Chapter 14: The Ninth Prerogative Royal

The next privilege is: we shall be as the angels in heaven (Matthew 22:30). Christ does not say we shall be angels, but as the angels. Question: How is that? Answer: Not only that we shall not die, but in regard of our manner of worship. The angels fulfill the will of God.

1. Swiftly. 2. Perfectly. 3. Cheerfully.

1. Swiftly: When God sends the angels upon a commission, they do not hesitate or dispute the case with God, but presently obey. The angels are set out by the Cherubims, which had wings: this was not to represent their persons (for spirits have no wings) but their office — to show how swift they are in their obedience; it is as if they had wings (Daniel 9:21). The man Gabriel (this was an angel) was caused to fly swiftly: as soon as ever God speaks the word, the angels are ambitious to obey; now in heaven we shall be as the angels.

This is a singular comfort to a weak Christian: alas, we are not as the angels in this life; when God commands us upon service, to mourn for sin, to take up the cross, O what a dispute is there? How long is it sometimes before we can get leave of our hearts to go to prayer? Jesus Christ went more willingly to suffer, than we do often to pray: how hardly do we come off in duty? God had as good almost be without it. Oh, but (if this be our grief) be of good comfort, in heaven we shall serve God swiftly, we shall be winged in our obedience, we shall be even as the angels.

2. The angels serve God perfectly: they fulfill God's whole will: they leave nothing undone; when God commands them upon duty, they can shoot to a hair's breadth. Alas, our services — how lame and bedridden are they? We do things by halves; instead of using the world as if we used it not, we pray as if we prayed not, we weep for sin as if we wept not: how many blemishes are there in our holy things? As the moon when it shines brightest has a dark spot in it: how many grains should we want, if Christ did not put his merits into the scales? Our duties, like good wine, do relish of a bad cask: the angels pouring sweet odors into the prayers of the saints (Revelation 8:3) shows that in themselves they yield no sweet savor, unless perfumed with Christ's incense; but in heaven we shall be even as the angels, we shall serve God perfectly: how should we long for that time!

3. The angels serve God cheerfully: it is their heaven to serve God: when they are singing hallelujahs, they are ravished with holy delight: though being spirits they need no food, yet it is their meat and drink to serve God. As Adam in innocency, if he had stood though he was set to dress the garden, and should have been employed in manufacture, yet this labor would have been without pain and travail, it would have been delightful to him. Thus the angels serve God without lassitude and weariness — the joy of the Lord is their strength. When we shall arrive at heaven, we shall in this sense be as the angels, we shall serve God cheerfully, we shall [illegible] and not be weary: what a blessed privilege is this, we that now are accounted as the off-scouring of men (1 Corinthians 4:13), shall be as the angels!