part. And this glory consists in a beholding his glory in Heaven. There

fore he says on behalf of the whole election of grace, "Father, I will that "they also, whom thou hast given me, "be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory which thou hast

66

given me for thou lovedst me before "the foundation of the world." In which we have the utmost blefsednefs of Heaven set before us. It consists in the beatific vision of the person of Christ in his kingdom and glory. And we may observe in the last clause of this cited scripture, that the God-man values his Father's love, the spring and fountain from whence his election and personal glory originated, beyond all: it being the original of all. So then, to bring this subject to its point, the unspeakable blefsednefs of the elect separated soul consists in being with Christ, in seeing Christ as he is, and in beholding his glory. In which vision of Christ, and in communion with him in his glory, consist the eternal life and everlasting perfection of the saint admitted into the state of immortality within the vail; where he has such communion with Christ in an intuitive way and manner, as fills the soul in every faculty with the knowledge of God to a John xvii. 24.

a divine satiety, and with such an enjoyment as gives the most complete satisfaction. The disembodied saint enjoys such communion with Father, Son, and Holy Ghost through this vision of the God-man, as constitutes an everlasing Heaven, and feeds the mind with joys, which exceed all the conceptions of saints on earth. That continual blaze of light, glory, and God-like majesty, which shines from the God-man, and by which all the blefsed in Heaven are refreshed, renders them immutably holy, and eternally impeccable. To this we may add, that it may be called the glory of God; and we may be said to enter on the participation of his eternal glory, because all proceeds from the Father's everlasting love and his own eternal purpose of grace. In this state there is a perfection of worship and communion of saints. As there will be a most blefsed communion with the Head of saints, who is the fountain of their uninterrupted blefsednefs; so there will be also a most perfect fellowship with glorified saints. They will all worship in the same perfection of holiness. They will all behold the same Jesus. They will all unite in the same song to the Lamb that was slain. And conversing with Moses, Enoch, and Elijah, in their

glorified bodies, will serve to increase their mutual happiness.

I conceive, the glory, happiness, and blefsednefs of the saints in Heaven are increasing, and will continue to increase throughout the ages of eternity. Although there is no want in the happinefs which each of the blefsed enjoys, yet they being but finite, and God in Christ infinite, there must be a succession and gradation in their knowledge, enjoyment, and communion. I con

ceive with respect to the present state of saints in glory, that, though they see Christ in his personal glory, and have communion with him in a certain degree in his mediatorial and relative glory, as their Head, Saviour, Lord, and Husband, yet their chief and first subject is his Mediatorial glory; and their constant praise is to him, as the Lamb that was slain. And through him, as such, all the love of the Father and all the grace and consolation of the Holy Spirit flow into their souls, and will continue so to do, till, to use the prophet Zechariah's exprefsion, "The Lord my "God shall come and all his saints with "him." At which time the trumpet being sounded, the bodies of the electdead being raised and re-united to their souls, and the living-elect changed in a

moment, in the twinkling of an eye, from mortality to immortality, his glory will shine on the bodies and souls of all his saints to a far greater degree than what it does now in Heaven. And this will increase their enjoyment of blefsednefs beyond the conception of saints by any former communion which they had with Christ in glory. In the New Jerusalem-state, (as it is very justly styled by divines to distinguish it from the present state of saints in glory, and also from what is most properly styled the ultimate glory-state, where and when Christ will dwell personally with all his saints together,) Jesus their bridegroom and the church his bride will have such communion suited to this state, as will far surpafs the blefsednefs of their present communion with him now in glory. This New Jerusalemstate of the blefsed is thus exprefsed. "And the city had no need of the sun, "neither of the moon to shine in it: "for the glory of God did lighten it, "and the Lamb is the light thereof." And further it is said of it, "There shall "be no more curse; but the throne of "God and of the Lamb shall be in it; "and his servants shall serve him. And "they shall see his face, and his name "shall be on their foreheads. And b Rev. xxi. 23.

P

"there shall be no night there, and they "need no candle; neither the light of "the sun; for the Lord God giveth "them light and they shall reign for ever and ever." And even this will be put down by what will be more fully manifested and enjoyed in the state of ultimate glory, when God in his divine persons and perfections in the God-man shall be so clearly and fully known and enjoyed, as to be ALL IN ALL. Then the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost will be enjoyed by the saints to the uttermost perfection of blefsed nefs. O my soul! are these things so? Are these truths divine realities? Has the Holy Ghost made them so to thee? Astonishing grace! Let them then, O my soul! sink down into thy heart. Meditate on them. Pray over them. Seek to digest them inwardly and spiritually; and labour to bring them into daily use and practice. Look up to the Eternal Three, saying, HOLY FATHER! I present myself at thy throne in the name and person of the God-man, Christ Jesus, praying thee to shine upon me in him. Thou art the Father of glory: and out of the riches of thy glory thou hast loved me in Christ Jesus, before the foundation of the world, with the same love wherewith thou lovedst him. Eternal