1. This is the felicity of heaven, to be in the sweet embraces of God's love; to be the Hephzibah^ — the delight of the King of Glory; to be sunning ourselves in the light of God's countenance. Then the saints shall know " the love of Christ which pjiss- eth knowledge," Eph. iii. 19. From this glorious manifestation of God's love, will llow infinite joy into the souls of the bless- ed : therefore heaven is called " entering into the joy of our Lord," Mat. xxv. 21. The seeing of God, the loving of God, and being beloved of God, will cause a jubila- tion of spirit, and create such holy raptures of joy in the saints, as is unspeakable and full of gh)ry, 1 Pet. i. 8. In Den qmulain dvJcUlene dclectatur aniina, imo rapilur, Aug. Now the saints spend their years with sigh-
shall have their ])alm-branches and harps in their hands. Rev. xiv. 2., in token of tlieir triuuij)hs and rejoicing.
2. The second thing comprehended in glory, is the good sociaty there. First, There are the angels ; every star adds to the light, — those blessed cherubims will welcome us to paradise. If the angels rejoiced so at the conversion of the elect, how will they rejoice at their coronation ! Secondly, There is the company of the saints, Ileb. xii. 23., " The spirits of just men made perfect."
Quest. 3. Whether shall the saints in glo- ry know each other ?
/Ins. Certainly they shall ; for our know- ledge in heaven shall not be diminished but increased. We shall not only know our friends and godly relations, but those glo- rified saints which we never saw before; it must be so; for society without acquain- tance is not comfortable, and of this opinion were St. Austin, Anslem, Luther, And indeed the scripture seems to hint so much to us; for, if Peter in the transfiguration knew Moses and Elias, whom he never saw before. Mat. xvii. 4., then surely in hea- ven the saints shall know one another, and be infinitely delighted in each other's com- pany.
3. The third thing comprehended in glo- ry, is perfection in holiness. Holiness is the beauty of God and angels ; it makes hea- ven ; what is happiness but the quintessence of holiness ? Here a Christian's grace is imperfect, he cannot write a copy of holi- ness without blotting. He is said to re- ceive but primitias Spiritus, — the * first fruits of the Spirit,' grace in Jiiri, Rom. viii. 23. ; but at death believers shall anivo at ])erfection of grace; tJicn this sun shall be in its meridian splendour; then shall they not need to pray for increase of grace, for they shall be as the angels, their light shall he clear as well as their joy full.
4. The fourth thing in glory is dignity and honour; they shall reign as kings; therefore the saints glorified are said to have their insif/nia ret/alia, their ensigns of
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royalty, their white robes and their crown, 2 Tim. iv. 7. Caesar, after liis victories, in token of honour, had a chair of ivory set for him in the senate, and a throne in the theatre ; the saints, having obtained their victories over sin and Satan, shall be enthroned with Christ in the empyrean heaven. To sit with Christ denotes safety ; to sit on the throne, dignity, Ps. cxlix. 9., " This honour have all the saints."
5. The fifth thing in glory, is the har- mony and union among the heavenly inha- bitants. The devil cannot get his cloven foot into heaven ; he cannot conjure up any storms of contention there; there shall be perfect union : there Calvin and Luther are agreed ; there is no jarring string in the heavenly music ; there is nothing to make any difference, no pridj or envy there. Though one star may differ from another, one may have a greater degree of glory, yet every vessel shall be full : there shall the saints and angels sit as olive-plants round about their Father's table in love and unity. Then shall they join together in concert,— then shall the loud anthems of praise be sung in the heavenly choir.
6. The sixth thing in glory, is a blessed rest, Heb. iv. 9., " There remaineth there- fore a rest." FcbUx tr an situs a labore ad requiem. Here we can have no rest, tossed and turned as a ball on racket, 2 Cor. iv. 8., " We are troubled op every side." How can a ship rest in a storm ? But after death the saints get into their haven. Every thing is quiet in the centre; God is cen- trum guietativum animce, as the schoolmen, " the centre where the soul doth sweetly acquiesce." A Christian, after his weary marches and battles, shall put off his bloody armour, and rest himself upon the bosom of Jesus, tliat bed of perfume ; when death hath given the saints the wings of a dove, then they shall fly away to paradise and be at rest.