communicate himself unto them, for their complete hap piness.

This blissful sight of God, being quite above our present capacities, we must needs be much in the dark about it. But it seems to be something else, than the sight of that glory, which we will see with our bodily eyes in the saints, and in the man Christ, or any other splendour or refulgence from the Godhead whatsoever; for no created thing can be our chief good and happiness, or fully satisfy our souls; and it is plain, that these things are somewhat different from God himself. Therefore I conceive, that the souls of the saints shall see God himself; for the scriptures teach us, that we shall see face to face, and know even as we are known, 1 Cor. xiii. 12. And that we shall see him as he is, 1 John iii. 2. Howbeit the saints can never have an adequate conception of God; they cannot comprehend that which is infinite. They may touch the mountain, but cannot grasp it in their arms. They cannot with one glance of their eye, behold what grows on every side; but the divine perfections will be an unbounded field, in which the glorified shall walk eternally, seeing more and more of God; since they can never come to the end of that which is infinite. They may bring their vessels to this ocean every moment, and fill them with new waters. What a ravishing sight would it be, to see all the perfections, and lovely qualities, that are scattered here and there among the creatures, gathered together into one! but even such a sight would be infinitely below this blissful sight the saints shall have of heaven. they shall see God, in whom all these perfections shall eminently appear, with infinitely more, whereof there is no vestige to be found in the creature. In him shall they see every thing desirable, and nothing but what is desirable.

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Then shall they be perfectly satisfied, as to the love of God towards them, which they are now ready to question on every turn. They will be no more set to persuade themselves of it, by marks, signs and testimonies; they will have an intuitive knowledge of it. They shall (with the profoundest reverence be it spoken) look into the heart of God, and there see the love he bore to them from all eternity, and the love and good-will he will bear to

them for evermore. The glorified shall have a most clear and distinct understanding of divine truths, for, "In his light we shall see light," Psalm xxxvi. 9. The light of glory will be a complete commentary on the Bible, and loose all the hard and knotty questions in divinity. There is no joy on earth, comparable to that which ariseth from the discovery of truth; no discovery of the truth is com◄ parable to the discovery of scripture truth, made by the Spirit of the Lord unto the soul. "I rejoice at thy word," says the Psalmist," as one that findeth great spoil,” Psal. cxix. 162. Yet it is but an imperfect discovery we have of it while here. How ravishing then will it be, to see the opening of the whole treasure hid in that field! They shall also be let into the understanding of the works of God. The beauty of the works of the creation and providence, will then be seen in a due light. Natural knowledge will be brought to perfection by the light of glory. The web of providence concerning the church, and all men whatsoever, will then be cut out, and laid before the eyes of the saints, and it will appear a most beautiful mixture; so as they shall say together, on the view of it, He hath done all things well. But, in a special manner, the work of redemption shall be the eternal wonder of the saints, and they will admire and praise the glorious contrivance for ever. Then shall they get a full view of its suitableness to the divine perfections, and to the case of sinners; and clearly read the covenant, that past betwixt the Father and the Son, from all eternity, touching their salvation. They shall for ever wonder and praise, and praise and wonder at the mysteries of wisdom and love, goodness and holiness, mercy and justice, appearing in the glorious device. Their souls shall be eternally satisfied with the sight of God himself, and of their election by the Father, their redemption by the Son, and application thereof to them by the Holy Spirit.

2. The saints in heaven shall enjoy God in Christ by experimental knowledge, which is, when the object itself is given and possessed. This is the participation of the divine goodness in full measure, which is the perfection of the will, and utmost term thereof. "The Lamb shall lead them unto living fountains of waters," Rev. vii. 17. These are no other but God himself, the fountain of liv

ing waters, who will fully and freely communicate himself unto them. He will pour out of his goodness eternally into their souls; and then shall they have a most lively sensation, in the innermost part of their souls, of all that goodness they heard of, and believed to be in him; and of what they see in him by the light of glory. This will be an everlasting practical exposition of that word, which men and angels cannot sufficiently unfold, viz. God shall"be their God," Rev xi. 3. God will communicate himself unto them fully; they will be no more set to taste of the streams of divine goodness in ordinances, as they were wont, but shall drink at the fountain-head. They will be no more entertained with sips and drops, but filled with all the fulness of God. And this will be the entertainment of every saint; for, though in created things, what is given to one, is with-held from another; yet an infinite good can fully communicate itself to all, and fill all. These who are heirs of God, the great heritage, shall then enter into a full possession of their inheritances; and the Lord will open his treasures of goodness unto them, that their enjoyment may be full. They shall not be stinted to any measure; but the enjoyment shall go as far as their enlarged capacities can reach. As a narrow vessel cannot contain the ocean, so neither can the finite creature comprehend an infinite good; but no measure shall be set to the enjoyment, but what ariseth from the capacity of the creature. So that, although there be degrees of glory, yet all shall be filled and have what they can hold; though some would be capable to hold more than others, there will be no want to any of them, all shall be fully satisfied, and perfectly blessed in the full enjoyment of divine goodness, according to their enlarged capacities. As when bottles of different sizes are filled, some contain more, others less; yet all of them have what they can contain. The glorified shall have all in God, for the satisfaction of all their desires. No created thing can afford satisfaction to all our desires; clothes may warm us, but they cannot feed us; the light is comfortable, but cannot nourish us. But in God we shall have all our desires, and we shall desire nothing without him. They shall be the happy ones, that desire nothing but what is truly desirable; and withal haye all they desire.

God will be all in all to the saints; he will be their life, health, riches, honour, peace, and all good things. He will communicate himself freely to them; the door of access to him shall never be shut again, for one moment. They may, when they will, take of the fruits of the tree of life, for they will find it on each side of the river, Rev. xxii. 2. There will be no veil betwixt God and them, to be drawn aside; but his fulness shall ever stand open to them. No door to knock at in heaven; no asking to go before receiving; the Lord will allow his people an unrestrained familiarity with himself there.

Now they are in part made partakers of the divine na ture; then they shall perfectly partake of it; that is to say, God will communicate to them his own image, make all his goodness not only pass before them, but pass into them, and stamp the image of all his perfections on them, so far as the creature is capable to receive the same; from whence shall result a perfect likeness to him, in all things in or about them, which completes the happiness of the creature. And this is what the Psalmist seems to have had in view, Psalm xvii. 15. "I shall be satisfied when I awake, with thy likeness;" the perfection of God's image, following upon the beatific vision. And so says John, 1 John iii. 2. see him as he is."

"We shall be like him; for we shall Hence there shall be a most close

and intimate union betwixt God and the saints: God shall be in them, and they in God, in the way of a most glorious and perfect union; for then shall they dwell in love made perfect. "God is love, and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him," 1 John iv. 16. How will the saints knit with God, and he with them; when he sees nothing in them, but his own image; when their love shall arrive at its perfection, no nature but the divine nature, being left in them; and all imperfection swallowed up in that glorious transformation into the likeness of God! their love to the Lord being purged from the dross of self-love, shall be most pure; so as they will love nothing but God, and in God. It shall be no more

faint and languishing, but burn like coals of juniper. It will be a light without darkness, a flaming fire without smoke. As the live coal, when all the moisture is gone out of it, is all fire; so will the saints be all love, when

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they come to the full enjoyment of God in heaven, by intuitive and experimental knowledge of him, by sight and full participation of the divine goodness.

Lastly, From this glorious presence and enjoyment shall arise an unspeakable joy, which the saints shall be filled with." In thy presence is fulness of joy," Psalm xvi. 1. The saints sometimes enjoy God in the world, when their eyes being held, that they cannot perceive it, they have not the comfort of the enjoyment; but then, all mistakes being removed, they shall not only enjoy God, but rest in the enjoyment, with inexpressible joy and satisfaction. The desire of earthly things breeds torment, and the enjoyment of them often ends in loathing. But though the glorified saints shall ever desire more and more of God, their desires shall not be mixt with the least anxiety, since the fulness of the God-head stands always open to them; therefore they shall hunger no more, they shall not have the least uneasiness, in their eternal appetite after the hidden manna, neither shall continued enjoyment breed loathing; they shall never think they have too much; therefore it is added, "Neither shall the -sun light on them, nor any heat," Rev. vii. 16. The enjoyment of God and the Lamb will be ever fresh and new to them, through the ages of eternity; for they shall drink of living fountains of waters, where new waters are continually springing up in abundance, ver. 17. They shall eat of the tree of life, which for variety, affords twelve manner of fruits, and these always new and fresh, for it yields every month, Rev. xxii. 2. Their joy shall be pure and unmixed, without any dregs of sorrow: not slight and momentary, but solid and everlasting, without interruption. They will enter into joy, Matth. xxv. 21. "Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." The expres sion is somewhat unusual, and brings me in mind of that word of our suffering Redeemer, Mark xiv. 34. "My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death." His soul was beset with sorrows, as the word there used, will bear : the floods of sorrow went round about him, encompassing him on every hand: whithersoever he turned his eyes, sorrow was before him; it sprang in upon him, from heaven, earth, and hell, all at once; thus was he entered into sorrow, and therefore saith, Psal. Ixix. 2.