immediate beatific Vifion of God, so they fhall then behold his living and most perfect Image, the Lord Jefus Chrift, the Brightness of his Father's Glory, and the express Image of his Perfon. Father, I will (faith he) that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, that they may bebold my Glory which thou haft given me. John xvii. 24. They ifhall forbehold him as to be transformed into his Likeness When be fhall appear, faith St. John, we shall be like him, for we fhall fee him as he is. Is John iii. 2. Yea, they fhall, according to the Extent of their Capacities be Sharers in bis Glory: To him that overcometh (faith he) will I grant to fit with me on my Throne, even as I alfo overcame, and am fet down with my Father on bis Throne. Rev. iii. 21. Which Words plainly fignify, though not an exact Equality, yet a Refemblance between bis Glory and theirs, and their being admitted to a blessed Participation of it, agreeable to their Order and Degree. And if fincere Chriftians, even here on Earth, though they have not feen Chrift, yet love. bim, and, believing in him, are represented as rejoicing with Joy unspeakable and full of Glory's Who can comprehend, much lefs exprefs, the Joys and Raptures that shall overflow their Souls, when they shall behold him Face to Face in the heavenly

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World! With the highest Transports of Love and Admiration fhall they afcribe Bleffing, and Honour, and Praife to him that fitteth upon the Throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. This is reprefented as one noble Part of the Work in which they fhall be engaged: And they shall be ever ready, with the greateft Freedom and Delight, to obey the Divine Will in all Things like the bleffed Angels that are reprefented as ever doing God's Commandments, and hearkening to the Voice of his Word. And this leads me to add,

That another Thing, declared to us in the Gospel relating to the Happiness of good Men in a future State, is, that they shall then be admited to the blissful Society of Angels and glorified Saints, with whom they fhall be united in eternal holy Love and Concord. This is fignified in that beautiful and tranfporting Paffage, Heb. xii. 22, 23, 24. Ve are come, (ine. ye are now come by Faith and Hope, and a special Relation; and fhall fhortly come by immediate everlasting Enjoyment) unto Mount Sign, the City of the living God, the heavenly Jerufalem, and to an innumerable Company of Angels; to the general Affembly and · Church of the First-born which are written in Heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the Spirits of just Men made perfect, and to Jefus the Mediator of the New Co

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venant. What a blessed Community is this, confifting of numberless Myriads of holy and glorious Angels, the univerfal Affembly of perfected Saints, all the good Men that ever lived upon Earth in all Ages and Nations, giving and receiving mutual unfpeakable Happiness, Satisfaction, and Joy! No Envying fhall be there, no Enmity or Discord, none of thofe Things that fo often interrupt the Pleafures of Society here on Earth; but an univerfal perfect Love and facred Harmony, and all the Delights of pure and holy Friendship; a perpetual happy Intercourfe of pleafing Communications and agreeable good Offices. We are told that Charity, or Divine Love, never faileth, 1 Cor. xiii. 8. It fhall continue and be perfect in a future State; and it is there we shall meet with the noblest Objects of our Love and Benevolence.

And now, upon the Whole, comparing thefe feveral Things together, what a noble Idea does all this give us of the Felicity prepared for good Men in a future State! It appears, from the Account given us of it in the Gospel, to be a State of wonderful Splendor and Glory, of confummate Bliss and Joy, and of perfect Purity and Holiness: And accordingly we are told, that, into that heavenly Jerufalem, there fhall in no wife enter any Thing that defileth, neither what

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foever worketh Abomination, or maketh a Lie. Rev. xxi. 27. And it is plainly intimated, that, after all the Descriptions that are given of it, we are not able fully to conceive it's Greatness and Glory, in this prefent State: We are told that Eye bath not feen, nor Ear heard, neither have entered into the Heart of Man, the Things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 1 Cor. ii. 9. And that it doth not yet appear what we shall be. 1 John iii. 2. And, when St. Paul was rapt up into Paradife and the third Heaven, he tells us he heard unspeakable Words, or Things which it is not lawful, or poffible, for a Man to utter. 2 Cor. xii. 2, 4. But the most ravishing Confideration of all is, that this Happiness fhall be unchangeable and eternal: Hence it is fo often fignified to us, in the Gospel, under the Notion of eternal Life. The Saints above fhall not be put upon any new Hazards or States of Trial; they fhall be raised for ever above all Fear of Change, or of lofing their Happiness, which they might poffibly do, as all Creatures are changeable, if left merely to themselves; but they fhall be kept through the mighty Power and Goodnefs of God, who fhall ever maintain and confirm them in all Goodness, and in their holy and happy State, to all Eternity: And this is what we might

defire and wish for, but could not be af fured of by our own unaffifted Reafon without a Divine Revelation.

As to the Time when all this Happiness, of which the Gospel makes fuch an inviting Reprefentation, is to commence, it feems plain from what is there revealed, that it fhall commence, in a lower Degree, immediately upon our Departure out of this prefent Life: The Souls of good Men, upon quitting thefe Bodies, fhall immediate ly enter into a State of happy Reft and Joy. This is what our Saviour feems to fignify in the Parable, when he faith concerning Lazarus, that he died, and was carried by the Angels into Abraham's Bofom. Luke xvi. 22. And St. Paul faith concerning himself, that be defired to depart, and to be with Chrift; which was far better than to continue here. Phil. i. 23. And to the fame Purpose we find him declaring, in his own Name, and that of all fincere Chriftians, We are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at Home in the Body, we are abfent from the Lord. For we walk by Faith, not by Sight. We are confident, 1 fay, and willing rather to be abfent from the Body, and to be prefent with the Lord. 2 Cor. v. 6, 7, 8. Where it feems plainly intimated, that, immediately upon the Soul's being abfent from the Body, and conVOL. IV. Hh

fequently