Why It Is Far Better to Be with Christ

To say or hear that it is far better to he with Christ, is not enough to make us willing. If I firmly believe that it is best for me, I shall then desire it. And have I not reason to believe it? Let me seriously consider, for my full conviction, by what means I am preparing for this happiness; how this happiness is the end for which I am preparing; and how it will perfect my knowledge, will, and activity in doing good.

1. The means by which I am preparing to be with Christ, abundantly show that it is far better to be with him. As for instance, that is best for me which my heavenly Father’s love designs and chooses for my good. I hope I shall never dare to say or think that he is mistaken, or that I could have chosen better for myself. Many a time hath the wise and good will of God crossed my foolish, rebellious will, and afterwards I have perceived it was best. It is not an enemy nor a tyrant that made me, preserves me, or calls me hence. The more I have tried him, the tetter I have found him. Had I better obeyed his ruling will, how happy had I been. And is not his disposing and rewarding will as good? Should I not die till myself or any of my dearest friends would have it, would this rejoice me? 0 foolish, sinful soul, is it not far better to be at God’s choice, than my own or any man’s? “Be of good cheer then, 0 my soul; it is thy Father’s voice that calls thee hence — his voice that called thee into being, and out of a state of sin and death, and bade thee live unto him — that called thee so often from the grave, forgave thy sins, renewed thy strength, restored thee to the comforts of his house and service, and hath so graciously led thee through this howling wilderness almost to the sight of the promised land. And wilt thou not willingly go when such infinite love calls thee? Art thou not desirous of his presence? Art thou afraid to go to him who is the only cure of thy fears? What was it but this -glory to which he elected thee — not to the riches and honors of this world, or to the pleasures of the flesh, but chose thee in Christ to an inheritance in glory? If God chose thee to blessedness, refuse it not thyself, nor behave like a refuser.” That is my best state which my Saviour purchased, and promised as best. As he bought me not with silver and gold, so neither did he live and die to make me rich and great in the world. “Who have more of these than they that have least of Christ? Is it heaven that cost so dear a price as his merits, sacrifice, and intercession? Is that the end of so wonderful a design of grace, and shall I now be unwilling to receive the gift? That is best for me for which God’s Holy Spirit is preparing me. He is not persuading me from day to day to love the world, but to come off from it, and to set my heart upon things above. And would I now undo all, or cross and frustrate all his operations? Has grace been so long preparing me for glory, and shall I be loath to take possession of it? If I am not willing, I am not yet sufficiently prepared.

If heaven be not better for me than earth. God’s word and ordinances have been all in vain. Surely, that is my best which is the gift of the better covenant; which is secured to me by so many sealed promises; to which I am directed by so many sacred precepts, doctrines, and examples; and for which I have been called to hear and read, meditate, watch, and pray. Was it fleshly interest, or a longer life of worldly prosperity which the gospel covenant secured to me, which the sacraments and Spirit sealed to me, which the Bible was written to direct me to, which ministers preached to me, which my books were written for, and for which J prayed and served God — or was it not for his grace on earth and glory in heaven? And is it not better for me to have the end of these means, than lose them and my hopes? Why have I used them, if I would not attain their end? That is my best state to which all (rod’s fatherly providences tend. All his sweeter mercies and sharper corrections are to make me partaker of his holiness, and lead me to glory in the way in which my Saviour and all his saints have gone before me. All things work together for the best to me, by preparing me for that which is best indeed. Both calms and storms are to bring me to this harbor; if I take them but for themselves and for this present life, I mistake them, unthankfully vilify them, and lose their end, life, and sweetness. Every word and work of God, every day’s mercies and changes, look at heaven and intend eternity God leads me no other way: if I follow him not, I forsake my hope in forsaking him; if I follow him, shall I be unwilling to be at home and arrive at the end of all this way?

Certainly, that is best for me which God requires me principally to value, love, and seek. If my business in the world be only for the things of the world, how vain a creature is man, and how little is the difference between waking and sleeping, life and death. And is it my duty to seek heaven with all the fervor of my soul and diligence of my life, and is it not best to find it? That must needs be best for me, for the sake of which all other things must be forsook. It is folly “to forsake the better for the worse; but Scripture, reason, and conscience tell me that all this world should be forsaken for the least hope of heaven, when it comes in competition. A possible everlasting glory should be preferred before a certainly perishing vanity. I am sure this life will shortly be nothing to me, and therefore it is nothing now. And must I forsake all for my everlasting hopes, and yet be unwilling to enter on the full possession? That is like to be our best which is our most mature state, Nature is ever tending towards perfection. Every fruit is best when it is ripe. And does God cause saints to grow to greater ripeness only to be useless? It is not credible. “Our souls return to God that gave them;” and though he needs them not, he puts them to such heavenly uses as their maturity fits them for. Since love has ripened me for itself, shall I not willingly drop into its hand? That is like to be best which has been most esteemed and desired by the wisest and holiest in all ages, and which all men at death allow to be best. No men are usually worse than those who have no belief or hope of a life to come. And none are so holy, just, and sober, so charitable to others and so useful to mankind, as those who firmly believe and hope for a state of immortality. And shall I fear such a state? And is not that my best state which most displeases my greatest enemies? I need not say how much Satan does to keep me and other men from heaven; and in order to that, how he tempts us with worldly honor, pleasure, and wealth. Satan would not have me get to heaven, and shall I also be unwilling? All these things tell me that it is best to be with Christ.

2. As the end of all my preparation, it must be far better for me to be with Christ. Is not dwelling with God in glory far better than in this sinful world? He that is our beginning is our end. For our end all means are used; and the end attained is the rest of souls. How often has my soul groaned under a sense of distance, darkness, and alienation from God. How often has it looked up and panted after him, and said, “As the hart panteth after the water-brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, 0 God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God; when shall I come and appear before God? “Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee. It is good for me to draw near to God.’’ “Woe to me if I dissembled; if not, why should my soul draw back? Is it because death stands in the way? And is not my passage secured by the love of my Father, and the resurrection and intercession of my Lord? Can I see the light of heavenly glory in this darksome shell and womb of flesh? All creatures are more or less excellent and glorious, as (rod communicates most of himself to them. They are said to be nearest to him that have the noblest natures. Therefore to be as near as my nature was intended to approach, is but to attain the end and perfection of my nature. As I am now under the government of his officers on earth, so I expect to be in heaven. If the law was given by angels, and the angel of Grod was in the burning bush, and the angel conducted the people through the wilderness, and yet all these things are ascribed to God, much more near and glorious will the divine government be in heaven. Here I am made, ruled, and sanctified for the good of many, as above my own. I am sure I must be finally for my glorified Redeemer, and that he who is the first will be the ultimate cause. In this respect, I shall be as near to him as comports with the rank and order of my nature. It is the honor of a servant to have an honorable master, and to be appointed to the most honorable work. My advancement will be ultimately for God, and in such services as are suitable to my spiritual and heavenly state. Activity will be my perfection and my rest. Though now I know not fully what service I must do, I know it will be good, and suitable to the blessed state I shall be in. It is not all the use and work of my soul now to care for my body, nor will it be hereafter. Though I shall not always have a body, I shall always have a God and a Saviour and a wrorld of fellow-creatures; and when I shine not in the lantern, nor see as in a glass, I shall yet see face to face. To fulfil God’s will here, would be the fulfilling of my own. I am sure my soul shall live, and that it shall live to God, and that I shall fulfil his blessed will; and so far as I am pleased in doing it, it will be my felicity. The soul’s regular love to the body illustrates the love of Christ to his church, and to every member. Herein my Saviour excels me in powerful, faithful love. He will save me better from pain and death than I can save my body, and will more inseparably hold me to himself. If it pleases my soul to dwell in such a house -of clay, how much more will it please my glorified Lord to dwell with his glorified body, the church triumphant, and to bless each member of it. It would be a kind of death to Christ to be separated from his body. And will he take incomparably greater pleasure in me for ever than my soul does in my body? 0 then let me long to be with him. Though I am naturally loath to be absent from the body, let me not be willingly absent from the Lord. And though I would not be unclothed had not sin made it necessary, let me “groan to be clothed upon with my heavenly habitation,” to become the delight of my Redeemer, and to be perfectly

loved by love itself. The love and delight of my glorified Head must be my felicity. I shall be loved as a living spirit, and not as a thing dead and insensible. If I must rejoice here with them that rejoice, shall I not rejoice to have my Lord rejoice in me and in all his glorified ones? Union will make his pleasure to be much my own. It will fitly be said by him, “Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.” The heavenly society also will joyfully welcome a holy soul. If now u there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth,” what will there be over a perfect glorified soul? If our “angels” there “behold our Father’s face,” how glad will they be of our company. And will not love and union make their joy my own? Surely that will be my best condition wrhich angels and blessed spirits will be best pleased with; and in that in which they most rejoice, I shall most rejoice myself.

3. It is far better for me to be with Christ, as thereby my knowledge will he perfected. A soul that is with Christ is more likely to know Christ and the Father in him, than a soul that is present with the body and absent from the Lord. What less can promise of being with him signify? How much more excellent will intuitive or immediate knowledge be, than our present artificial knowledge. There will be no expensive labor in getting it. It will have no mixture of dark and bewildering uncertainty and ambiguity when it is acquired. It will be perfectly free from those contentions which so much rob the ingenious of their time, destroy their love, hinder their minds from ascending to God and heavenly things, and fill the church with sects and parties. Nor will it leave any of that dissatisfaction so common among the learned, while they have only the shadow of knowledge, licking but the outside of the glass, and leaving the wine within untasted. What an excellence will there he in each of the objects of this immediate knowledge. As, for instance, I shall know Grod better. If an angel from heaven came down on earth to tell us all of God that we would know, who would not turn his back on libraries and universities, to go and discourse with such a messenger? For one hour’s talk with him, what travel should I think too far, what cost too great? But here we must only have such intimations as will exercise faith, excite desire, and try us under the temptations of the world and the flesh. The light of glory is to reward the victory obtained by the conduct of the light of grace. Grod in great mercy even here begins the reward. They that “follow on to know the Lord” usually find such increase of light, not consisting in vain notions, but in the quickening and comforting knowledge of God, as greatly encourages them, and draws them still on to seek more. If the pleasure the mind has in common knowledge makes men spend successive years in traversing sea and land, or in turning over multitudes of tedious volumes, who then upon earth can possibly conceive how great a pleasure it will be for a glorified soul to see the Lord? All the pleasure I shall have in heaven in knowing any of the works of God, will be in my beholding God himself, his being, wisdom, love, and goodness, in those works; for he is the life and glory of them all. “Blessed are the pure in heart; for they shall see God.” And doubtless it will be no small part of my delight to know the universe better. It is exceedingly pleasant to know the least particle of the works of God. Yfith what diligence and delight have men endeavored to anatomize a body, yea, a small part of a carcass, for to know and describe worms and insects, plants and minerals! But no man ever yet perfectly knew the nature and uses of the least of them. If, indeed, we clearly saw the nature and connection of every creature in sea or land, what a delightful spectacle wrould this spot of the creation be! How much more to

D. Thoughts. 7 see the whole creation! And I shall have as much of this as I shall be capable of; the wonders of (rod’s works shall raise my soul in admiring, joyful praise for ever. “We have desires after such knowledge in our present dark and infant state; for “the works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.” As these desires are of God, as he hath made his works to be known for his glory, and as it is little that is known of them by mortals, therefore they are known by them in heaven, who are fitted to improve that knowledge to his praise. If Christ the wisdom of God will teach me the true philosophy how to love God and please him in all things here, I shall quickly in heaven be a perfect philosopher. Satan tempted Christ by “showing him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them,” promising to “give him all, if he would worship him;” but God will show me more than Satan could show, and give me more of that which is best, than Satan could give.

Nor will it be the least of my felicity in heaven that I shall better know Jesus Christ, and all the mystery of our redemption by him.

0 beatilyiiig knowledge, to know Him, “in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge!”; to know the mystery of his eternal Godhead, of his created nature, and of the union of both, and to see (rod’s wonderful design and gracious work, in him, laid open to our clearest view! Then all the dark texts concerning his person, offices, and works will be fully understood. All those strange and difficult things which were the great exercise and honor of faith, will then be plain. Difficulties will no more be Satan’s advantage, to tempt us to unbelief or doubting. The sight of the glory of my Lord will be my glory. If now, “though we see not Christ, yet believing, we love him, and rejoice in him with joy unspeakable and full of glory,” what love and joy will the everlasting sight of our blessed Head excite there in the souls of all the glorified! I shall better — 0 how much better! — “know the heavenly Jerusalem, the triumphant church, the blessed angels and glorified saints.” What a sight, what a joyful sight will death show me, by drawing aside the veil; or rather the Lord of life, by turning death to my advantage. As I now know the several rooms in my house, so shall I then know the “many mansions” which Christ says “are in his Father’s house.” If Nehemiah and the pious Jews rejoiced so much at seeing the walls of Jerusalem repaired, and others at the rebuilding of the temple, 0 what a joyful sight shall I have of the heavenly Jerusalem! I know that angels now love us, minister unto us, rejoice in our good, and are themselves far more holy and excellent creatures than we are; it is therefore my comfort to think that I shall better know them, and live in near and perpetual acquaintance and communion with them, and bear my part in the same choir in which they preside. And when I think how sweet one wise and holy companion has been to me here on earth, and how lovely his graces have appeared, 0 what a sight will it be, when we shall see the millions of “the spirits of just men made perfect,” shining with Christ in perfect wisdom and holiness! If this world was full of wise, just, and holy persons, how lovely would it be! If one kingdom consisted of such, it would make us loath to die and leave such a country, were it not that the more the beauty of goodness appears, the more the perfection of it is desired. It is pleasant to me to pray in hope that earth may be made more like heaven, which is now become so like hell; but when I shall see the society perfected in number, holiness, and glory, employed in the high and joyful praises of Jehovah — the glory of Grod and the Lamb shining on them, and Grod rejoicing over them as his delight, and myself partaking of the same — that will be the truly blessed day. And why does my soul, imprisoned in flesh, no more desire it? I shall better understand all the word of God. Though I shall not have the use for it I now have in this life of faith, yet I shall see more of Grod’s wisdom and goodness, love, mercy, and justice, appearing in it, than ever man on earth could do. As the creatures, so the Scriptures are perfectly known only by perfect spirits. I shall then know how to solve all doubts, reconcile all seeming contradictions, and expound the hardest prophecies. That light will show me the admirable method of those sacred words where dark minds now suspect confusion. How joyfully shall I then praise my God and Saviour for giving his church so clear a light to guide them through this darksome wilderness, and so sure a promise to support them till they are come to life eternal! How joyfully shall I bless Him, who, by that immortal seed, regenerated me to the hope of glory, and ruled me by so holy and just a law! In that world of light I shall better understand God’s works of

providence. The wisdom and good of them is little understood in small parcels. It is the union and harmony of all the parts which displays the beauty of them. And no one can see the whole together but God, and they that see it in the light of his celestial glory. Then I shall clearly know why God prospered the wicked, and so much afflicted the righteous; why he set up the ungodly, and put the humble under their feet; why he permitted so much ignorance, pride, lust, oppression, persecution, falsehood, and other sins in the world; why the faithful are so few; and why so many kingdoms of the world are left in heathenism, Mohammedanism, and infidelity. I shall know why I suffered what I did, and how many great deliverances I had, and how they were accomplished. All our misinterpretations of (rod’s works and permissions will then be rectified, and all our controversies about them be at an end. Among all these works I shall especially know more of the nature and excellence of God’s mercies. The lively sense of love and mercy makes lively Christians abound in love to Grod, and in mercy to others; but the enemy of Grod and man labors to obscure and diminish our views of divine love and mercy. Ingratitude is great misery as gratitude is true pleasure. We now receive thousands of mercies wdiich we undervalue. But when I come to the state and work of perfect gratitude, I shall perfectly know all the mercies ever received by myself, by my neighbors and friends, by the church, and the world. Mercies remembered must be the matter of our everlasting thanks, and we cannot be perfectly thankful for them without a perfect knowledge of them. The worth of Christ and all his grace of the gospel, and of all divine ordinances and church privileges, of our books and our friends, our health, and all the conveniences of our lives, will be better understood in heaven than the most holy and thankful Christian ever understood them here. Then shall I he much better acquainted with myself. I shall know the nature of souls and the way of their operations, and how the Spirit of Grod works upon them, and how that Spirit is sent. from Christ to work upon them. I shall know what measure of grace I myself had, and how far I was mistaken concerning it. I shall know more of the number and greatness of my sins, and of my obligation to pardoning and healing grace. Yes, I shall know more of my body as the habitation of my soul, and how far it helped or hindered me, and what were all its diseases, and how wonderfully Grod supported, preserved, and often delivered me. I shall also far better know my fellow-creatures. The good and bad, the sincere and hypocrites, will there be discerned. Actions that were here thought honorable, will then be found to be odious and unjust; and wickedness will no more be flattered or extenuated. Many a good and holy work which was reproached as criminal, will there be justified, honored, and rewarded. Once more, I shall better know from what enemies, sins, and dangers I was here delivered; what stratagems of Satan and his instruments Grod defeated; how many snares I escaped; and how great is my deliverance by Christ from the wrath to come. All this knowledge will thus be advanced to my glorified soul, beyond my present conceptions; and is it not therefore far better to be with Christ?

4. It is far better for me to be with Christ, for the sake of having my will perfected. The will is to the soul what the heart is to the body. My greatest evil is there, and there will be my greatest good. Satan did most against it, and God will do most for it. When I am writh Christ my will no more will be tied, to a body, which is now the grand snare and enemy of my soul, by drawing my love and care, my fears and sorrows, to itself, and turning them from my highest interest. There my will shall not be tempted by a world of inferior good; nor shall meat and sleep, possessions and friends, be my snares and dangers; nor shall the mercies of Grod be the tempter’s instruments; nor shall I have the flatteries or frowns of tyrants; nor will bad company infect or divert me, nor the errors of good men seduce me, nor the reputation of the wise and learned draw me to imitate them in any sin. There will be none of Satan’s solicitations to pervert my will.

My will shall there be better than here, as it shall have nothing in it displeasing to God — no sinful inclination, no striving against God’s Spirit, no grudging at any word or work of God, nor any principle of enmity or rebellion l6ft. There it shall have no inclination to injure my neighbor, or to do any thing against the common good; and there it shall have nothing in it opposite to itself: no more “law of my members warring against the law of my mind;” no more contrariety between sense and reason; but all will be unity and peace within.

There Christ will have perfectly sanctified my will, and made it conformable to his own, and to his Father’s will. This is at least his meaning when he prays, “that all his disciples may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us — that they may be one, even as we are one.” I shall love and will the same that God loves and wills. And how can the will of man have greater honor? Assimilation to an earthly king is honorable, but much more to angels; but most of all to be like God. Indeed, here the divine image in us is, in its degrees, a conformity to the will of God. But alas, how many thousand wishes and desires have we had which are against the will of God! We shall have the full impression of God’s will in heaven, as face answers to face in a glass, or the wax to the seal, or the finger of the clock to the motion within, or as the echo to the voice. I shall desire and never be disappointed. I shall have as much love and joy as I wish. Before I desire any thing, I shall know whether it be God’s will or not, and therefore shall never wish any thing that shall not be accomplished. Yea, my will shall be my enjoyment; for it shall not be the desire of what I want, but a complacency in what I possess. I shall want nothing. I shall thirst no more. Rightly is the will itself called love. My will shall be full of perfect joy, when enjoying love and pleasure will be my will. Thus shall I have within myself a spring of living waters. My will shall be confirmed and fixed in this conformity to the will of God. Now, both understanding- and will are so lamentably mutable, that, further than God promises to uphold us, we know not one day what we shall think, judge, or will the next. But when love becomes our fixed nature, we shall be no more weary of loving than the sun of shining. God himself will be the full and everlasting object of my love. Perfect joyful complacency in God is the heaven which I desire and hope for. In God there is all that love can desire for its full everlasting feast. The nature of man’s will is to love good as good. God, who is infinitely good in himself, will be that most suitable good to me. He has all in himself that I need or can desire. There is nothing for love to cleave to, either above him, beyond him, or without him. He is willing to be beloved by me. He disdains not my love. He might have refused such affections as have so often embraced vanity and filth. But he commands my love, and makes it my greatest duty. He invites and entreats me, as if he were a gainer by my happiness. He seeks to me to seek to him, and is both the first and most earnest suitor. He that so valued my cold imperfect love to him on earth, will not reject my perfect love in heaven. And he is near to me, not a distant God out of my reach, nor unsuitable to my love. Blind unbelievers may dream that he is far off; but even now he is as nigh to us as we are to ourselves. “When he would sanctify us to love him, he brings us nigh to himself in Christ. Here we see him in his works and word; and there we shall see him in all the perfect glory of his works, and shall delightfully love that glorious perfection of the universe, even the image of God in all the world. I shall especially love the holy society, the triumphant universal church, consisting of Christ, angels, and saints. God himself loves them more than his inferior works, and my love, according to its measure, will imitate his.

“Think here, 0 my soul, how sweet thy condition will be, to love the. Lord Jesus, thy glorified head, with perfect love; when the glory of God, which shines in him, will feast thy love with full and everlasting pleasure! The highest created perfection of power, wisdom, and goodness, refulgent in him, will not permit thy love to cease or abate its fervor. When thou shalt see in the glorified church the precious fruits of Christ’s redeeming grace and love; and when thou shalt see thyself possessed of perfect happiness by his love to thee, and shalt remember what he did for thee, and in thee, here on earth: how he ’ called thee with a holy calling;’ how he * washed thee in his blood from all thy sins;’ how he kindled in thee desires after glory; how he renewed thy nature; how he instructed, guided, and preserved thee from sins, enemies, and sufferings — all this will constrain thee everlastingly to love him. Think also, 0 my soul, how delightful it will be to love those angels who most fervently love the Lord. They will be lovely to thee, as they have loved thee, and more as they have been lovers of the church and of mankind; but far more as they are so many refulgent stars which continually move and shine and burn in perfect love to their Creator. 0 blessed difference between that amiable society and this dark, distracted, wicked world. There I shall see or hear no evil; no mixture of folly or pollution; no false doctrine; no bad example; no favoring wickedness; no accusing goodness, nor hurtful violence; but holy, powerful, active love will be all, and do all, as their very nature, life, and work. And is not a day with them better than a thousand here? And with holy angels I shall also love holy souls that are made like them, and joined with them in the same society. All their infirmities are there put off, and they also are spirits made up of holy life and light and love. When I think with what fervent love -to God, to Jesus Christ, and to one another they will be perfectly united there, grieve and blush, 0 my soul, that they should be here so disaffected and divided. The imperfect image of God upon them is amiable, but through their remaining pride, error, and uncharitableness, it is hard to live with some of them in peace. 0 how delightful will that communion of saints be where perfect love shall make them one. Forget not, my soul, how sweet God has made the course of my pilgrimage by the fragrance and usafulness of his servants’ graces. How sweet have my bosom-friends been; how sweet the neighborhood of the godly; how sweet their holy assemblies, their writings, conference, and prayers. “What then will it be to live in perfect love with perfect saints in heaven for ever, and with them perfectly to love the God of love?” As the act and object of love will constitute my future felicity, I shall not be the fountain of my own delights, but my receiving from the love of God and his creatures shall be sweeter to me than my own activity. All love is communicative, but none compared with God’s. “Whatever good is done in the world, it is done by love. Therefore parents care and provide for children. Therefore my house and table are not neglected, nor my books and learning forgot, nor my friends despised, nor my life itself thrown away. If a man love not his country, posterity, and the common good, he will be as a drone in the hive. And if created love be so necessary, so active, and communicative, much more will be the infinite love of the Creator. His love is now the life of nature in the living, the life of holiness in the saints, and the life of glory in them that are glorified. In this love, I and all the saints shall dwell for evermore. And if I dwell in love, and love in me, surely

I shall “-ever drink of the rivers of pleasure.” Had I a great, wise, and good friend that did for me the hundredth part of what Grod does, how dearly should I love him. “Think then, think believingly, seriously, constantly, 0 my soul, what a life thou shalt live for ever in the presence and bosom of infinite, eternal Love. He now shineth on me by the sun, and on my soul by the Sun of righteousness, but it is as through the crevices of my darksome habitation; but then he will shine on me and in me openly, and with the fullest streams and beams of love.” Grod is the same God in heaven as on earth; but I shall not be the same man. Here the windows of my soul are not open to his light; sin has raised clouds, and consequently storms, against my comforts. The entrances to my soul by the straits of flesh and sense are narrow, and they are made narrower by sin than they were by nature. Alas, how often would Love have spoken comfortably to me, and I was not at home to be spoken with, but abroad among a world of vanities; or was Rot at leisure, or was asleep, and not willing to be awaked. How often would Love have come in and dwelt

P. Thought*. 8 with me, and I have unkindly shut him out. How often would he have freely entertained me in secret, hut I had some trifling company or “business that I was loath to leave. “When his table has been spread for me, and Christ, grace, and glory offered to me, how has my appetite been gone, or dull. He would have been all to me, if I would have been all for him. But in heaven I shall have none of those obstructions. All old unkindness and ingratitude will be forgiven. I shall then be wholly separated from the vanity which here deceived me. I shall joyfully behold the open face and attend the charming voice of glorifying Love, and delightfully relish his celestial provisions. No disease will corrupt my appetite. No sluggishness will renew my guilty neglects. “The love of the Father, the grace of the Son, and the communion of the Holy Spirit” will triumph over all my folly, deadness, and disaffection; and my God-displeasing and self-undoing averseness and enmity will be gone for ever. “Study this heavenly work of love, 0 my soul. These are not dead or barren studies. It is only love that can relish love, and understand it. Here the will has its taste. “What can poor carnal worldlings know of glorious love, who study it without love? “What sounding brass or tinkling cymbals are they that preach of God and Christ and heavenly glory, without love. But gazing on the face of love in Christ, tasting its gifts, contemplating its glorioles reign, is the way to kindle the sacred fire in thee. The burning-glass must be turned directly to the sun, in order to its setting any thing on fire. A holy love like that in heaven must be studiously fetched from heaven, and be kindled by the foresight of what is there, and what we shall be there for ever. Faith must ascend and look within the veil. Thou, my soul, must not live a stranger to thy home and hopes, to thy God and Saviour. The fire that must warm thee is in heaven, and thou must come near it and open thyself to its influence, if thou wilt feel its powerful efficacy. It is night and winter with carnal minds, when it is day and summer with those that set their faces heavenward.”

But in heaven God will make use of second causes even in communicating his love and glory. There the Lord Jesus Christ will not only be the object of our delightful love, but his love to us will be as the vital heat and motion of the heart to all the members, the root of our life and joy. Did his tears for a dead Lazarus make men say, “Behold how he loved him?” “What then will the reviving beams of heavenly life make us say of that love which fills us with the pleasures of his presence, and turns our souls into joy itself? “Believe, 0 my soul, thy Saviour’s love, that thou mayest have a foretaste of it, and be fit for complete enjoyment. Let thy believing be so much of thy daily work, that thou mayest say ‘he dwells in thy heart by faith,’ and ’ lives in thee,’ and that thy ‘life in the flesh’ is not a fleshly life, but ‘by the faith of the Son of Grodwho loved thee, and gave himself for thee.’ Look upon the sun, and think with thyself how its motion, light, and heat are communicated to millions of creatures all over the earth and in the seas. What if all these beams of light and heat were proportionable beams of perfect knowledge, love, and joy? If all the creatures under the sun received from it as much wisdom, love, and joy as they have of light, heat, and motion, what a blessed world would it be, even a heaven upon earth. Thus will the Sun of glory send forth life, light, and joyful love on all the heavenly inhabitants. Therefore now begin to live upon the influence of his grace, that thou mayest have his name and mark.” He has not bid me seek his grace in vain. He more than bids me seek and ask. He teaches me to pray. He makes my prayers, and writes them on my heart. He gives me desires, and he loves to have me importunate with him, and is displeased with me that I will ask and have no more. How then comes my soul to be yet so fond of this wretched flesh and world, and so backward to go home and dwell with Christ? Alas, a taste of heaven on earth is too precious to be cast away upon such as have long grieved and quenched the Spirit, and are not, by diligent and patient seeking, prepared to receive it. My conscience remembers the follies of my youth, and many a later odious sin, and tells me that if heaven were quite hid from my sight, and I should never have a glimpse of the face of glorious eternal Love, it would be just. I look upward from day to day, and better to know my God and my home, I cry to him daily, “My God, my hopes are better than all the possessions of this world, far better than all the pleasures of sin. Thy gracious looks have often revived me, and thy mercies have been immeasurable to my soul and body. But 0, how far am I short of what, even forty years ago, I hoped sooner to have attained. “Where is ’ the peace that passeth all understanding,5 which should keep my heart and mind ’ through Christ Jesus V Where is the seeing, longing, and rejoicing faith? Where is that pleasant familiarity with Christ in heaven, that would make a thought of them sweeter than the thoughts of friends, health, or all the prosperity and pleasure of this world? Do those that i dwell in God, and God in them,’ and have their ‘hearts and conversations in heaven,’ attain no more clear and satisfactory perceptions of that blessed state than I have yet attained? Is there* no livelier sense of future joys? No sweeter foretaste, nor fuller silencing of doubts and fears? Alas, how many of thy servants are less afraid to go to a prison than to their God, and had rather be banished to a land of strangers than sent to heaven. Must I that am called thy child, and an heir of heaven, and a coheir with Christ, have no more acquaintance with my glorified Lord, and no more love to thee, who art my portion, before I go hence? Shall I have no

more of the heavenly life and light and love? Alas, I have scarce enough in my meditations, or prayers, or sermons, to denominate them heavenly. And must I go hence, so like a stranger, to my home? Wilt thou take strangers into heaven, and know them there as thine, who know thee no better here? 0 my God, vouchsafe a sinner yet more of the Spirit of thy Son, who came to earth to call up earthly minds to God, and to open heaven to all believers. What do I beg so frequently, so earnestly for the sake of my Redeemer as the Spirit of life and consolation, to show me the reconciled face of God, and unite all my affections to my glorified Head, and draw up this dark, drowsy soul to love, and long to be with thee?”

Alas, though those are my daily groans, how kittle do I ascend. I dare not blame the God of love, nor my blessed Saviour, nor the Sanctifier and Comforter of souls. Undoubtedly the cause is my sinful resistance of the Spirit, my unthankful neglects of grace and glory. But mercy can forgive, grace can overcome; and may I not hope for such a victory before I die? “Lord, I will lie at thy doors, and pour out my complaints before thee. Thou hast told us how kindly the dogs licked the sores of a Lazarus that lay at a rich man’s gate; thou hast commended the good Samaritan for taking care of a wounded man; thou sayest, ‘Blessed are the merciful;’ thou commandest us, ‘Be merciful, as your heavenly Father is merciful;’ and shall I wait at thy doors in vain? Give me the wedding-garment, without which I shall but dishonor thy feast. Thou hast commanded me to rejoice, and how fain would I in this obey thee. 0 that I had more faithfully obeyed thee in ruling my senses, my thoughts, my tongue, and in the diligent improvement of all my talents, then I might more easily have rejoiced. Lord, help my love and joy. How can I rejoice in death and darkness? I hoped I was long since translated from the kingdom of darkness, and delivered from the power of the prince of darkness, and brought into that light which is the entrance of the inheritance of saints; and yet, alas, darkness is still my misery. There is light round about me in thy word and works, but darkness is within me. And if my eye be dark, the sun will be no sun to me. “What is my unbelief but the darkness of my soul? Lord Jesus, scatter all these mists. 0 thou Sun of righteousness, make thy way into this benighted mind. 0 send thy advocate to silence every temptation against thy truth and thee, to prosecute thy cause against thy enemies and mine, and to witness my sonship and salvation. I know, my Lord, heaven is not far from me, no, not a day nor an hour’s journey to a separate soul. How quick is the communion of my eyes with the distant sun. And couldest thou not show me heaven in a moment? Is not faith a seeing grace? If, animated by thee, it can see the invisible God in the unseen world, the 1 new Jerusalem, the innumerable company of angels, and the spirits of just men made perfect, without thee it can do nothing,5 and is nothing. Forgive all my sins, and remove this film that sin hath gathered, and my enlightened soul will see thy glory. I know this veil of flesh must also be rent before I shall see thee with open face, and know my fellow-citizens above, as I am known. It is not heaven on earth I am asking, but that I may see it from mount Nebo, and have the pledge and the first-fruits; and that my faith and hope may kindle love and desire, and make me run my race with patience, and live and die in the joy which becomes an heir of heaven. But if my faith on earth must not increase, let it make me the more weary of this dungeon, and more fervently wish for the day when all my desires shall be satisfied, and my soul be filled with thy light and love.” And in subordination to Christ, I shall also be a receiver in heaven from angels and saints. If angels are greatly useful to me here, much more will they be there, where I shall be more capable of receiving from them. It will be no more diminution to the honor of Christ to make use of my fellow-creatures to my joy there, than it was here. How gloriously will God shine in the glory of the blessed; how delightful will it be to see their perfection in wisdom, holiness, and love. They will love incomparably better than our dearest friends on earth can, who can only pity us in our pains, and go weeping with our corpses to the grave; but the friends above will joyfully convoy or welcome our souls to their triumphant society. What a

glorious state will it be, when all the love of angels and saints in full perfection shall be so united as to make one love to one God, and to each other, as made one in Christ. We little know how great a mercy it is here, to be commanded to love our neighbors as ourselves, and much more to be effectually taught of Grod to love one another. Did we all live in such unfeigned love, earth would resemble heaven, “G-o, then, go willingly, 0 my soul; love joins with light to draw up thy desires. Art thou a lover of wisdom, holiness, and love, and wouldest thou not be united to the wise and holy who are made up of love? Art thou a hater of discords and divisions on earth, and wouldest thou not be where all the just are one? Is not thy body, while kept together by an uniting soul, in a better state than when it is to be crumbled into lifeless dust; and does not death creep on thee by a gradual dissolution? Away then from this incoherent state. The farther from the centre, the farther from unity. It is now thy weakness and imperfection which makes thee so desirous that thy house, thy land, thy clothes, thy books, yea, thy knowledge and grace, should be thine, and thine only. How much more excellent if thou couldest say that all these, like the light of the sun, are mine, and every one’s as well as mine. In heaven thy knowledge, thy glory, and felicity shall be thine, and others’ as well as thine. The knowledge, goodness, and glory of all that perfect society shall be thine as far as thy capacity extends. Then hasten upward, 0 my soul, with thy most fervent desires, and breathe after that state with thy strangest hopes where thou shalt not be rich and see thy neighbors poor, nor be poor while they are rich; nor be well while they are sick, nor sick while they are well.” Communion, as it constitutes the very being of the city of Grod, will be part of every one’s felicity, and none will have the less for the participation of the rest. This celestial communion of saints in one holy church, above what is here attainable, is now an article of our belief; but believing will soon end in seeing and enjoying.

5. It is also far better for me to be with Christ, that I may have a perfect activity in doing good. There are good works in heaven, and far more and better than on earth. There will be more life and power for action; more love to God and one another, to excite action; more likeness to God and Christ in doing good, as well as being good; more union with the beneficent Jesus, to make us also beneficent; and more communion, by each contributing to the welfare of the whole, and sharing in their common returns to God. What the heavenly works are, we must perfectly know when we come thither. “We shall join with the whole society,’’ as the Scriptures particularly describe, “in giving thanks and praise to God and our Redeemer.” All passions earnestly desire to be freely exercised, especially our holy affections of love, joy, and admiration of Almighty God. In expressing such affections, we naturally desire communion with many. Methinks, when we are singing the praises of God in great assemblies with joyful and fervent spirits, I have the liveliest foretaste of heaven upon earth, and could almost wish that our voices were loud enough to reach through all the world, and to heaven itself. Nor could I ever be offended with the sober and seasonable use of instrumental music to help to tune my soul in so holy a work. Nothing comforts me more in my greatest sufferings, nor seems more fit for me while I wait for death, than singing psalms of praise to God, nor is there any exercise in which I had rather end my life. Should I not then willingly go to the heavenly choir, where God is praised with perfect love and joy and harmony? Had I more of a praising frame of soul, I should long more for that life of praise. I never find myself more willing to be there than when I most joyfully speak or sing the praises of God. Though the “dead praise not God in the grave, nor dust celebrate him,” yet living souls in heaven do it joyfully, while their fleshly clothing turns to dust. “Lord, tune my soul to thy praises now, that sweet experience may make me long to be where I shall do it better. Wherever there is any excellent music, I see men naturally flock to it and hear it with delight. Surely, had I once heard the heavenly choir, I should echo to their holy songs, and think it the truest blessedness to bear my part. My God, it is the inward melody of thy Spirit, and my own conscience, that must tune me for the heavenly melody. 0 speak thy love first to my heart, and then I shall joyfully speak it to others, and shall ardently seek after communion better than that of sinful mortals. Though my sins make a sad discord in my present songs, I hope my sighs and tears for sin have had the honor of thine acceptance, who despisest not a contrite soul. But if thy Spirit will sing and speak within me, and help me against the jarring murmur of my unbelieving heart and pained flesh, I shall then offer thee what is more suitable to thy love and grace. I confess, Lord, that daily tears and sighs are not unsuitable to the eyes and voice of so great a sinner, now under thy correcting rod. But ‘he that offereth praise glorifies thee;’ and is not this the ’ spiritual sacrifice, acceptable through Christ, for which we are made priests to God V I refuse not, Lord, to lie in tears and groans when thou requirest it, nor do thou reject those tears and groans; but 0, give me better, that I may have better of thine own to offer thee, and so prepare me for the far better which I shall find with Christ.”

Probably God makes glorified spirits the agents of his beneficence to inferior creatures. “Where he bestows on any the noblest endowments, we see he makes most use of such for the benefit of others. Christ tells us we shall be like, or equal to the angels, who are evidently the ministers of (rod for the good of his people in this world. The apostle says, “the saints shall judge the world” and “angels;” intimating that devils and damned spirits shall be subjected to the saints. But if there were no more for us to do in heaven, but with perfect knowledge, love, and joy to hold communion with God and all the heavenly society, it is enough to excite, in a considerate soul, the most fervent desires to be at home with God.