0A.24. Chapter VII.
Chapter VII. The Number of Possessors of Heaven Cannot Lessen its Felicity. The blessedness of the saints is without end. In the first creation, the happiness of angels and men was mutable. The happiness in Heaven as unchangeable as the love of God to the saints, and the love of the saints to him. The woeful folly of men in refusing such a happiness. An excitation to seek this happiness. The original moving cause of conferring this happiness is the mercy of God; the meritorious cause is the obedience and suffering of Christ.
It is impossible for an innocent creature, much more for the fallen creature, to deserve any good thing from God. Our Savior expiated the guilt of sin, and by the merits of his obedience purchased the kingdom of Heaven for believers. The number of possessors cannot lessen their felicity. The divine presence is an unending spring of pleasure, equally full and open to all, and abundantly sufficient to satisfy the immensity of their desires. Envy reigns in this world, because earthly things are so imperfect in their nature, and so peculiar in their possession, that they cannot suffice, nor be enjoyed by all. But in Heaven none is touched with that base passion; for God contains all that is precious and desirable in the highest degrees of perfection, and all partake of his universal goodness, without diminution. In the kingdom of Heaven there is no cause for the elder brother to repine at the Father’s bounty to the younger, nor for the younger to supplant the elder to obtain the birthright. "The heirs of God" are all raised to sovereign glory; and every one enjoys God as entirely and fully as if solely his felicity. God is an indivisible good, as he is an infinite good—he is not diminished by the most liberal communications of himself.
We may illustrate this by comparing the price of our redemption—and the reward. The death of Christ is a universal benefit to all the saints—yet it is so applied to every believer for his perfect redemption, as if our Savior in all his agonies and sufferings had no other in his eye and heart, as if all his prayers, his tears, his blood were offered up to his Father only for that person! The common respect of it the apostle declares in those admirable words, that signify such an excess of God’s love to us, "He who spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?" But to imagine that the salvation of every believer is thereby lessened, is not only false, but extremely injurious to the merit and dignity, and to the infinite love of Christ. Therefore the same apostle tells us, "The life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me"—as if he were the sole object of Christ’s love, the end and reward of his sufferings. And this appropriating of it to himself, is no diminishing to the rights of all others.
John describes himself by that glorious title, "the disciple whom Jesus loved." Could he speak this of himself, without diminishing the love of Jesus to the other disciples? Certainly he might. For if we consider that incomprehensible love of Christ, expressed to them all at his last supper, after Judas was gone forth, "As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you;" we may easily understand, that each one of them might justly believe that he was singularly beloved of Christ. They were all received in the heart, though (with John) they did not all lean on the bosom of their divine master.
Thus in Heaven God is the universal treasure of all the saints, and the peculiar portion of every one. As by his essence he equally fills the whole world, and every part of it; and by his providence equally regards all and every particular creature; so in Heaven he dispenses the riches of his love to all, that they cannot desire more, if every one of them were the sole heir of all their merits of his Son, and enjoyed him alone forever! The blessedness of the saints, as it is without diminution, so it is without end; it is complete and continual forever. This makes Heaven to be Heaven; the security of Heaven is as valuable as its happiness. There is no satiety of the present, no concern for the future. Were there a possibility, or the least suspicion of losing that happy state, it would cast an aspersion of bitterness upon all their delights; it would disturb their peaceful fruition, and joyful tranquility; as hope in misery allays sorrow, or fear in happiness dashes joy. The more excellent the happiness is, the more stinging would be the fear of losing it. "But the inheritance reserved in Heaven, is immortal, undefiled, and unfading." And the tenure of their possession is infinitely firm, by the promise of God, who is truly immutable, and immutably true, and by the divine power, the support of their everlasting duration. Our Savior assures his disciples, "Because I live, you shall live also; and he lives for evermore." This blessed privilege the saints have by Jesus Christ (who obtained eternal redemption for them) above the grace given to angels and men in the first creation. The angels were upon trial of their obedience—and not in a fixed state of felicity. The first rebellion was fatal to them. Woeful change! how unlike to themselves in their original purity and glory! an unparalleled example of the frailty of the creature, and the divine severity.
Man did stand in paradise for a little while, and had a ruinous fall with all his progeny.
"But the glorified saints sit with Christ in heavenly places," and enjoy an unchangeable happiness, as permanent as the everlasting author of it, and the everlasting soul the subject of it. "With God is the fountain of life." Who can pluck them out of the hands and bosom of a gracious God? He will never withdraw his love, and they shall never forfeit it; for sin is from the perverseness of the will and the disorder of the affections, joined with some error of the mind. But in the light of glory, and full enjoyment of God, the understanding is so perfectly illuminated, the will and affections are so exceedingly satisfied, that it is impossible that they should understand erroneously, or desire irregularly. God is love, and will kindle in the saints a pure affection that eternity shall not lessen. In the present state, our love is imperfect, and wanes as fire dies away by our neglect to feed it by proper fuel. But in Heaven the transcendent Savior attracts every eye with the light of his beauty, and inflames every heart with the heat of his love. The glorious presence of God is in different respects both the cause and effect of our love to him; for the sight of God is the most powerful attractive to love him, and love fixes the mind upon him. And the persevering love of God assures the constant fruition of him; for by love the supreme good is possessed and enjoyed. The apostle tells us, "love never fails," and therefore the happiness of Heaven never fails. They enjoy a better immortality, than the tree of life could have preserved in Adam. The revolutions of the heavens, and ages, are under their feet, and cannot in the least alter or determine their happiness. After the passing of millions of years, still an entire eternity remains of their enjoying God. O most desirable state! where blessedness and eternity are inseparably united. O joyful harmony! when the full chorus of Heaven shall sing, "this God is our God forever and ever." This adds an infinite weight to their glory. This redoubles their joys with infinite sweetness and security; for the direct pleasure of enjoying God is attended with the pleasant reflection it shall continue forever. They repose themselves in the complete fruition of their happiness. God reigns in the saints, and they live in him forever. Eternity crowns and consummates their felicity! THE APPLICATION From what has been discoursed we should,
Consider the woeful folly of men in refusing such a happiness, that by the admirable favor of God is offered to their choice. Can there be an expectation, or desire, or capacity in man of enjoying a happiness beyond what is infinite and eternal? O blind and wretched world! so careless of everlasting felicity. Who can behold without pity and indignation, men vainly seeking for happiness where it is not to be found, and after innumerable disappointments flying at an impossibility, and neglect their sovereign and final blessedness? An error in the first inquiry might have some color of an excuse; but having been so often deceived with painted grapes for the fruits of paradise, that men should still seek for substantial blessedness to fill the soul, in vain shows what can only feed the eye, is beyond all degrees of folly. Astonishing madness! that God and Heaven should be despised for painted trifles. This adds the greatest foolishness to their impiety. What powerful charm obstructs their true judging of things? What spirit of error possesses them? Alas, "eternal things are unseen" and therefore in the carnal balance are esteemed light, against temporal things present to the sense. "It does not appear what we shall be:" the veil of the visible heavens covers the sanctuary, where Jesus our high-priest has entered, and stops the inquiring eye. But we have assurance by the most infallible principles of faith, that the Son of God came down from Heaven to live with us, and die for us, and that he rose again to confirm our belief in his "exceeding great and precious promises" concerning this happiness in the future state. And do not the most evident principles of reason and universal experience prove, that this world cannot afford true happiness to us? How wretchedly do we forfeit the prerogative of the reasonable nature, by neglecting our last and blessed end? If the mind is darkened, that it does not see the amiable excellencies of God, and the will is depraved, that it does not feel their ravishing power; the man ceases to be a man, and becomes like the beasts that perish. As a blind eye is no longer an eye, being absolutely useless to that end for which it was made.
Though in this present state, men are stupid and unconcerned—yet hereafter their misery will awaken them, to discover what is that supreme good wherein their perfection and felicity consists. When their folly shall be exposed before God, angels, and saints—in what extreme confusion will they appear before that glorious and immense tribunal? Our Savior told the unbelieving Jews, "There shall be weeping, and gnashing of teeth, when you shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves turned out." They shall be tortured with the desire of happiness without any possible satisfaction.
Let us be seriously excited to apply ourselves with inflamed desires, and our utmost diligence to obtain this unchangeable happiness. In order to this, we shall consider the causes of it, and the means whereby it is obtained. The original moving cause is the pure rich mercy of God that prepared it for his people, and prepares them for it. The procuring cause is the meritorious efficacy of Christ’s obedience and sufferings. This is expressly declared by the apostle, "the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord."
I. The designing, the preparation, and actual bestowing of the heavenly glory, is from the mercy of God. This will appear by considering,
1. That it is absolutely impossible that a mere creature, though perfect, should deserve anything from God; for enjoying its being and powers of working from his goodness, the product of all is entirely due to him; and the payment of a debt acquires no title to a reward; he is the proprietary and Lord of all by creation. Hence it is clear, that in the order of distributive justice nothing can be challenged from him.
2. Besides, such is the infinite perfection of God in himself, that no benefit can redound to him by the service of the creature. "When you have done all, say you are unprofitable servants, for we have done but what we ought to do." The neglect of our duty justly exposes to punishment; but the performance of it deserves no reward, because no advantage accrues to God by it. "Who has first given unto him, and it shall be recompensed to him again?" He challenges all creatures, even of the highest order. To speak strictly therefore, when God crowns the angels with glory, he gives what is merely his own, and does not render what is theirs. If he should leave them in their pure nature, or deprive them of their being, he would be no loser, nor injurious to them. For what law binds him to enrich them with immortal glory, who are no ways profitable to him, or to preserve that being they had from his goodness? No creature can give to him, therefore none can receive from him, by way of valuable consideration.
3. There is no proportion between the best works of men, and the excellency of the reward, much less an equivalence. It was the just and humble acknowledgment of Jacob to God, "I am less than the least of all your mercies," those that common providence dispenses for the support and refreshment of this temporal life. But how much less than the glorious excellencies of the supernatural divine life, wherein the saints reign with God forever? The most costly, the most difficult and hazardous services, are equally nothing in point of merit, with the giving but "a cup of cold water to a disciple of Christ," there being no correspondence in value between them and the kingdom of Heaven. The apostle tells us, "I count the sufferings of this present life are not to be compared to the glory that shall be revealed in us:" and suffering is more than doing. God rewards his faithful servants, not according to the dignity of their works, but his own liberality and munificence. As Alexander having ordered fifty talents of gold to be given to a gentleman in poverty to supply his needs; and he surprised with that immense bounty, modestly said, ten were enough; he replied, ’if fifty are too much for you to receive, ten are too little for me to give; therefore do you receive as poor, I will give as a king."
Thus God in the dispensing his favors does not respect the baseness of our persons or services, but gives to us as a God. And the clearest notion of the Deity is, that he is a being infinite in all perfections, therefore he is all-sufficient and most willing to make his creatures completely happy.
4. If a creature perfectly holy, that never sinned, is incapable to merit anything from God—then much less can those who are born in a sinful state, and guilty of innumerable actual transgressions, pretend to deserve any reward for their works. This were presumption inspired by prodigious vanity. For,
(1.) By his most free grace they are supplied in conversion with that spiritual power by which they serve him. The original chaos was not a deader lump before the Spirit of God moved on the face of the waters, than the best of men were before the vital influences of the Spirit wrought upon them. And for this they are so deeply obliged to God, that if a thousand times more for his glory were performed—yet they cannot discharge what they owe.
(2.) The continuance and increase of the powerful supplies of grace to the saints, who even since their holy calling by many lapses have justly deserved that God should withdraw his grieved Spirit, are new obligations to thankfulness; and the more grace, the less merit.
(3.) The best works of men are imperfect, allayed with the mixtures of infirmities, and not of full weight in the divine balance. If God should strictly examine our righteousness, it will be found neither pure nor perfect in his eyes, and without God’s grace would be rejected. And that which needs pardon, cannot deserve praise and glory. "He shows mercy to thousands that love him, and keep his commandments." If obedience were meritorious, it would be strict justice to reward them. The apostle prays for Onesiphorus, who had exposed himself to great danger for his love to the gospel, "the Lord grant he may find mercy in that day." The divine mercy gives the crown of life to the faithful in the day of eternal recompense. ii. The meritorious cause of our obtaining Heaven, is the obedience of Jesus Christ, comprehending all that he did and suffered to reconcile God to us. From him as the Eternal Word we have all benefits in the order of nature, "for all things were made by him," and for him, as the incarnate Word, all good things in the order of grace. All that we enjoy in time, and expect in eternity, is by him. To show what influence his mediation has to make us happy, we must consider:
1. Man by his rebellion justly forfeited his happiness, and the law exacts precisely the forfeiture. Pure justice requires that the crime should be punished according to its quality, much less will it allow the guilty to enjoy the favor of God; for sin is not to be considered as an offence and injury to a private person, but the violation of a law, and a disturbance in the order of government; so that to preserve the honor of governing justice, an equivalent reparation was appointed.
Until sin was expiated by a proper sacrifice, the divine goodness was a sealed spring, and its blessed effects restrained from the guilty creature. Now the Son of God in our assumed nature offered up himself a sacrifice in our stead, to satisfy divine justice, and removed the bar, that mercy might be glorified in our salvation. The apostle gives this account of it, "we have boldness to enter into the holiest, by the blood of Christ, by a new and living way which he has consecrated for us through the veil, that is to say, his flesh." Heb 10:19-20.
2. Such were the most precious merits of his obedience, that it was not only sufficient to free the guilty contaminated race of mankind from Hell, but to purchase for them the kingdom of Heaven. If we consider his human nature, all graces were born with him, as rays with the sun, and shined in the whole course of his life in the excellence of perfection. And the dignity of his divine person gave an immense value to all he performed as Mediator. One act of his obedience was more honorable to God, than all the lives of the saints, the deaths of the martyrs, and the service of the angels. God was more pleased in the obedience of his beloved Son, than he was provoked by the rebellion of his servants. Therefore, as the just recompense of it, he constituted him to be universal Head of the church, supreme Judge of the world; invested him with divine glory, and with power to communicate it to his faithful servants, "he is the Prince of life." In short, it is as much upon the account of Christ’s sufferings that we are glorified, as that we are forgiven. The wounds he received in his body, the characters of ignominy, and footsteps of death, are the fountains of our glory. His abasement is the cause of our exaltation.
If it be said, this seems to lessen the freeness of this gift. The answer is clear: This was due to Christ, but undeserved by us. Besides, the appointing his Son to be our Mediator in the way of our ransom, was the most glorious work of his goodness.