THE HAPPINESS OF THE SAINTS in Glory, OR, A Treatise of Heaven, On ROM. 8. 18. For I reckon, that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.  
By THO. GOODWIN. B. D.  
LONDON, Printed by E. Griffin for Robert Dunscomb, in Lillipot-lane. 1638.   

The scope of the Treatise  

IS to open and describe Heaven, and the glory of the Saints therein. pag. 2  
1. Comparatively, in four respects. 

1. By comparing it with all the good things which this World affords; as pleasures, honours, riches, beauty. p. 4  
2. By comparing it with all the aflictions which we suffer in this life. p. 7.  
3. By comparing it to that joy of the Holy Ghost, which Gods children are capable of in this World. p. 8  
4. By comparing it with those joys and that glory which the Saints now in Heaven enjoy, before the day of Judgement. p. 15    
2. Simply as it is in itself; and that, first by the causes of it. 

1. The efficient cause, the great God of Heaven and Earth. p. 19  
2. The material cause, Christ jesus the Lord of glory. p. 25  
3. The exemplary cause, the glory of the Lord Jesus. p. 33  
The Object of this glory is God himself. p. 37  
The Subject of this glory, or the vessel which shall receive it, is the soul of man. p. 53  
4. The final cause, in which, 

First, the persons for whom God hath prepared this glory, viz. his Saints. p. 66  
Secondly, the end, for which, to manifest his own glory. p. 70  
Secondly, by the properties of it, 

1. It is an inheritance, and that of every believer p. 75  
2. An eternal inheritance. p. 78  
3. An inheritance incorruptible, & undefiled. p. 83          

Imprimatur.  
johan. Oliver. Reverend. in Ch. patri Dom. Arch. Cant. Cap. Dom. Decemb. 11. 1637.   

THE HAPPINESS Of the SAINTS in Glory.  ROM. 8. 18. For I reckon that the sufferings this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 
MY scope is to raise up your hearts to heaven, and to consider that great glory which God hath prepared for them that love him, to open and describe heaven, whereof there are many uses both to those that are in the state of nature, and those that are in the state of grace. There is nothing more powerful with the wicked for to bring them to Christ, nothing more proportionable to a principle of selfelove: and likewise to the godly, that they may willingly and with cheerfulness pass through the afflictions of this life, that they may pass through the evil world with their hearts raised up to heaven. The Apostle from the 17. verse to the end of this chapter sends it in, beating this upon the hearts of God's people in steeling their hearts and raising them up against tribulations, and among the rest this is one encouragement, to consider the joy which shall not only be revealed to us but in us, which we shall be made partakers of. Brethren▪ the consideration of Heaven which is so little thought on by us Christians, this I would lay open to you: the excellency of which glory, that we may more clearly behold, man may look upon many things, but I will only name two:  
First comparatively, and this the Text leads us unto, For I reckon not the sufferings, etc. Secondly, simply as it is in itself.  
First of all to know this great glory, let us compare it with all other things, with all the goods the creature can afford, with all the things here below, which our hearts dote so much upon, as pleasures, honours, riches, beauty, etc. they are not to be compared to it, it transcends all the glory of this world, all the good things we are capable of, one leaf of this Tree of Life, I say, one leaf of it, better than all the fruits that grow in this world, Revel 22. Out of the bowels of this earth are raised gold, silver, pearls, and precious stones, which serve but for the materials of the walls of this City and for paveing the streets of it, The most glorious things this World hath, serve I say, for the gates of the Temple. If the outside be so glorious, consider how glorious must the inside be, how beautiful must it be within. why, no creature this world hath is worthy so much as to shadow it, all the creatures be swallowed up with this glory, even as a drop is swallowed up with the Ocean: Take Solomon in all his royalty, the most magnificent, rich, and glorious Prince the World ever had, he lived indeed at the best rate, he had the very quintessence of them all, in so much that a Queen herself was amazed to see his great glory, yet let me tell you, this Solomon which is now in heaven, 10 thousand times exceeds all the glory and pomp he had on earth, I say the glory he hath now exceeds it infinitely: I say, the glory he hath now in heaven excels that glory he had on earth, being on his Throne in all his royalty, even as much as he did then excel himself when he was in his mother's womb; we see then the good things of this life are not worth talking of, they come fare short, they are not worthy to be compared together.  
In the second place, compare this glory with the afflictions we suffer here, and it doth as the Apostle saith, weigh them all down, not only the afflictions which befall one man but all men, I say, all of them be they what they will be, and lay them in one balance, & Heaven & its glory in another, & it will weigh them all down, even as a grain of sand will be weighed down of the whole World. There is no reckoning to be made of them in respect of heaven, and yet one of these afflictions will eclipse all the good we enjoy here, being afflicted we take no pleasure in all our worldly contentments: Therefore we see that the afflictions of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory which shall be revealed in us.  
In the third place, to 
3. Com.  make a further demonstration of this to you: There is a joy which Gods people are capable of in this life; the joy of the holy Ghost, which is unspeakable and glorious, one drop of which transcends infinitely all the joy the creatures can afford us: my brethren have you ever heard of this joy? have you ever tasted of it? hath God ever raised your hearts to see it and his glory, if you have but tasted, as the Apostle saith, how good the Lord is, you shall say with David, Psal 4. Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon me. Thou hast put gladness into my heart more than in the time when Corn and Wine and Oil increased. This is the joy which comes fresh from the fountain: My brethren mark well what I say, the Devil himself when he transforms himself into an Angel of light affords more comfort to the heart of an hypocrite than the World can do: why then how much more doth the joy of the holy Ghost which comes from a true fountains, if it be shed abroad in your hearts: And hence it was, that the Martyrs suffered so willingly, & ran through so many persecutions, and yet the glory which is in Heaven, if it be compared to this, infinitely transcends it. The joy which shall be revealed swallows up all these joys which we have here, even as the sea swallows up molehills, it is nothing in comparison of Heaven, it is but as a drop to the Ocean, and yet one drop of this joy of the Holy Ghost is more excellent than Oceans of worldly comforts. All the joys of this world is but as a drop to the Ocean, for infinite drops will make a Sea, but infinite worlds will not make heaven, but indeed infinite drops of this joy will make heaven, because, it is of the same nature; yet this, I say, is not comparable to the joys in heaven, why? its but the earnest penny of our inheritance, 2 Cor. 5. 5. Now he that hath wrought us for the self same thing is God, who hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. GOD doth fashion and prepare his people here at the revenues of their joys, which shall come in hereafter, all that the Holy Ghost makes us partakers of in this life is but as a six pence in respect of the whole payment of glory, we shall have in Heaven, Phil. 1. 14. Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of our purchased possession unto the praise of his glory. This my brethren is but as a penny to the dowry of the Queen of Heaven, which the Saints the Bride of Heaven are to enjoy. The Scriptures calls it no more but the sealing of the holy Ghost, the earnest of our inheritance. Indeed, it is of the same nature with the great sum of which it is an earnest; for you know an earnest differs from a pledge in this, a pledge is of another kind, but the earnest of the same kind with the payment. And so the joy of the holy Ghost is of the same kind with that which is laid up for us, but it is but an earnest, and there is difference in the manner of producing it, whatsoever we have here as our earnest is but from the light of faith, we cannot see Christ from whom we have it, we only believe on him as he is absent; we never saw him, and yet this works a joy unspeakable and glorious▪ 1 Pet 8. Whilst we apprehend him by faith, it is but as absent from him: Therefore we are always confident, 2 Cor. 5. 6 knowing that whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord, and if we have such joy in his absence, and seeing but a small glimpse, or cranny of light coming to us by faith; if this I say, be so glorious, what will it then be, when to see him as he is, to see him top to toe, to be in the presence of him, in which is fullness of joy? By faith we see him but not all, and this causeth joy unspeakable and glorious, what then to see him in perfection, and have his presence the fullness of it, whose presence in the least degree of it goeth fare beyond all the sight of him, we have in the highest degree of faith, yea in all the degrees of faith, and yet the least degree of faith excels all the joy the World can give, and therefore do but think with yourselves what Heaven is.  
Compare it with those 
4. Com.  joys, and that glory the Saints that are in Heaven enjoy, which infinitely transcends both the good things of this world, & the joy of the Holy Ghost, and yet there is a glory to be revealed after the day of Judgement that will transcend the joy of the Saints, now mark the comparison. The least drop of joy here that comes from the holy Ghost transcends the joy of the world, the joy the Saints in Heaven now have as much transcends this joy of the holy Ghost as it doth that of the world, yet after the day of Judgement, there is a fuller treasure of joy, to be broken up. And therefore let this raise up your hearts to conceive of the exceeding weight of glory laid up for the elect, the Saints who are now in Heaven at the Well head of comforts, who bathe themselves in these Rivers of pleasures, why they have and are capable of more joy than we can conceive of, one Saint in heaven my Brethren hath more glory and joy in his heart, than all the joy that is on earth, and yet at the latter day, their glory will as fare transcend that they have now even as it doth ours upon earth, I may say of their condition as the Apostle doth, Heb. 11. 40. God having provided some better things for us, that they without us should not be made perfect, while the Saints are without their fellows they are not come to the highest degree of perfection, Heb. 12. 23. To the general assembly and Church of the first borne which are written in Heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, There is a perfection to be given them which they yet have not when all their fellow Saints, all their fellow brethren, when the whole number of the faithful are together then shall a new treasure of glory be broken up, 2 Thes. 1. 10. Who shall come (saith the text) to be glorified in his Saints and to be admired of all those that believe, we do usually admire a thing when our expectation is exceeded, now the Angels and the souls of the glorified Saints in Heaven, they have seen and enjoyed many glorious things already, and they look for fare more glorious things, but yet he will bring forth a glory at that day beyond their expectations; he will not only be admired by wicked men, but all that believe shall admire this, he will then put them to a new amazement: Let now the consideration of this glory raise up your hearts to seek for it, that so such an unvaluable and great price may not pass out of your hands, even the exceeding great riches of glory laid up for us. Again, stand aghast at the love of God, that hath prepared such glory for you: thus much comparatively. Now secondly, let us consider it simply as it is in itself, and because things are best known by their causes we will begin with them.  
And first▪ of all the efficient 
1. Cause.  cause of this great glory, & that is the great God of Heaven & Earth, whose Greatness and Glory we cannot comprehend, but only by his works, he is the efficient cause of Heaven, and all its glory, he built this great City, and all his works shall be like himself: If King Ahashuerus make a feast, he will make it like a King, much more the King of Kings will provide for his servants whom he feasts, he made a World, and how glorious is it, but if he make a Heaven, think with yourselves what a Heaven it will be: The Scriptures (Heb. 11.) commend this to us, comparing the 10 and 16 verses together, For he looked▪ saith he, for a City (speaking of Abraham) which hath foundations, whose builder and founder is God; and then verse 16. God is not ashamed to be called their God for he hath built for them a City, mark the reason; In the first place it is said to be a City whose builder and founder is God, God is the Artist of it, he shown his art in it: in this building of heaven, God shown himself an Artificer: indeed God hath made other great works, as the World; but he hath showed no art upon this in comparison of Heaven: The heavens which we see, are but the ceiling of this Heaven which God hath prepared for his Saints, and yet they are very glorious, but yet he hath bestowed no cost in comparison, he hath showed no art on it in respect of Heaven; he hath bestowed all his cost on this, in making heaven he shown himself an Artificer. And would you know the reason of it? it is because Heaven is his standing house, Kings you know use to enrich their standing houses, they bestow more cost upon them than others: This World my brethren, is not a house that hath foundation, but it was builded by God as a stage upon which when men have acted their parts, it is to be thrown down; it is set up for a few thousand years which are nothing to him, and then he means to pull it down, he will then burn it; but Heaven is God's standing house, his Palace, and therefore consider what great cost God hath bestowed on it. Again, it is said to be a City prepared, Matthew 25. 24. Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the World: He speaks as if GOD had been a great while in making Heaven; GOD hath been long in contriving it, nay further, saith Christ, I go to prepare a place, as if it were still in finishing, as if it were not yet finished, not but that all GOD'S works are perfect from the beginning, but it is spoken after the manner of men, that we might expect great glory, for which there is such great preparation, and saith he, if it were not so, I would have told you; think what you will think of it, and it will be answerable, God will fulfil it. Heaven is a City prepared, if there be but preparation for a Coronation of an earthly King a month or a quarter of a year, there are great things expected, and yet more is showed; but now God hath been always in preparing Heaven, he hath been making of it from the beginning of the World; David laid up materials for the Temple, and Solomon builded; so God prepares Heaven and Christ builds it. And therefore consider with yourselves, there are great things to be found, expect what you can and it shall be answered. And thus you see God hath made a Heaven with a foundation, he hath been long in preparing of it, he set up the World in six days, but he hath been setting up Heaven, as I may so say, six thousand years, and therefore let this raise up your hearts to consider what a weight of glory God hath laid up for those that love him.  
Secondly, consider the 
2. Cause.  material cause of it, why it is Christ the Lord of glory, Christ Jesus himself hast purchased it for us in his blood, he hath laid the foundation of it, his blood was laid out for it, he spun this thread of glory out of his own bowels, and therefore we may well argue the greatness of this glory, seeing that his blood hath obtained it, 1 Eph. It is there called the riches of the glory of his inheritance, all the inheritance that Christ hath he distributes it unto the Saints: this is said to be a purchased possession; why, now my brethren think with yourselves, what shall be the revenues of glory purchased by his death. Think what a large possession the blood of Christ will procure, consider with yourselves what this will amount to, and this is Heaven, Heaven it the revenues of Christ's blood. Think, I say, what glorious Heaven it must needs be which Christ's blood hath purchased for us. This is that he aimed at in laying down his life for us, Justification, Adoption, and Sanctification, they are but the way to Glorification, they are but the subsidies of it, we are justified, adopted and sanctified all to this end, that we might be glorified: consider therefore what Christ's blood will be worth, what the revenues of it will come to: and therefore what hath been said of Heaven, let it move you, and work upon you: If I should single out any man present, any particular man in this Congregation, as our Saviour did the young man in the Gospel, and bid him forsake all, and he shall have Treasure in Heaven, if he would forsake the Righteousness of the Law, and his own conscience within himself, beloved this was a great offer: Now I single out every man here present; why, consider with yourselves, you all stand arrested before GOD, you deserve to be accursed, and to be eternally so, yet if you will leave all your iniquities, repent, and believe, you shall have glory in Heaven. Methinks now you should lay hold on this offer, and think no strictness too much, so you could get Heaven. If you were Merchant▪ like men, you would not let Heaven, this precious Heaven pass you▪ you would lay hold on it, and spend all you had to get it▪ and to be made partakers of those unvaluable treasures▪ and think with thyself thou canst not bid enough for it: Cor. 1. 14. Strive and run, so run that you may attain, and every one that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things, now they do it that they may have a corruptible, but we an incorruptible crown, and if men be so careful here on earth to obtain temporal preferments, much more than run to get that preferment which of all other is the chief, even everlasting happiness in Heaven, it's for Heaven an incorruptible Crown, for Heaven that transcends all other things, and think with yourselves how it will trouble you if you come short of your prize, what a fearful and sorrowful voice will it be to you, who can express your anguish, when you hear Heaven and your Crown is parted from you: it was a pitiful saying to Nabuchadnezzar, thy kingdom is departed from thee; much more to us then, to hear that we have lost Heaven, how will it astonish thee to hear Christ say, Heaven and thy Crown is departed from thee, thou must be turned to Devils for ever, this will be thy condition to the end; it is our duty to speak unto you, we can but exhort you, we can do no more, Math. 10. 14. If they will not retain it, saith he, shake off the dust of your feet as a testimony against them. If ye look not to yourselves in this life, this will be the event of it. Oh how will it fret you to the heart; what inutterable perplexities will you be in, when you see others follow Christ to his glory, and you yourselves have that curse denounced against you, Go you cursed, etc. Alas than it will be too late to get Heaven: oh! what terror and amazement, what bitter anguish to think Heaven came near unto me; it was offered me, and yet because I would not part with some darling sin, some beloved corruption, some base lust I have lost my interest in it, I must not partake of those rivers of pleasures in Heaven. This certainly will be the issue except here, whilst you have space, you make sure this Crown to yourselves by Faith and Repentance. 
3. Cause.   
I proceed in the third place, to the exemplary cause, and the greatness of this glory appears from this, and this is the glory of Jesus Christ himself; consider. the great glory of the Lord of glory is the nearest pattern of it, and therefore in Scripture that glory the Saints shall have in Heaven is said to be like his, we shall be like the Lord of glory, he is not only made the efficient and meritorious cause, but also the exemplary cause of this glory, what can be said more than this, we shall be made like to Christ Jesus, who is the Lord of glory, the eye of all things, the firstborn of every living creature, in whom all excellencies remain, and all fullness dwells; oh then, what infinite glory to be like what Jesus Christ now is! why, thou shalt be made like to him, john 17. 24. That they may behold my glory which thou hast given me: but that is not all, though this was sufficient to make us happy: A beggar may behold the glory of a King, and be never the happier for it, nay be more sad in his thoughts, because none of his glory reflects upon himself, but saith our Saviour, john 17. 22. The glory which thou gavest me, I have given them, that they may be one, even as we are one; we shall wear the same kind of glory which Christ wears, and he wears all the glory both of Heaven and earth about him at all times, what kind of glory shall we then wear? We shall be made like unto his glorious body. As we were all borne like Adam▪ so we shall be made like Christ▪ we are said to be predestinated, to be made conformable according to the Image of his son, so that as we were predestinated to be made like him in grace and sufferings here, so likewise in glory, we see here but as in a glass the glory of Christ, and yet are changed into the same Image from glory to glory, 2 Cor. 5. last, But we all with open face beholding, as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same Image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord: If we seeing him here upon earth as an holy and a righteous man, conceive and have such glory in him: consider brethren what that shall be when we shall see him as he is, what a comfort will that be, when we shall see him face to face in Heaven▪ and be made partaken of his glory, we shall be like him, 1 john 3. 2. Behold now we are the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him.  
In the fourth place, let us consider the matter of this glory, both Materia in qua & circa quam, the object and subject of this glory. And first, the object of this happiness, why it is not any other creature, but God himself, no creature in Heaven and Earth is the matter of our happiness, but God himself will be made happiness to us, he will not only be the efficient cause, but the material cause of our happiness, Gen. 17. He sums up all in himself, I will be an all-sufficient God unto thee, he promises himself, not heaven separated from himself, but he will give us his own glory, he doth not only promise us great and glorious things to be created by him, but he himself will be our Heaven, Psalm. 73. Whom have I in Heaven but thee, and there is none that I desire on earth, besides thee, mark the phrase, indeed there are all other things here on Earth which we may stand in need of, but saith David. though I have need of them, why yet none of them all I desire besides thee. God alone made David happy, for indeed God himself makes Heaven, though there were neither Saint nor Angel: indeed they are all there, but we need nothing but God and Christ to make us happy of this glorious City which is the forerunner of Heaven if it be not Heaven itself, yet of that glorious condition which indeed is the immediate forerunner of Heaven, Revel. 21. 23. The City had no need of Sun or Moon to shine in it, for saith he, The glory of God did lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof: why, my brethren, though there be many glorious things in Heaven, though there be the fruition of the company of Saints and Angels, yet that is not it which makes us happy, but God is our happiness. Indeed the glorious societies of the glorified bodies of Saints is very delectable and ten thousand times excels all the delights of creatures here below, yet I say, we have no need of them to make us happy: it is but overplus, God himself and Christ Jesus make our Heaven & happiness. Think now my brethren with yourselves what Heaven is, are you all able to consider what it is to have God to be our happiness? It is impossible for you to conceive it, and for me to express it, I can no more reveal what God will do to you, than this light can reveal the light of the Sun which can be known by no light but its own. In the first place God contains all things, all manner of divine perfections are bound up in him. The pleasures of this earth are scattered here and there, and therefore the soul goes wandering up and down from one creature to another, from one flower to another, because some part of his happiness is in one, some part in another, but my brethren, in God we have all happiness summed up, and wrapped together, all our delights are together in him, Revel. 21 7. He that overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he shall be my son: Consider with yourself that God himself can but inherit all things, and indeed he is all things, and if we have God for our God, we shall inherit all things he will be meat and drink, wife, husband, and whatsoever else unto us, he will be all things to us himself, and therefore it is said, 1 Cor. 14. 18. That at the day of judgement, when Christ shall give up the kingdom, than all things shall be put under him, that God may be all in all; which implies two things: First, that God himself will be our happiness, he will be happiness enough, for he is all in all. Secondly, That he will be all unto us in a more transcendent manner than the glory of the creatures. I may compare these joys of Heaven to those receipts which contain the very spirits of things, the very life and quintessence of things extracted out, a little quantity whereof, as much as will lie on a knives point is of more virtue and efficacy to work upon a man's body (because they are the spirits) than a great quantity of all other drugs: so now these contentments which God gives are the very spirits of comforts which will add more happiness than all the drugs of worldly pleasures can administer unto us, for all the happiness that could be had here, nay further all the happiness God could create to men as men here on earth, are but as one drop to the bottomless Ocean of God's glory: and yet this falls short, this is too scant a comparison: for I say; infinite millions of drops will at length make an Ocean, but ten thousand millions of the glories of this World cannot make up one drop of the glory which is in God. Thus God will be all things to us, and all things in a transcendent manner. Again thirdly God will pour out himself unto us, he will give us communication with himself of this his infinite happiness, he will pour out all his glory unto us, Ephes. 3. 19 That ye might be filled with all the fullness of God, which will give all comfort; open thy mouth wide, he is able to fill it, for one drop of God will fill thee full▪ I will fill thee with fullness & fullness of the best kind: oh! what ineffable comfort will this be, when the vessels of mercy shall be thrown into this bottomless sea of glory. Therefore do but think with yourselves what a happiness this will be when you shall be made partakers of God's glory, of all the blessedness that is in God, for although he cannot give us his glory essentially, yet it shall as truly seem to make us happy as it doth to make him glorious. Fourthly, we shall be made one with him, they are Christ's own words, john 17. 21, 22, 23. That they all may be one, as thou O Father art in me, and I in thee, even that they may be also one in us, that the world may believe that thou hast sent me, and the glory that thou gavest me I have given them, that they may be one 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. My brethren, what is it that makes God happy, but God himself, and yet what is that which makes Christ so happy, but that he is equal with God the Father? Now if God make himself happy, how happy shall we be then when we communicate with God in this his happiness. To be one with him then must needs make us happy, indeed we cannot be one with him as Christ is, for he is the brightness of his glory, the express Image and character of his person, he is the natural Son of God, and of the same nature with God, but we shall be made one with him so far as the creature is capable of, and the next union to that which God and Christ have one with another we shall have, that they may be one even as we are one. And again, being made one with God, we shall rejoice in all that God rejoiceth in, that God is so glorious a God it shall make thee glorious, thou shalt have all those joys by revenues of which he now lives in Heaven, thou shalt rejoice more in God's happiness than in thine own, the more happiness riseth to God, the more riseth to thee: that which is the matter of GOD'S glory shall be the matter of ours; it is the nature of love, that it rejoiceth in the love of the person beloved, john 14. You are my friends if you do whatsoever I command you, joh. 3. And therefore saith john, in that he increaseth, I must decrease, in this my joy is fulfilled; Our Saviour saith also to his Disciples, If ye loved me, you would have rejoiced because I said, I go to the Father. Now my brethren, if we shall rejoice in the same God rejoiceth in, both in that joy which is intrinsecus within him, and in that joy which is extrinsecus whereby he delights in all his works and providence, if both these I say, shall be in us, how glorious shall we be? john 15. 11. Christ saith, These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. And this is not to be understood of our Saviour's joy, of the hopes he had of them, but that the joy which is in Christ shall be in us, that my joy, saith he, may be in you, 25. Matth. 25. We shall enter into our master's joy. Rom. 5. 2. And rejoice in the hope of the glory of God, and not only so, but we joy also in God, through our Lord jesus Christ, we shall not only rejoice in a created glory which he shall bestow upon us, but further we rejoice in Gods own glory; I should come to show you the subject of this glory, namely the soul of man: But my brethren, I will first make some short use of this which hath been spoken: Let us therefore take God for our portion, whatsoever else becomes of us, whatsoever befalls us, let what will come, what afflictions, what throbs, what miseries or crosses will come, Heaven will make amends for all, for thy pleasures of sin, and worldly contentments God will be better to thee than all: put them all in one balance, and God with that glory he will bestow on you in another balance, and he will over-waigh them all, they are not worthy to be compared to this glory, this was it that made the Martyrs run through so many persecutions and tortures & that with cheerfulness, they took God for their portions, so they had him they cared not what became of their bodies: For, saith Paul, We look not to things which are corruptible, but to things which are eternal: And because it is probable, yea and more than probable, that there are degrees of glory in Heaven, that God will reward every one according to their works: why then do not only content yourselves to go to Heaven, but endeavour to serve God more, that you may have great glory in Heaven, be abundant in good works, hoard up good works, according to which glory shall be weighed to you in Heaven: let not pleasures hinder thee of the least degree of glory, for to have but one pearl added to thy Crown is more than the whole World: commit therefore no sin that might hinder your attaining of glory, for what though God pardon thy sin? yet thou losest glory, thou mightest have gotten whilst thou wast in committing it, the least shred of which glory transcends all the glory of the World.  
Now we come to the subject of this glory: the Materia in qua, the Vessel which shall receive this infinite mass of glory, and that is the soul, it is called the salvation of our souls; the soul which will hold so much is the vessels of this glory, the body shall be exceeding glorious, but the soul is the receptacle which must receive this glory, Rom. 9 23. And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had before prepared unto glory; And S. Peter calleth Christ the salvation of our souls, the end of your faith the salvation of your souls: My brethren your soul, howsoever you value it, is capable of more glory than this world can afford, the pleasures of which will fill your soul no more than one drop will fill a Cistern, or a little shower the place where the Ocean stands, Eccles. 3. 11. Now it is said, that in this life God will put a World into the heart of man, and yet all that World will not fill it; why, my brethren your souls are narrow in this life, in respect of that they shall be hereafter, they hold but little in respect of that they shall hold in Heayen, they are but little bladders which there shall be blown up, they are but dung bladders in respect of that they shall be in Heaven hereafter, which may appear in this: Solomon had a very large heart, he had as many notions in him as the sands of the sea shore for number, and yet the soul of the least child in heaven, happily but new come out of his mother's womb exceeds all the knowledge which Solomon had on earth: our souls are capable of more joys than the senses can give, they are not able to satisfy it, it will drink up more glory even in one hour, than the senses can provide in many hundred years, it will drink them all up at one draught. My beloved, your senses cannot let in the King of glory, such narrow gates cannot receive such infinite great glory, Psal. 24.  
In Heaven the doors of your hearts shallbe opened, and when those doors are open, I say, the everlasting doors of your hearts are open, they cannot contain this glory, you must be contained in it; Enter, saith Christ, into thy master's joy: If the joy of the holy Ghost in this life pass all understanding, and believing, we rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of glory: how much more in the world to come, shall our joys pass all understanding, when we shall have fruition of God's presence, which is life itself? My brethren your souls have two great gulfs, viz. the understanding and the will, which must and shall be satisfied: Now saith Solomon, The eye of the body is not satisfied with seeing, it can comprise half the World in it, and if the eye of the body be so hard to be satisfied, much more the eye of the soul, and yet in Heaven this shall be satisfied, this gulf shall be satisfied, Psal. 17. 15. I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness, he was to lay his head in the grave for a while, but he should arise when the Heavens shall be no more. As job said, I shall see him again, so David, I shall awake and then I shall be satisfied with thy likeness. john 14. 18. Show us the Father, saith Philip, and it sufficeth us; you will say, if you could but see God, it would suffice, and indeed you may well say so, for the sight of God will suffice you, why you shall see God, john 17. 24. for Christ doth desire this especially, those that are his to make them happy, to be with him, to behold his face: Father, I will that they also that thou hast given me to be with me where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me. So Math. 5. 8. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God, they shall be able to behold him: If the Queen of Sheba who had seen so much glory before, and being a Queen had partaken of so much glory in herself, if she, I say, was so astonished, so amazed that she had no spirit in her even to see Salomons wisdom, and to see his magnificency in honour, and riches, how much more shall the glory of God ravish us, part of which we never saw, no not the glimpse of it: oh! how wilt thou be amazed with joy when thou shalt see his glory, and see him as he is, when we shall know as we are known, and GOD knows us as fare as can be, 1 Corinthians 13. 12. For now we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face; now we know but in part, but then we shall know even as we are known, all our sight of him here it is but as in a glass. Now what a great difference is it to look upon a man who is behind us, and to turn our face and to look truly and stead fastly upon him? why there is infinitely more difference betwixt that light we have of God by faith on earth, and that perfect light of him, and fruition of his glory, which we shall have in heaven: why as I said before, the eye of a man's body as it is but a small thing, and the apple of it much smaller, and yet by the help of the sun, it is able to take half the World into it at once: how much more shall the eye of our understanding conceive infinite joys pastor apprehension here when it hath the light of God's glory shining about it, Psal. 36. 8, 9 They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fullness of thy house▪ and thou shalt make them drink of the rivers of thy pleasures, for with thee is the fountain of life, in thy light shall we see light: when as the Sun of glory comes to shine about us we shall even draw God into our souls; and thus you see the first gulf shall be filled.  
The second gulf of man's soul is the will, thou hast a will and amongst all the affections of it, love is most comfortable, now that shall be fully satisfied we shall be satisfied with God's loving kindness, for (Psal. 73.) all other affections bring pain with them, but love is always comfortable, Phil. 2. 1. If there be any consolation of Christ, if any comfort of love: We love things here on earth that cannot love us again, as money riches, and the like, how much more shall we love love itself? Indeed, as Solomon saith, The love of friends is very delectable, Pro. 27. 9 Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart, so doth the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel: The same testifies David, in his lamentation for jonathan, 2. Sam 1. 26. I am distressed for thee my brother jonathan, very pleasant hast thou been unto me; Thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of a woman: but I say, though the love of friends be great, jonathan exceeding lovely, yet they are not so lovely as God, it cannot be affirmed of them, that they are love itself as God is: on then! how pleasant will it be when this vase affection of love shall be satisfied! GOD will come into us and dwell with us, and do but think what a pleasant thing it is to have the great God of Heaven and Earth to dwell together with the creature in unity, to have him who is love itself to dwell in us from all eternity; it is said (1 Pet. 1. 8.) Whom having not seen you love, in whom though you see him not, yet believing you rejoice with joy unspeakable and glorious: Why if that be a cause to make you rejoice so unspeakably, how much more joyful will you be when you enjoy his presence, not only to kiss him through the lattice, as here we do enjoying only his presence through his ordinances, but to lie in the bosom of his love, to be enfolded in those everlasting arms of his mercy, to be loved of love itself, to be made partaker of all his goodness, and God's love is free, he loves us with out any cause in ourselves: why then brethren consider with yourselves, what is the height, depth breedth, and length of God's love to be filled with all fullness of God (Eph. 3. 8.) Oh what a bottomless sea of God's love shall we be slung into, one drop of which is better than the gold of Ophir, yea surpasseth the whole earth.  
In the last place, I will endeavour to show the final cause, and demonstrate the greatness of Heaven, by this, that both the finis cui, and the finis cuius, that is the end why God hath prepared, all this glory, and the persons for whom: Who is it for that God hath been from everlasting preparing glory? Is it not for his Saints? Is it not for his friend and spouse? Is it not for Zion (Heb. 12.) But you are come into Mount Zion, and into the City of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of Angels, to the general assembly and Church of the first borne, which are written in Heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus the Mediator of the new Covenant, and to the blood of the sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel: God hath reserved Heaven for us, Heaven is made for the feasting of his first borne, he hath in heaven all his children about him, there shall be called a general assembly of them, one will not be away: you know parents they bestow the most cost when they have their children all at once together, they respect no cost, looking at the joy, which is set before them: they have joy unspeakable in the presence of their children together, and therefore at times of rejoicing men will send for their children home: Now, my brethren, God will have all his Children home, he will have a general invitation, the great Congregation of the Elect shall be called together, he will have them all home, and therefore he must needs make great provision: consider what he hath vouchsafed to wicked men, the worst of men, beloved these run away with the blessings of the World, even such as God hath set himself against to hate with an eternal hatred, why then think with yourselves what he hath prepared for those that love him, whom with an everlasting love he hath loved in his Son, for his Son's sake which is as great as himself; certainly he will communicate himself to the uttermost: I say, then think with your selves what God hath prepared for those that love him.  
Secondly, consider the end for which this is, and that is, to manifest his own glory, he truly hath had a great deal of glory out of this World already. The Heavens declare the glory of God, and the Firmament showeth his handy work; he hath had a great deal of glory out of this World by justifying poor sinners, and sanctifying their hearts, and also by punishments inflicted upon wicked men, but all this is nothing to that glory he meaneth to have, not comparable to that he will have in Heaven, 2 Thes.. 3. 10. When he shall come to be glorified in his Saints and be admired of all them that believe: We think wonderful things of God, and yet all our thoughts shall come fare short of the excellency of his coming, he will come beyond our expectation, he will come to purpose, to be admired of all them that believe. The matter of God's glory, the revenues of it must come out of you, the chiefest of his glory, as for the manifestation of his glory, it must come forth of that, he will come to be glorified in his Saints, he will then show how glorious a God he is, by manifestation of his glory, it must come forth of that, he will come to be glorified in his Saints, he will then show how glorious a God he is, by manifesting what glorious creatures he hath made: it is not a little glory that will content GOD, it is not a little glory that will content a King when he meaneth to take state, Rom. 1. He will glorify himself as God, or else he would never have begun, he would never have gone about it, unless he meant to do it to the utmost. And in what doth this his glory consist? why, in making us glorious, and the manifestation of his glory, as he is God, comes from us. It is true indeed, God's essential glory can not be added unto us, but the manifestation of his glory shall arise to us, we shall have it communicatively, as when you see the Sun reflect upon the waters, though you see not the Sun itself, yet you see as perfect a manifestation of it, as if you should see the Sun itself. So likewise, though you cannot have God's glory essentially, yet you shall have it perfectly communicated to you, manifested in you, 2 Cor. 8. 23. And therefore the Saints are there called, the glory of Christ; now think with yourselves, God hath had infinite vast thoughts of glorifying himself, there hath been a fountain of thoughts in him for that cause, and that unceasing spring which hath run in GOD from all eternity must needs make a vast Sea, and who must be the vessels that must go into this, into whom all this must be emptied? are they not those that love him, those that he hath loved with an everlasting love? why then, do but think with yourselves how unutterable are the joys we shall have in Heaven. I would add something more to it, if any thing more can be added to it; and if I but mention the properties; they will further add to this glory and make it abound. He name no more than those we have already laid down to our hands, 1 Pet. 1. 45. Elect to an inheritance incorrupted and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, revealed in the last times.  
In the first place brethren, 
1. Property.  it is an inheritance the deed of which runs for ever to him and his. The subtlest Lawyer that is, yea such an one as can almost find a knot in a bulrush shall not be able to pick the least hole in your evidence: it is an inheritance to which every one of you shall be heirs and shall have an everlasting possession in it: it is not in Heaven, as it is in this world, where the elder brother is only heir, and goes away with the inheritance, when many times the younger are beggars; but in Heaven it is not so, for there we shall be all heirs and coheirs with Christ: & the reason of it is, because it is called the inheritance of the Saints, 2 Col. 12. Giving thankes unto the father, who hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light. Why my brethren, now you know light is such a thing as is common to all, so that if there were ten thousand times more men in the world then there is, they might enjoy it; neither doth any envy at the light another hath; why, Heaven is an inheritance of the sons in light which we shall be partakers of; there shall be no envying of one another's happiness and light in glory: why my brethren, you may be all heirs; yea you shall be all heirs, there are no younger brethren▪ Again, why alas in this life the live we possess, the inheritance of them passeth from one to another, from the father to the son; yea and further, all the evidence they have will be burnt one day, they will be made void at the day of judgement, the whole world will be burnt and what will become of their inheritance?  
But now secondly, this 
2. Property.  inheritance is eternal incorruptible, 1 Cor. 5. 1. For we have, if this earthly house of our Tabernacle be dissolved; we have, I say, a building with God not made with hands, eternal in the Heavens. An inheritance, my brethren, that will be for ever: why, now think what eternity is, and think of it again, it will even amaze your thoughts. Eternity is that which multiplies our joys here upon earth: to enjoy a thing many years is our greatest joy, if we can so enjoy it there lies our comfort, hence those words of the rich man in the Gospel, Soul take thy rest, for thou hast goods laid up for many years. What a happiness is it, not only to enjoy an inheritance many years, but for ever; goods laid up for ever? what a mercy is it that they are for ever? the eternity of them adds to our joys, it was a rejoicing to David, that God would give him a Kingdom; but more, that he would prepare a Kingdom to his house a great while, 2 Sam. 7. 18 19 Then went King David and sat before the Lord and said; Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto? and was this yet a small thing in thy sight oh Lord God, but thou hast spoken of thy servants house, for a great while to come. David took it for a great favour, that God would bestow a Kingdom upon him, and yet, saith he, this was but a small thing in thy sight: what was it a small thing to give a Kingdom? No, but there was another thing more than a Kingdom, and that was, that his posterity should sit on the Throne for a great while, this made the mercy the greater; if Heaven's glory should last but for a few days or years, it were worth more seeking after than all the things of this World: we make a great strife for momentary trifles in this world, but Heaven shall last for ever: it hath an everlasting evidence, it shall never have an end: the day thereof is for a long day, for it is for eternity and a day. Again, David was to die himself and to leave the glory of his Kingdom to another, yet he took it for a great favour and mercy, that it was promised to his house for a great while; but now in Heaven we shall never die; we shall possess our Kingdom in our own persons to everlasting: the pleasures and riches we enjoy here must go to others. The rich man in the Gospel sings to his soul: Soul thou hast goods in store laid up for many years; eat, drink, and take thy rest: but mark the answer, Thou fool, this night shall thy glory be taken from thee. Now in Heaven it is fare otherwise, we shall never be deprived of our glory: why, let not the least thought of jealousy come into our minds. For this in the next place is incorruptible, and not only incorruptible in itself, but also in those that enjoy it, we shall be ever with the Lord, we shall be the persons themselves The Kingdoms of this world were brave places if they might have no end, the Kings of them exceeding happy if they might never die, but live always: but alas, though they live like Gods, they shall die like men. Now in Heaven there is no such thing, there is no dying nor talk of dying, but mortality shall be swallowed up of immortality; we shall enjoy those inexhaustible Rivers of pleasures to eternity.  
Now we come to the 
3. Property.  next property. It is incorruptible and undefiled, 1 Cor. 5. 25. All the comforts we have in this life are mixed with sin, yea with the impotency of sin and misery; so that one saith well to this purpose; Though the joys of a King be many and greater than others, yet they have as many sorrows attending upon them as joys, and if not crosses, yet sinne the greatest cross of all, if men be sensible of it; but Heaven is undefiled, there is no anguish, no grief, no tears, no sorrows, but joys to all eternity. There shall be no vexing Canaanites to trouble you, neither outward nor inward enemies, Isa. 35. And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with songs, and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall fly away: here the guilt of sin afflicts us, the punishments due unto the same affright us, one man is troubled with a lust which he would fain master, another man cries out with the Apostle, O miserable man that I am, etc. Qualms come over many men's hearts for the guilt of sin; and how many throes have they before they can get sin abandoned! another is vexed with some tormenting malady and grievous sickness in his body; but in Heaven we shall be freed from these sorrows, there shall be neither soul nor body sick, Isa. 33. 24. And they in Heaven shall not say, I am sick, the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity: there shall be no thought of the pardon of sin, for the inhabitants that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquities: that is, those sins which they have committed in this life shall be forgiven there. There is no thought of sin in Heaven, there they shall be everlastingly buried in oblivion.  
Object. But you will say, this glory may whither and decay; it may wax old and decline.  
Answ. There is no fading in Heaven, for with God there is no variableness, no not so much as shadow of changing. The glory of Kingdom's decay daily, and Monarchies fall; as the Roman Empire, what a glorious Monarchy was it! but now it is come almost unto a bare title. But in Heaven there is no decaying, no failing, there is always a full springtide without ebb. That infinite mass of glory which thou shalt receive at the last day thou shalt keep for ever: after as many millions of years expired as there are hairs on thy head, it shall be as bright as it was on the last day, and the reason of it is because of God's presence, we shall be present with him who is the fountain of life, whose streams of glory must needs issue to eternity, for at his right hand is fullness of joy, and rivers of pleasure slow from him for evermore: so long as God fades not, Heaven will never fade: when God himself fades, when that fountain can be dried up, than those rivers of pleasures shall cease flowing, but that is impossible, for he is the Well of life: What is the reason that precious stones decay not, but that there is no dross or corruption in them? as the Diamond being pure in itself, fades not away, but always keeps a lustre and splendour in it, whereas other base stones that have dross in them soon decay and moulder away. In like manner though this World have dross in it, and by reason of that perish, yet in Heaven there is no dross of sin or corruption, and therefore it cannot fade.  
Why now you will say again, grant all this you have said before, yet I doubt I may be bereft of it: it may be taken away from me by violence, for Kingdoms in this life are taken away, Kings deprived of their dignities.  
Why, but there is no fear of this in heaven, it is kept for you sure enough, no moths of corruption to make you sin, no violence of Satan's temptations to make you fall: The devil and sin crept into Paradise, but neither of them shall come into Heaven; (Matth, 6. 20.) Lay up treasures for yourselves in Heaven where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt nor thiefs break in and steal.  
But you will say again, if I could once get thither, I had no cause to fear, I should never fall if I were once in heaven; but I fear the vileness of my own heart, I fear I shall be defiled with my corruptions and by Satan: and as David said, I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul; I am afraid I may perish hereafter, though I now be in the state of grace, I may fall, and never come thither.  
But look further, it is said, It is reserved for you who are kept by the power of God to salvation; you are kept for it, Christ hath reserved it for you, who saith further, Of those which thou hast given me, I have not lost one. If all the power of the Creator lie for it, you shall not lose it: but it doth; therefore you shall not lose it. And lastly, thou shalt not stay long for it, thou shalt not be a probationer, but till thy death at the farthest; it is laid up ready for thee, a Crown of glory waits and stays for thee: but now all these things are showed, this is the misery, that we will not believe, In my Father's house, saith he, there are many mansions. If it had not been so, I would have told you, he will not deceive us, believe him on his word, we use to believe the promise of a man we judge saithful, much more let us credit God who is truth itself. Therefore as ever we would be partakers of these joys, and have part and portion in these eternal comforts: let the belief of them be steadfast, and though there be many uses to be made of this, yet this is the chief, that we would believe this truth: Indeed you believe, but I say unto you believe, and again believe: those that entered not into the promised Land, entered not, because they did not believe. This is the cause that men perish and enter not into God's rest, I say therefore believe God, seeing he hath fulfilled all his promises, he hath not failed in one promise since the beginning. The Land of Canaan he gave according to his promise long before (1 King. 8. 23.) Lord thou keepest Covenant and mercy with thy servants (verse 26.) Blessed be the Lord that hath given rest to his people Israel, according to all that he promised by the hand of his servant Moses: If he hath promised that ten Kings shall destroy the whore as indeed he did, she shall be destroyed, he will not fail in his promise, he hath spoken, and he will make it good, he is abundant in mercy and truth, yea he will be better than his word. Let me speak therefore to you that are yet in the state of nature, who still delight in your sins: if you believed these things, surely you would not dote on your sins as you do; it would make you utterly abandon them: and also let me say something to you whose eyes God hath opened, who are in the state of grace; surely if you laboured more and more to petswade yourselves of this, you you'd not be so glued to the world as you are; it would make you like men of another World, you would be transformed and be even as if you were in heaven. Let then all your carriage and manner of conversation be here, as if you were in your heritance, let all your thoughts be in heaven, let your hearts take possession of this incorruptible Crown, whilst your bodies are on earth.  
FINIS.