Of HEAVEN. Chap. I. J;:n~~ ;i~e;i;ftl~: ;;gh~ct'ir~~~~;:";is ~!'n~~tn~~/:ig~;"~ad~d, ?~~ll~n~:;e~o~;/~~ protellion and defence. And of this David had the infallible Promife of God to fecure his Hope, notwithllanding all his unrighteous and implacable Enemies. But the following Verfes are applicable to David, but in a lower fenfe, and by a remote Metaphor, and h,ave thetr hteral a~d ~rmctpal Accomphil1ment m our SaviOur. Tho11 wilt not leave mj Soul ~n Hell; that ts, m the_ £late of the Dead ; nor fujfer thy holy One to fee Corruption, that IS, the Body of our SaviOur fhould be exem~ted from the corrupting Power of the Grave, and reflored the ~htrd day to Ltfe.. In thiS propnety and perfe/}ion of fen!<, the ~;~P!'al:~ :i;~;.d ~ld 5~/~~~;o;i~r ;:~~~:·~~~e~"t~[o~~~~:O~~?·r)';.~,f'"~~~·;r,;; !all Verfe, Thou wilt fbew me the P~tb of Life; in thy Pre(ence u fulnefi of 'Joy, atthy nght hand are Pleafores for evermore; IS apphed by the Apollle to Clmll, his Refurrellion, A fcenfion to Heaven, and Jittmg at the rzght Hand of the Majejly on htgh. ThiJJJ wtlt fbew methe Path of Life; thatis, introduce htm into the Kingdom of Glory, and by experimental Frumon make !urn partaker of u : In thy Prefence u fulmfs of 'Joy, at thy right hand are Pleafores for evermore. In thefe words the Caufes and Excellencies of the Heavenly Life are exprefs'd. The ~~u~~?coa::r~h~f~~~;,~~~~~~~e0fo.~~~ai~~~- tl~ltii~t~~~t~l~ftg~i~:~Y~u~i,l~i~e~~:~n~~: a5 the cornpleat Reward of hiS Suffermgs: Thou Jbah make me Jrdl of 'JoJ >Pith thy Countenanae. And hi< rzght Hand tmp!tes hiS Bounty that dtfpcnfes, and hts Power that fecures our Happinefs. The Excellencies of it, are fulnefl of 'Joy, •nd Pleajims for evermore, From the words I fhall obferve one Propofition. The enj,oy.ment of the Divine Prefence in Heaven, iJ the (upreme and cver!Ajling Felkity of theSamtJ. In the difcourfing of this Point, I will confider, Firjf, The Place wherein the Divine Prefence is glorioully reveal'd. S"ondly, Shew that the enjoyment of the Divine Prefence is the fupreme Felicity of the Saints. Thirdly, Prove that the Felicity !hall be Everlalling. Firjl, The Place wbere_in the Divine Prefence is revealed. 'Tis confillent with the Divine Immenfity, to be dtflerently prefent 111 fame Places. The eiTennal Prefence of God is the fame every where; the influxive declarative Prefence of God is fpecial, and ocherwife in one place than another. He is moreexcellcntly prefent in the Jiving Temples, his Saints on Earth, by the gracious and eminent Operations of his Spirit, than he is in the reft ·of the World: He is moll excellently prefent in Heave~, by the clearell Manifcftation,and the exprefs CharaB:ers and Effells of the D1vme Perfelltons. Thisinfenor World is fram'd withcxquifite order; The Earth is full of the Glory ofthe Lord.- Yet 'cis but the Sediment of the Creation, the habitation of Birds and Bealls, nay of rebellious Sinners : And by this we may raife our Thoughts to conceive fomething of the glonous Sanlluary of Ltle, and BleiTednefs above. 'Tis called the Heaven of He.vem, which is the highell comparifon to inftru/1 and aftonifh us with the Amplitude and Glory of the Place. 'Tis a Place becoming the Majelly of God, the Image of his Immenfity. Our Saviour afTures us, In hU Father's Houfe Are many Manftom, to receive the innumerable company of glorified Saints. 'Tis called the Excellent Glory, 2 Pet. I. '7· The il1ining Firmament, with all the Luminaries that adorn it, arc but the Frontifpiece to the higheft Heaven. All the Lullre of Diamonds, the Fire of Carbuncles and Rubies, theBrightnefsof Pearls are dead incomparifon of its Glory. 'Tu the Throne of the God of Glory, wherein his Majefty is revealed in the moll illuftrious manner. For Pleafantnefs 'tis call'd Paradife , in allufion to the delightful Garden planted by the Hands of God himfelf for .1/dam, his Favorite, whilft innocent. There is the Tree of Life. There are Rivers of Pleafure fpringing from the Divine Prefence. 'Tu .a/led the Inheritance of the Saints in Light ; to fignify the Glory and Joy of the Place : for L1ght has fplend~ur, and conciliates chearfulncfs, and is a fit Emblem of both. As on the contrary, Hell IS defcnbed by the bl~cknefi of darknefi for ever, to fignify the fadncfs and defpair of the Damned; and becaufe mthat centre of Mtfery, a perpetual Ntght and mvmctble Darknefs mcreafes the horror of loft Souls. Heaven
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