Chapter 52: The happiness of God's people in the Perpetual Sabbath that they shall enjoy

NOw the last thing in the Explication is, to show in which the happiness of the Saints consists, is that Perpetual Sabbath that they shall keep with God, whereof this Sabbath is but a Type, Heb. 4:9 Sabbaths here are comfortable, and we have felt some sweet, and some comfort in some Sabbaths; but take all the comfort that ever you had in all the Sabbaths you have had here, and put all into one, that would be a comfortable Sabbath; but that perpetual Sabbath that shall be hereafter, will be the accomplishment of all those Sabbaths, and that will be sweet. Now I shall express myself in these six or seven particulars, to show the happiness of Gods people in that perpetual Sabbath.

First, they shall be exercised in the highest employments that any creature can be exercised in, or that they are capable to be exercised in: The happiness of a creature consists much in that which it is exercised in; as there is a great deal of difference between the happiness of a Noble-man in Court, and the happiness of one that is employed only in cleansing channels, and the meanest employment that is, because their exercise is different; the one is exercised about business that concerns a King, and a State, and the other is imployed about mean things; therefore according as the exercise is, that any creature is raised to, so is the dignity and excellency of that creature: Now we are exercised in mean things here, in comparison of what we shall be hereafter, and yet our business here in making provision for the flesh, in getting meat, and drink, and clothes, and money, is sweet; but though out of obedience to God, we ought to go on comfortably in our callings and places in which God has set us, because God calls us to these low mean things, yet we are to account them a mean condition, in regard of that which our natures are capable of, it is but a sore travel that is laid upon man, and this shall not satisfy us, as if we were capable of no higher things; but when we shall be raised to be busied about the highest employments that a created substance is capable to be busied about, that must be comfortable; as the Psalmist speaks, The highpraises of God shall be in their mouthes: They shall be always busied in the high contemplations of God, and of the Trinity; and they shall be always singing praises to God, and to him that sits upon the throne, and to every Verse of the Song that they shall sing to the Lamb, there shall be a Selah put to it; it must be glorious, because this is the highest glory that God has, not only from his works here, but from all the counsels of his wisdom about the great mystery of redemption, from all his works in Heaven, and the highest glory, that he has from all the communications of himself to the Saints in Heaven, in his praises that they shall be exercised in: all the happiness that we have from God here, is a way of subserviency unto the actual praising of God; there whatever God communicates to his creature, the top of all is not that the creature should have it, but that it should reflect the praise of all upon God. The end of all that God does in the world is his glory that he shall have in Heaven, and the end of all he does in Heaven, is the actual working of the souls of his Saints upon himself.

Secondly, the happiness of the perpetual Sabbath, may be expressed in this, in that the souls of Gods people shall be always up, and fit for these high works: God calls us many times to most excellent things, to be exercised about himself, but our hearts are not fit for these exercises; sometimes we finde our hearts enlarged, and when our hearts are up, we take delight in holy exercises; but at other times, how hardly are we drawn to them? and we are weary in obedience, and count it a slavery, those exercises are heavy to us; but there is a time coming, when our hearts shall be always up, never to seek, but shall be always upon the highest pin, enflamed with heat continually: as it is an heavy curse for a mans heart to be suitable and fitted for temptation, when a temptation shall come; so it is a wonderful blessing to be fitted for any holy employment, when we are called to it; this there shal be always in the Saints in heaven, in keeping this their perpetual Sabbath. It is reported of Anselm, as he was walking out of his house, he saw a bird, that was fluttering to fly up, and could not get up, but fell down, and looking upon it wishly, he saw a string tyed to the leg, and a stone at the end; upon this his heart broke, and he bemoaned himself, This is my condition, says he, though sometimes I would fain get up in holy exercises with God, O but this burden of sin, and weight of sin, is like a stone, and presses me down, when I am got up a little way, I am pull'd down again, my heart is seldom fitted for holy exercises: So it is with us usually, though through Gods grace there are some wings to move up a little, yet this weight and burden of sins presses us down, and makes us unfit for holy duties; let us go humbly a while under that sore burden, but know we shall be freed from it ere long.

Thirdly, the happiness of the Sabbath consists in this, there shall be no intermission, but they shall continue day and night (though there shall be no night) then we shall not go to duty and break off again, and go again, and break off again, no, there shall be no other imployment; though the duties of Gods worship here be of an excellent nature, yet we are not to spend all our time in them; but then there shall be nothing else to spend one moment of time in to all eternity.

Fourthly, there shall be no weariness; though we do spend some time in holy exercises here, we are quickly weary before we have done, Though the spirit be willing, the flesh is weak; but when we shall have been praising of God millions of years, we shall be as fresh at the end of them, as at the first moment; when we are exercised in holy duties with others, it is good to consider of their weakness, whether they be able to hold out, and join with us; but there we shall not need fear weariness in ourselves, or any others.

Again, we shall see nothing else done by no body else: Here we get together, and sing, and pray, and hear the Word, and this is comfortable; but we see the Sabbath broken by others, and that damps our hearts; but there is a Sabbath coming shall be so kept, as we shall see none break it, but every one we have to deal withal shall keep it: But yet by the way, it is better in a place where it is not altogether so well kept, and is in a rising way, then in a place where it is better kept for the present, but is in a declining way; but though it be a grief to us to see the Sabbath broken, yet know, there is a Sabbath coming that we shall keep, and none shall break it.

Again, the happiness of the Sabbath consists in this, to keep this Sabbath in these high exercises, when so many thousands shall be yelling and roaring under the wrath of an infinite God; they shall consider, we are now in the presence of God, keeping a Sabbath unto him, as the children of the Bridechamber, singing songs of triumph to him that sits upon the throne for ever; whereas others are cast out from God, and are roaring and yelling under the burden of the wrath of an infinite God, and that might have been our portion: This addes to the glory of the Saints; and therefore the Scripture has this expression, Without shall be dogs: That expression is taken from the manner of the Iews marriages, usually they were in the night, and the Bridegroom and his Bride and their company were taken in with torches and delight into the Bride-chamber, others were without without light, & not taken into the chamber: so in Heaven, some shall be taken to be exercised in these glorious things, and others are cast out: as would it not adde much to ones happiness, to think thus with ones self; I am now going into a place where I shall have abundance of mirth and joy with my friends; and others in the mean time lie in the cold, starving in the dungeon, and I might have been there as well as they: if a man should go along with the King in triumph, and be at the right hand of the King in glory, and as he goes by, he should hear a company of poor wretches out of a dungeon, crying, yelling, this sets out his glory: so to be at that time, thus exercised in those heavenly employments, when as others shall be cursing themselves, and the time that they were born, and blaspheme the name of God: it is a comfort to a company of gracious hearts when they are got together in holy exercises, to think there are others in the Tavern, drinking and swilling, and blaspheming: what difference is between our condition this day, and their condition? this does mightily refresh ones heart, and enlarge it to praise God for his mercy; and so in Heaven the Saints shall know every instant when they are keeping this Sabbath; others are howling under the wrath of God, and cursing the time they were born.

Lastly, this Sabbath is to be kept in our Fathers house: we shall not sing the songs of Zion in a strange Land, but in our Fathers house. Those godly persons in the times of the Maccabees, accounted themselves happy, that they might worship and serve God though in the Dens, and Caves of the Earth; it will be more happiness to serve God in Heaven, and in our Fathers House. I remember I read of one Marcellus a godly man, being cast into a stinking place, he did make that his Temple to God, and perfumed it with his prayers, and after the Christians built a Temple in that place; and so we may make a filthy dungeon a Temple; but if it be comfortable to be exercised in holy duties in the most filthy and vile places, much more comfortable shall it be when we come to Heaven, in our Fathers house. In Rev. 15. we read of those that sung the song of Moses, they stood upon the sea of glass mingled with fire; to sing the song of Moses, though it be upon the sea of glass, this uncertain life of ours full of trouble, it is comfortable, but to sing it in our Fathers house, will be comfortable indeed; though we do meet with troubles here, yet if we can enjoy the Sabbath, we comfort ourselves, but we shall have a better Sabbath then these, even a perpetual Sabbath in our Fathers house; put these together, and you shall see what this perpetual Sabbath is that Gods people shall have in heaven. Now put all together that we have said negatively, comparatively and positively, the perfection of their natures, their bodies, and souls, and whole persons; their glory at the day of judgement, their possession of heaven, their having God to be their portion, their communion with Christ, their communion with the Angels and Saints, and this perpetual Sabbath that they shall keep, and do but apprehend what infinite joy must flow from all these; these are as the several streams of this Paradise of God. In Gen. 2. we read of Paradise that God made for Adam, and there were four streams that were to water it; this Paradise of Heaven have these seven streams to water it, to make the Saints happy; do but consider what infinite joy must flow from all these put together; every one does cause joy, but put them all together, and the joy that comes from hence is a most pure joy, and a most spiritual joy, and a full joy, and a divine joy.

First, pure; that is, not only free from any mixture of sorrow, but without any thing that should sully it, without any sin: Here all our pleasures are mixed.

And spiritual: If it were to rejoice in the good that our bodies shall have, it were admirable joy, but the joy shall not be so much in regard of the happiness of our bodies, but in regard that God is our portion, it shall be spiritual; yea, the happiness of our bodies shall be spiritual and supernatural.

And it shall be full: How full must it needs be, they shall enter into their joy, because the joy cannot enter into them: We rejoice in believing with joy unspeakable and glorious: If the seed time be so glorious, how glorious will the harvest be? says Cyprian,They shall not taste, but they shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of your house: The fatness of Gods house in the world does abundantly satisfy the souls of Gods people, but the fatness of Gods house hereafter, how will that satisfy them? The people of God shall have such objects to rejoice in, as is the essential glory of God, and all the glory that is put upon him by all his creatures, and all the good they have by Gods communication of himself to them, and all the glory of one another: Look how many Saints shall be in heaven, they shall rejoice in every ones happiness as in their own; their own happiness will cause joy, but so many Saints as shall be happy, so many times shall their joy be double, and therefore it must be full joy: Comfort proceeds from the suitableness between the faculty and the object; now here is the greatest suitableness between the faculty and the object that can be, because here is not only good in the Concreat, but goodness in the Abstract; and union with goodness it self, is more then union with a good thing. Surely the joys of heaven must needs be great, because a little taste of them here that the Martyrs have had, has made exquisite tortures, grievous and dreadful pains, not only tolerable, but comfortable.

And it is Divine joy: It may be said to be Divine in three respects: First, it comes from God: Secondly, it is in God: Thirdly, it is with God. First, it comes from God, being caused by the Spirit of God, and that is another manner of joy then the men of the world have. Secondly, it is in God, rejoicing in God, and that is other manner of joy then rejoicing in meat and drink: Look what difference there is between the excellency that is in God, and the excellency that there is in meat, and drink, and idle sports, so much difference is between the joy that Gods people have in God, and the joy that wicked men have in the creature: And it is divine, in regard that it is joy with God, it is the same joy that God himself has; carnal hearts rejoice one with another in sensual things, but God does not rejoice in those things you rejoice in, but the Saints in heaven shall be exercised in the same joy that God himself has, and rejoice in the same things that God shall rejoice in; to have the beams of our joy mingle with the beams of Gods joy, and so to have Gods joy and ours put into one, that must needs be admirable joy. Notwithstanding this joy of the Saints shall be thus glorious, yet the utmost happiness of man consists not in it; though joy be a necessary concomitant to mans blessedness, yet mans blessedness consists not in it. We do not seek the enjoyment of God, that we might delight in this enjoyment, but we seek delight in the enjoyment, because the enjoyment is the greatest good.

And besides all this, there are some circumstances that serve to set out all that I have said yet further, and to make the happiness of Gods people yet more glorious.

First, it is a prepared happiness, that happiness that God has had his thoughts upon from all eternity, and laid the ground of it from all eternity, God has been working from all eternity to provide this.

Secondly, in that it comes to the people of God, by such a glorious way, as the purchase of Jesus Christ, that I have it, and that I have it by such a glorious way, that will be exceeding comfortable.

Thirdly, that we who are so vile, and so wretched, and so abominable as we are in ourselves, that we who by nature are but firebrands of hell and fuel for eternal wrath, that we should be raised to such a height of happiness.

Fourthly, that we are so few: Not many wise, nor rich, nor noble, but the mean ones of the world, that there should be so many of the world, and the great ones of the world cast out, and a handful of poor contemptible people should be raised to this glory, this is a mighty aggravation of the happiness of Gods people.

Fifthly, that this should be a reward for that which we owe in a way of obedience; we owe all our services in a way of obedience to God, and we may say, When we have done all, we are unprofitable Servants; and that we do, we are bound to do as creatures, and yet that God should reward that which we owe to him in a way of obedience, this aggravates the happiness of the Saints: as if a Master should give his Servant all his estate for doing that which he is bound to do: We have more then wages here, then how much more is that we shall have hereafter?

Again, that which God is pleased to reward, it is but poor mixt service: take our duties at the best, they are such as deserve Hell; there is no one act, but if God should observe what is amiss, you deserve to be cast from God for ever for it; now when we rather deserve that God should cast us down to Hell, yet that God should reward us with all this glory, what a glorious thing is this?

Again, that the Lord is pleased to make this sure to us: if God had left it to uncertainty, and bidden us work, it might be well with us, and may be he will think of us, this might have been a comfort to us: but that God is pleased to binde himself thus, and to make all sure: As if a King should make his Crown & Kingdom sure to a poor wretch, in the way of reward for a poor service; so does God, he makes this glory ours by reward, in a way of Covenant and Testament; by Covenant, such a Covenant as he does not only cause to be written in his word, but in our hearts; & we have witness of this in heaven and earth, three bear witness in heaven, and three in earth; and he gives us seals to confirm this Covenant, and he confirms it by an Oath, he swears by himself, because there is no greater to swear by; and he makes it sure by way of Testament: Covenant we think we may break, but that which is given by Testament, and confirmed by the death of the Testator, that is sure, and thus has God made it sure unto us.

Again, all things that do befal us in this world, and all the ways of Gods providence, do but tend to the furtherance of us to our reward, and to the increase of our reward, and that is the wonderful happiness of Gods people, this should sweeten all conditions: If I be in a meaner condition then another, yet this is in order to my reward, and this is more then if I had a Kingdom in the world, if it were not in order to that; but whatever I have in the world, though never so hard to flesh and blood, it is in order to this, this satisfies.

Again, this reward is near, we shall not stay long for it: If God required of us to be burning a thousand years, and then to have it, we had yet cause to rejoice; but it is at hand, and nearer at hand to us in this latter age of the world, then to our Fore-fathers; God has but a few things to do in the world, to gather but a few more of the Gentiles, and his own people the Jews, and to pull down Antichrist, and then all is done: The time is short, says the Scripture; the word that is translated short, in 1 Cor. 7:29 is a Metaphor taken from a piece of cloth that is rolled up, only a little left at the end; so God has rolled up all his works, only he has a little left at the end, and then all this glory shall appear; the frame of Heaven and earth does but stand till that time, and if that time were come, the frame of Heaven and earth should presently be dissolved, and the ways of Gods providence in this world should be at an end, the Heavens and earth groan for this time. It is said of Doctor Taylor, when he was near at the stake, he fetch'd a leap, and said, I have but two stiles to my Fathers house. We in our way here are as Travellers, some ride it may be a little faster, and get to the Inn first, and then another comes a quarter or half an hour after, but it is but a short time in comparison; he has promised, and he will come quickly, with the glory of his Father, and all the glory of Heaven with him.

And then this shall be after all our troubles: As Painters first draw all black, and then the other beautiful colours; so all our troubles here are but as the black ground-work, to make our glory the more beautiful hereafter: To see land after a long and dangerous voyage, how joyful is it? As the Trojans, after they had been wandring a long time in the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas, as soon as they espied Italy, they cryed out with exulting joys, Italy, Italy; how much more the Saints after they have passed this troublesom world, and come to Heaven, what acclamations of joy will the heavens ring of? Heaven, Heaven.

Lastly, all these things are eternal; this puts an infiniteness of worth upon every particular: How was Haman puffed up by Esthers inviting of him to one Banquet? How shall the hearts of the Saints be taken with that eternal Supper of the Lamb? Obed-Edom was blessed in having the Ark but three moneths in his house, how blessed they who shall have Gods not only gracious but glorious presence eternally? And so I come to the fourth particular, which was propounded in the handling of this point; namely,

4. In which lies the power of the consideration of the recompence of reward to help a man through sufferings. Much has been said, but more may be said, to show that there is a mighty power in it to enable the heart to suffer any thing for God; it is that which has mightily wrought upon the Saints of God heretofore: That is an observable place that we have concerning Christs Transfiguration, and Christs Agony: when he was transfigured upon the Mount, and his glory was showed, even a glimpse of the glory of Heaven; Christ took with him only three Disciples, Peter, James and Iohn; afterward when Christ was to come to his Agony, when his soul was heavy to death, and he sweat clods of blood, he only took those three Disciples that had seen him in his glory, to see him in his sufferings; to show, that those that know what the glory of Christ means, those are the fittest to join with Christ in his Agony, and to endure the greatest sufferings that they can meet withal. See in Dan. 7. there is mention made of a cruel Tyrant that should make War with the Saints, and should persecute Gods people, that devoured and brake in pieces, yet there were some that should bear out all, that should have the Kingdom given them, and God should reward them gloriously; Who are they? at the 22 verse, The Saints of the most high: so you read it, or, TheSaints of the highest; not only of the highest God, but of the highest places, of the highest things, they are those to whom the Kingdom shall be given, those Saints that did see the most glorious things of the Kingdom of God, they had the reward, for they held out in sufferings, but others, whose hearts were low in the earth, they did not hold out.

So those that should hold out in the time of Antichrist, and should not worship the Beast, Rev. 13. 6, 7, 8. were such as dwelt in Heaven. He opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his Name, and his Tabernacle, and them that dwelt in Heaven: in many places of the Revelations, Heaven is taken for the Church of God, and the People of God, and so Interpreters take it here: And it was given to him to war with the Saints, and to overcome them: but though he prevailed against the Saints to kill them, yet he could not prevail against them that dwelt in Heaven to worship him: but all that dwell upon the Earth shall worship him; all that know no higher good then the Earth, they shall follow Antichrist and worship him. Here we see the reason why people will not endure the sufferings inflicted by the Beast, but follow the Beast, & have his mark either upon their foreheads openly, or in their hands secretly, because they do not apprehend the glory of Heaven; but if they can come to see those glorious things of Heaven, though Antichrist do persecute them, they would not worship him: in these latter times of the world Antichrist will prevail to get many to worship him, but the sight of these glorious things will keep us we shall not worship him. In Rev. 12. the Church who is compared to a Woman that was cloathed with the glory of the Sun, she had the Moon, and all sublunary things under her feet: When the soul is seeking after the glory of Heaven, and that is always in its eye, this causes it to have the Moon, by which is signified all things below that are subject to changes, under its feet. I read of a Martyr that was whipped, and almost scourged to death, and then being led to the execution, he met with his Mother, who being a godly gracious woman, did not fall of tearing her hair, and rending her cloathes as other women used to do; but cryed, Son, Remember eternal life; look up to Heaven, and see him that reigns there: Hence we see that having an eye to the recompence of reward, does make the heart to choose the Choice of Moses, To suffer affliction with the people of God, and to esteem the reproach of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Egypt; you see there is a great deal of power and efficacy in it; but in which does this power consist? In divers particulars.