b. Among the Jifjuraiive representations we may place the word " heaven" itself. The abode of departed spir- its, to us who live upon the earth, and while we remain here, is invisible and inaccessible, beyond the bounds of the visible world, and entirely separated from it. There they live in the highest well-being, and in a nearer connection with God and Christ than here below. This place and state cannot be designated by any more fit and brief expression than that which is found in almost every language, namely, " heaven" — a word in its pri- mary and material signification denoting the region of the skies, or the visible heavens. This word, in Heb. B";''5"r, in Gr. ovoavog, is therefore frequently emploj'- ed by the sacred writers, as above exemplified. It is there that the highest sanctuary or temple of God is situated, i. e. it is there that the omnipresent God most gloriously reveals himself. This, too, is the abode of Ciod's highest spiritual creation. Thither Christ was transported : he calls it the house of his lather, and says that he has therein prepared an abode for his fol- lowers (.John xiv, 2).
This place, this '• heaven," was never conceived of in ancient times, as it has been by some modern writers, as a particular planet or world, but as the wide expanse of heaven, high above the atmosphere or starrj- heav- ens; hence it is sometimes called the ihi)-d heaven, as being neither the atmosphere nor the starry heavens.
Another figurative name is "Paradise," taken from the abode of oiu: first parents in their state of innocence, and transferred to the abode of the blessed (Luke xxiii, 43 ; 2 Cor. xii, 4 ; Rev. ii, 7 ; xxii, 2).
Again, this place is called "the heavenly Jerusalem" ({Jal. iv, 26; Heb. xii, 22; Rev. iii, 12), because the eartlily Jerusalem was the capital city of the Jews, the royal residence, and the seat of divine worship; the " kingdom of heaven" (Matt, xxv, 1 ; Jas. ii, o) ; the " heavenly kingdom" (2 Tim. iv, IS) ; the " eternal king- dom" (2 Pet. i, II). It is also called an " eternal inher- itance" (1 Pet. i, 4; Heb. ix, 15), meaning the posses- sion and full enjoyment of hap|nness, typified by the residence of the ancient Hebrews in Palestine. The blessed arc said "to sit down at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob," that is, to be a sharer Avitli the saints of old in the joys of salvation ; " to be in Abraham's bo- som" (Luke xvi,22; Jlatt.viii, ll),that is, to sit near or next to .\braliam [sec BosoJi]; "to reign with Christ" (2 Tim. ii, 11), i. e. to be distinguished, honored, and happy as he is— to enjoy regal felicities; to enjoy "a Sabbath," or "rest" (Heb. iv, 10, 11), indicating the haiipiness of pious Christians both in this Ufe and in the life to come.
-All that we can with certainty know or infer from Scripture or reason respecting the l)lessedness of the life to come may be arranged mider the following particu- lars: I. AVe shall hereafter be entirely freed from the sufierings and adversities of this life". H. Our future blessedness will involve a continuance of the real happi- ness of this life.
I. The entire exemption from suffering, and all that causes suffering here, is expressed in Scripture by words which denote rest, repose, refreshment, after performing labor and enduring affliction. But all the terms which are employed to express this condition define (in the original) the promised " rest" as rest after labor, and ex- emption from toil and grief, and not the absence of em- ployment, not inactivity or indolence (2 Thess. i, 7 ; Heb, iv, 9, 11 ; Rev. xiv, 13 ; compare vii, 17). This deliver- ance from the evils of our present life includes,
1. Deliverance from this earthly body, the seat of the lower principles of our nature and of our sinful corrup- tion, and the source of so many evils and sufferings (2 Cor. vi, 1, 2 ; 1 Cor. xv, 42-50). "
2. Entire separation from the society of wicked and evil-disposed persons, who in various ways injure the righteous man and embitter his life on earth (2 Tim. iv, 18). It is hence accounted a part of the felicity even of Christ himself in heaven to be " separate from sin- ners" (Heb. vii, 26).
3. Upon this earth everything is inconstant and sub- ject to peipetual change, and nothing is capable of completely' satisfying our expectations and desires. But in the world to come it will be different. The bliss of the saints will continue without interruption or change, without fear of termination, and without satiety (Luke XX, 36 ; 2 Cor. iv, 16, 18 ; 1 Pet. i, 4 ; v, 10 ; 1 John iii, 2 sq.).
II. Besides being exempt from all earthly trials, and having a continuance of that happiness which we had begun to enjoy even here, we have good reason to ex- pect hereafter other rewards and joys, which stand in no natural or necessary connection with the present life ; for oiu^ entire felicity would be extremely defective and scanty were it to be confined merely to that which we carry with us from the present world, to that peace and joy of soul which result from reflecting on what we may have done which is good and pleasing in the sight of God, since even the best men will always discover great imperfections in all that they have done. Our felicity would also be incomplete were we compelled to stop short with that meagre and elementaiy knowledge which wp take with us from this world— that knowledge so broken up into fragments, and yielding so little fruit, and which, poor as it is, many good men, from lack of opportunity, and without any fault on their part, never here acquire. Besides the natiu-al rewards of goodness, there must therefore be others which are positive, and dependent on the will of the supreme Legislator.