§ 16. (5.) The last affection to be exercised in heavenly contemplation is joy. Love, desire, hope, and courage, all tend to raise our joy. This is so desirable to every man by nature, and so essentially necessary to constitute our happiness, that I hope, I need not say much to persuade you to any thing that would make your life delightful. Supposing you therefore already convinced, that the pleasures of the flesh are brutish and perishing, and that your solid and lasting joy must be from heaven, instead of persuading, I will proceed in directing. Reader, if thou hast managed well the former work, thou art got within sight of thy rest; thou believest the truth of it; thou art convinced of its excellency, thou art fallen in love with it; thou longest after it; thou hopest for it; and thou art resolved to venture courageously for obtaining it. But is here any work for joy in this? We delight in the good we possess; it is present good that is the object of joy; and thou wilt say, "Alas! I am yet without it." But think a little farther with thyself. Is it nothing to have a deed of gift from God? Are his infallible promises no ground of joy? Is it nothing to live in daily expectation of entering into the kingdom? Is not my assurance of being hereafter glorified, a sufficient ground for inexpressible joy? Is it not a delight to the heir of a kingdom, to think of what he must soon possess, though at present he little differ from a servant? Have we not both command, and example, for rejoicing in hope of the glory of God.[378]
[378] Romans v, 2. xii, 12.
§ 17. Here, then, Reader, take thy heart once more, and carry it to the top of the highest mount; shew it the kingdom of Christ, and the glory of it, and say to it, "All this will thy Lord give thee who hast believed in him, and been a worshipper of him. It is the Father's good pleasure to give thee this kingdom.[379] Seest thou this astonishing glory which is above thee? All this is thy own inheritance. This crown is thine, these pleasures are thine; this company, this beautiful place, all are thine; because thou art Christ's, and Christ is thine; when thou wast united to him, thou hadst all these with him." Thus take thy heart into the land of promise; shew it the pleasant hills and fruitful vallies; shew it the clusters of grapes which thou hast gathered, to convince it that it is a blessed land, flowing with better than milk and honey; Enter the gates of the Holy City, walk through the streets of the new Jerusalem; walk about Sion, and go round about her; tell the towers thereof; mark well her bulwarks; consider her palaces; that thou mayest tell it to thy soul.[380] Hath it not the glory of God, and is not her light like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal? See the twelve foundations of her walls, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. And the building of the walls of it are of jasper; and the city is pure gold, like unto clear glass; and the foundations are garnished with all manner of precious stones. And the twelve gates are twelve pearls, every several gate is of one pearl; and the street of the city is pure gold, as it were transparent glass. There is no temple in it; for the Lord God Almighty, and the Lamb are the temple of it. It hath no need of the sun, neither of the moon in it; for the glory of God doth lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof; and the nations of them which are saved, shall walk in the light of it. These sayings are faithful and true: And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angels and his own Son, to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.[381] Say now to all this, "This is thy rest, O my soul! And this must be the place of thy everlasting habitation. Let all the sons of Sion rejoice, let the daughters of Jerusalem be glad; for great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness. Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth is Mount Sion. God is known in her palaces for a refuge."[382]
[379] Luke xii, 32.
[380] Psalm xlviii, 12, 13.
[381] Revelation xxi, 11-24. xxii, 6.
[382] Psalm xlviii, 11, 1-3.
§ 18. Yet proceed on. The soul that loves, ascends frequently, and runs familiarly through the streets of the heavenly Jerusalem, visiting the Patriarchs and prophets, saluting the apostles, and admiring the armies of martyrs: So do thou lead on thy heart as from street to street; bring it into the palace of the Great King; lead it, as it were, from chamber to chamber. Say to it; "Here must I lodge; here must I live; here must I praise; here must I love, and be beloved. I must shortly be one of this heavenly choir, and be better skilled in the music. Among this blessed company must I take up my place, my voice must join to make up the melody. My tears will then be wiped away; my groans be turned to another tune; my cottage of clay be changed to this palace; my prison-rags to these splendid robes; and my sordid flesh shall be put off, and such a sun-like spiritual body be put on: For the former things are here passed away.[383] Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God![384] When I look upon this glorious place, what a dunghill and dungeon, methinks is earth? O what difference betwixt a man feeble, pained, groaning, dying, rotting in the grave, and one of these triumphant, shining saints? Here shall I drink of the river of pleasures, the streams whereof make glad the city of God.[385] Must Israel, under the bondage of the law, serve the Lord with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things.[386] Surely I shall serve him with joyfulness and gladness of heart, for the abundance of glory. Did persecuted saints take joyfully the spoiling of their goods?[387] And shall not I take joyfully such a full reparation of all my losses? Was it a celebrated day wherein the Jews rested from their enemies, because it was turned unto them from sorrow to joy, and from mourning into a good day?[388] What a day then will that be to my soul, whose rest and change will be unconceivably greater? When the wise men saw the star that led to Christ, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.[389] But I shall shortly see him, who is himself the bright and morning star.[390] If the disciples departed from the sepulchre with great joy, when they had but heard that their Lord was risen from the dead;[391] what will be my joy, when I see him reigning in glory, and myself raised to a blessed communion with him? Then shall I indeed have beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; and Sion shall be made an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations.[392] Why then do I not rise from the dust, and cease my complaints? Why do I not trample on vain delights, and feed on the foreseen delights of glory? Why is not my life a continual joy, and the savor of heaven perpetually upon my spirit?"
[383] Revelation xxi, 4.
[384] Psalm lxxxvii, 3.