Death Is a Change of Enjoyments

("A Believer's Last Day, His Best Day")

A believer's last day is his best day! Death is a change

of enjoyments. Death is a change of our more dark and

obscure enjoyment of God--for a more clear and sweet

enjoyment of God. The best believer in this world, who

enjoys most of God, and the visions of His glory--still he

does not enjoy God clearly; but he is much in the dark.

We are weak, and able to take in little of God. We have

but dark apprehensions of God. Witness our tears, sighs,

groans, and complaints, because we go forward and

backward. God hides Himself that we cannot see Him.

Ask those who live highest in the enjoyment of God,

"What is your greatest burden?" They will tell you,

"This is our greatest burden, that our apprehensions

of God are no more clear, that we cannot see Him

whom our souls do dearly love, face to face."

Oh--but now in heaven saints shall have a clear vision

of God! There are no clouds or mists in heaven!

Death is a change of our imperfect and incomplete

enjoyments of God, for a more complete and perfect

enjoyment of Him. It is an excellent expression that

Augustine has: "The glorious things of heaven are . . .

so many--that they exceed number;

so precious--that they exceed estimation;

so great--that they exceed measure!"

Bernard says, "For Christ to be with Paul was the

greatest security--but for Paul to be with Christ

was the chief happiness!"

There are no complaints in heaven, because there are

no needs. Oh, when death shall give the fatal stroke,

there shall be an exchange . . .

of earth--for heaven;

of imperfect enjoyments--for perfect enjoyments of God!

Then the soul shall be swallowed up with a full enjoyment

of God; no corner of the soul shall be left empty--but all

shall be filled up with the fullness of God.

Here in this present world, the saints receive grace;

but in heaven they shall receive glory. God keeps the

best wine until last; the best of God, Christ, and heaven

--is beyond this present world. Here we have but some

sips, some tastes of God; the fullness is reserved for the

glorious state. He who sees most of God here on earth,

sees but His back parts; His face is a jewel of that splendor

and glory, which no eye can behold but a glorified eye.

The best of Christians are able to take in but little of God;

their hearts are like the widow's vessel, which could receive

but a little oil. Sin, the world, and creatures take up so

much room in the best hearts--that God gives out Himself

little by little, as parents give sweets to their children. But

in heaven God will communicate Himself fully at once to

the soul! Grace shall then be swallowed up in glory!

Death is a change of a more inconstant and transient

enjoyment of God--for a more constant and permanent

enjoyment of God. Here on earth, the saints' enjoyment

of God is inconstant. One day they enjoy God, and another

day the soul sits and complains in anguish of spirit. But in

heaven there shall no clouds arise between the Lord and

a believing heart. God will not one day smile, and another

day frown; one day take a soul in His arms, and another

day lay that soul at His feet. In heaven there are nothing

but kisses and embraces, nothing but a perpetual enjoyment

of God! When once God takes the soul unto Himself, all tears

shall then be wiped away.

There are angels and archangels in heaven. Yes, but they do

not make heaven; Christ is the most sparkling diamond

in the ring of glory! It is heaven and happiness enough to

see Christ, and to be forever with Christ.

Now, oh what a glorious change is this! Methinks these

things should make us long for our dying-day, and account

this present life but a lingering death. "And so we will be

with the Lord forever! Therefore encourage each other

with these words." 1 Thessalonians 4:17-18