembering, loving, and
delightful joying. This is the soul's employment. By these eyes it sees,
and by these arms it embraces.
[Footnote 29] 1 Corinthians xv, 50, 44, 37, 38.
[Footnote 30] Revelation iv, 11. v, 12, 9, 10. xix, 1, 6. iv, 8.
§ 10. Knowledge of itself is very desirable. As far as the rational soul
exceeds the sensitive, so far the delights of a philosopher, in
discovering the secrets of nature, and knowing the mystery of sciences,
exceed the delights of the glutton, the drunkard, the unclean, and of
all the voluptuous sensualists whatsoever. So excellent is all truth.
What then is their delight who know the God of truth? How noble a
faculty of the soul is the understanding? It can compass the earth; it
can measure the sun, moon, stars, and heaven; it can foreknow each
eclipse to a minute, many years before. But this is the top of all its
excellency, that it can know God, who is infinite, who made all these; a
little here, and more, much more hereafter. O the wisdom and goodness of
our blessed Lord! He hath created the understanding with a natural bias
and inclination to truth; as its object; and to the prime truth, as its
prime object. Christian, when, after long gazing heaven-ward, thou hast
got a glimpse of Christ, dost thou not sometimes seem to have been with
Paul in _the third heaven, whether in the body, or out_, and to have
seen what is _unutterable_?[31] Art thou not, with Peter, ready to say,
"_Master, it is good to be here_"?[32] Oh that I might dwell in this
mount! O that I might ever see what I now see! Didst thou never look so
long upon the Sun of Righteousness, till thine eyes were dazzled with
his astonishing glory? And did not the splendor of it make all things
below seem black and dark to thee? Especially in thy day of suffering
for Christ, when he usually appears most manifestly to his people, didst
thou never _see_ one _walking in the midst of the fiery furnace_ with
thee _like the Son of God_?[33] Believe me, Christians, yea, believe
God; you that have known most of God in Christ here, it is as nothing to
what you shall know; it scarce, in comparison of that, deserves to be
called knowledge. For as these bodies, so that knowledge must cease,
that a more perfect may succeed. _Knowledge shall vanish away. For we
know in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is
in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I
understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I
put away childish things. For now we see through a glass darkly, but
then face to face; now I know in part, but then shall I know even as
also I am known._[34] Marvel not therefore, Christians, how it can be
_life eternal, to know God and Jesus Christ_.[35] To enjoy God and
Christ, is eternal life; and the soul's enjoying is in knowing. They
that savor only of earth, and consult only with flesh, think it a poor
happiness to know God. But _we know that we are of God, and the whole
world lieth in wickedness; and we know that the Son of God is come, and
hath given us an understanding that we may know him that is true; and we
are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true
God, and eternal life._[36]
[Footnote 31] 2 Corinthians xii, 2-4.
[Footnote 32] Mark ix, 5.
[Footnote 33] Daniel iii, 25.
[Footnote 34] Corinthians xiii, 8-12.
[Footnote 35] John xvii, 3.
[Footnote 36] 1 John v, 19, 20.
§ 11. The memory will not be idle, or useless in this blessed work. From
that height the saint can look behind him, and before him. And to
compare past with present things, must needs raise in the blessed soul
an inconceivable esteem and sense of its condition. To stand on that
mount, whence we can see the Wilderness and Canaan, both at once; to
stand in heaven, and look back on earth, and weigh them together in the
balance of a comparing sense and judgment, how must it needs transport
the soul, and make it cry out, "Is this the purchase that cost so dear
as the blood of Christ? No wonder. O blessed price! and thrice blessed
love, that invented, and condescended! Is this the end of believing? Is
this the end of the Spirit's workings? Have the gales of grace blown me
into such an harbor? Is it hither that Christ hath allured my soul? O
blessed way, and thrice blessed end! Is this the glory which the
scriptures spoke of, and ministers preached of so much? I see the gospel
is indeed good tidings, even tidings of peace and good things, tidings
of great joy to all nations! Is my mourning, my fasting, my sad
humblings, my heavy walking, come to this? Is my praying, watching,
fearing to offend, come to this? Are all my afflictions, Satan's
temptations, the world's scorns, and jeers, come to this?—O vile nature,
that resisted so much, and so long, such a blessing? Unworthy soul, is
this the place thou camest so unwillingly to? Was duty wearisome? Was
the world too good to lose? Didst thou stick at leaving all, denying
all, and suffering any thing, for this? Wast thou loth to die, to come
to this? O false heart, thou hadst almost betrayed me to eternal flames,
and lost me this glory! Art thou not now ashamed, my soul, that ever
thou didst question that love which brought thee hither? That thou wast
jealous of the faithfulness of thy Lord? That thou suspectedst his love,
when thou shouldst only have suspected thyself? That ever thou didst
quench a motion of his Spirit? And that thou shouldst misinterpret those
providences, and repine at those ways, which have such an end? Now thou
art sufficiently convinced, that thy Redeemer was saving thee, as well
when he crossed thy desires, as when he granted them; when he broke thy
heart, as when he bound it up. No thanks to thee, unworthy self, for
this received crown; but to Jehovah, and the Lamb, be glory for ever."
§ 12. But oh! the full, the near, the sweet enjoyment, is that of love.
_God is love, and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in
him._[37] Now the poor soul complains, "Oh that I could love Christ
more!" then, thou canst not choose but love him. Now thou knowest little
of his amiableness, and therefore lovest little: Then, thine eye will
affect thy heart, and the continual viewing of that perfect beauty will
keep thee in continual transports of love. Christians, doth it not now
stir up your love to remember all the experiences of his love! Doth not
kindness melt you, and the sunshine of Divine goodness warm your frozen
hearts? What will it do then, when you shall live in love, and have all
in him, who is all? Surely love is both work and wages. What a high
favor, that God will give us leave to love him? That he will be embraced
by those, who have embraced lust and sin before him! But more than this,
he returneth love for love; nay, a thousand times more. Christian, thou
wilt be then brimfull of love; yet, love as much as thou canst, thou
shalt be ten thousand times more beloved. Were the arms of the Son of
God open upon the cross, and an open passage made to his heart by the
spear, and will not arms and heart be open to thee in glory? Did he
begin to love before thou lovedst, and will not he continue now? Did he
love thee, an enemy? thee, a sinner? thee, who even loathedst thyself;
and own thee, when thou didst disclaim thyself? And will he not now
immeasurably love thee, a son? thee, a perfect saint? thee, who
returnest some love for love? He that in love wept over the old
Jerusalem when near its ruin, with what love will he rejoice over the
new Jerusalem in her glory? Christian, believe this, and think on it;
thou shalt be eternally embraced in the arms of that love, which was
from everlasting, and will extend to everlasting;—of that love which
brought the Son of God's love from heaven to earth, from earth to the
cross, from the cross to the grave, from the grave to glory; that love,
which was weary, hungry, tempted, scorned, scourged, buffeted, spit
upon, crucified, pierced; which did fast, pray, teach, heal, weep,
sweat, bleed, die;—that love will eternally embrace thee. When perfect
created love, and most perfect uncreated love, meet together, it will
not be like Joseph and his brethren, who lay upon one another's necks
weeping; it will be loving and rejoicing, not loving and sorrowing: Yet
it will make Satan's court ring with the news, that Joseph's brethren
are come, that the saints are arrived safe at the bosom of Christ, out
of the reach of hell for ever: nor is there any such love as David's and
Jonathan's, breathing out its last into sad lamentations for a forced
separation. Know this, believer, to thy everlasting comfort, if those
arms have once embraced thee, neither sin, nor hell, can get thee thence
for ever. Thou hast not to deal with an inconstant creature but with him
_with whom is no variableness, nor shadow of turning_.[38] His love to
thee will not be as thine was on earth to him; seldom, and cold, up and
down. He that would not cease nor abate his love, for all thine enmity,
unkind neglects, and churlish resistances, can he cease to love thee,
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?[39] 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_.[40] And now are
we not left in the apostle's admiration. _What shall we say to these
things?_[41] Infinite love must needs be a mystery to a finite capacity.
No wonder _angels desire to look into_ this mystery.[42] 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_;[43] the
saint's everlasting rest must consist in the enjoyment of God by love.
[Footnote 37] 1 John iv, 16.
[Footnote 38] James i, 17.
[Footnote 39] Romans viii, 35.
[Footnote 40] Romans viii, 38, 39.
[Footnote 41] Romans viii, 31.
[Footnote 42] 1 Peter i, 12.
[Footnote 43] Ephesians iii, 18, 19.
§ 13. Nor hath joy the least share in this fruition. 'Tis 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_.[44] Surely this is the joy which a
_stranger doth not intermeddle with_.[45] 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_.[46] 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_.[47] _He chastens them, that he may give them
rest._[48] He makes it their duty to _rejoice in him alway, and again_
commands them to _rejoice_.[49] He never brings them into so low a
condition, wherein he does not leave them more cause of joy than sorrow.
And 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 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_;[50] but our joy is _the joy of our Lord_.[51]
_The_ same _glory which the Father gave the Son, the Son hath given
them_,[52] _to sit with him in his throne, even as he is set down with
his Father in his throne_.[53] 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 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 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 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 favor is life; weeping may endure for a night, but joy
cometh in the morning._[54] 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?
[Footnote 44] Revelation ii, 17.
[Footnote 45] Proverbs xiv, 10.
[Footnote 46] John xvi, 24.
[Footnote 47] John iv, 10, 14.
[Footnote 48] Psalm xciv, 2, 13.
[Footnote 49] Philippians iv, 4.
[Footnote 50] Matthew xxv, 41.
[Footnote 51] Matthew xxv, 21.
[Footnote 52] John xvii, 22.
[Footnote 53] Revelation iii, 21.
[Footnote 54] Job xx, 5. Psalm xxx, 5.
§ 14. And it is not the 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_;[55] when _he sees of the travail of his soul, and is
satisfied_.[56] 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 himself puts on joy too, in our joy. As
_we grieve his Spirit_,[57] and _weary him with our iniquities_:[58] 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_.[59] 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, He will rejoice over thee with joy, He will
rest in his love, He will joy over thee with singing._[60] Well may we
then rejoice in our God with joy, and rest in our love, and joy in him
with singing.
[Footnote 55] 2 Thessalonians i, 10.
[Footnote 56] Isaiah liii, 11.
[Footnote 57] Ephesians iv, 30.
[Footnote 58] Isaiah xliii, 24.
[Footnote 59] Luke xv, 20-23.
[Footnote 60] Zephaniah iii, 17.
§ 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_?[61] 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_: oh, 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_.[62] Yet _I believed, and
therefore have I spoken_.[63] 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_.[64]
[Footnote 61] Job xxxviii, 2.
[Footnote 62] Job xlii, 3, 5, 6.
[Footnote 63] 2 Corinthians iv, 13.
[Footnote 64] Matthew xxvi, 41.