August 4 — On the Happiness of Heaven

Consider, first, and ponder well, those words of the apostle, (1 Cor. ii. 9,) that eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, what things God hath prepared for them that love him. O, what then must this happiness of heaven be, what must this eternal glory be, which so far exceeds all our thoughts and conceptions? God is infinite in all his attributes, in his majesty, power, wisdom, justice, &c.; bu his goodness and mercy, his liberality, bounty and magnificence, in his gifts and rewards, overflow, as it were, the banks, and show themselves in a most extraordinary manner, above all hia works, Ps, cxliv If, then, his justice be so terrible, as we have seen, with regard to his enemies, how much more shall his mer cy, his goodness and his bounty, declare themselves in favour of his friends! O, what, then, must this blessed kingdom of heaven be, which, in his infinite goodness he has prepared for his beloved children! which he has contrived by his infinite wisdoMy and effected by his infinite pmotty for the manifestation of his glory, and for the entertaining them all with an eternal banquet worthy of himself!

Consider, secondly, that ff, by the cost and price of a thing we may guess at its worth, we cannot make too advantageous a judgment of the happiness of heaven, the purchasing of which has cost the precious blood and life of the Son of God himself, which is indeed an infinite price; and which, notwithstanding his purchase, is not to be obtained by us without much pains and labour, without many crosses and sufferings, and without giving our whole selves in exchange for it; and after all, though we were to labour ever so hard, all our life time, for the acquiring of it, and should give ourselves and all things else for it, yet our labours and all whatsoever we can give, bear so little proportion with the greatness of this happiness, that we are said even so to receive tids water of life freecosty Apoc. Xxii. 17, Nay, though we should even suffer a thousand deaths for the sake of this eternal life, we are still assured (Rom, viii. 18,) that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to he compared with this heavenly glory that is to come. So much does the bliss of heaven exceed all that we can say, think or conceive.

Consider, thirdly, the definition divines give of beatitude or eternal happiness, when they term it a state made perfect y by assembling together and comprising in itself ail good things; [Status omnium bonorum aggregatione perfectus;] that is to say, a permanent and everlasting state, replenished with all that is good, without the least mixture of evil; a genera] and universal good, comprising at once, and for ever, all manner of good things, filling brimful the vast capacity of the affections and desires of the soul, and eternally securing her from all fear or danger of want or change. O, my soul, see then thou turn all thy pursuits after this true and eternal felicity: alt things else are but mere toys in comparison with this thy sovereign and universal good.

Conclude with most humble and hearty thanks to the infinite goodness of God, who, before thou wast born, hath prepared such an eternal happiness for thee, and provided all necessary means for thee to obtain it. But resolve, at the same time, to be diligent in the use of all these means of thy salvation. For he that made thee without thy concurrenccy tvill not save thee without thy concurrencey St. Augustine.