University of Virginia Library

To an Inheritance—reserved in Heaven for you.

THE Desire of Happiness is common to all
intelligent Beings: It is so interwoven in
the Constitution of human Nature, that it can
never be separated from it: It animates the Prince
upon the Throne, and the Peasant in his humble
Cottage: It springs up in our Breasts in the early
Dawn of Life, it attends us in our maturer Age,
it does not desert us at the Gates of Death, but
accompanies us through every Period of our Existence.

We all desire to be happy — But the greatest
part of Mankind know not where this Blessing is
to be obtained. They erect their Altars to imaginary
Idols, and seek Satisfaction in sensual Indulgencies,
which inevitably disappoint their Expectations.

The Complaints of all Ages are sufficient to
convince us, that this Earth is not the Place where
Happiness is to be found. Its brightest Days are
shaded with melancholly Clouds: Its sweetest enjoyments
are infected with many bitter Ingredients:
Its highest Pleasures afford only a transient
Flash of Delight, and frequently end in Satiety
and Disgust.

We find by constant Experience, that the Scenes
of the present Life are perpetually varying: A
Succession of Hopes and Fears, of Joys and Sorrows,
attends us from the Cradle to the Grave.

Must we then renounce all Hopes of Happiness
for ever, and resign ourselves up to a dark and
inconsolable Despair? No! The Creator and
Father of the Universe has not consigned Man,
his favourite Offspring, to unavoidable Misery:
He is the Rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.
He has provided an Happiness for them beyond
the Dominion of Death. The present Life is the
Infancy of our Being; if we improve it aright,
we shall shortly attain to the Stature of perfect Men
in Christ Jesus, and enter upon a nobler State
of Existence. While upon Earth, we inhabit a
Valley of Tears; but Heaven is the Seat of unmingled
Felicity and Joy.

This Hope, the Apostle sets before the primitive
Christians, to support them under their distinguishing
Trials, to animate them to the zealous
Discharge of the various Duties of the Christian
Life; Blessed be God, the Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant Mercy,
hath begotten us again to a lively Hope, by the Resurrection
of Jesus Christ from the Dead: To an Inheritance
incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth
not away; reserved in Heaven for you.

In speaking to the Words of my Text, I shall
show,—That Heaven is the appointed Residence

of the People of God in a future World: And
then take a View of some of the magnificent Descriptions
which are given of Heaven in the Word
of God.

First, I am to show, that Heaven is the appointed
Residence of the People of God in a future
World.

They have here no continuing City. Heaven is
the Place designed for their eternal Abode: Into
this Place the penitent Thief was translated immediately
after he expired upon the Cross: Our
blessed Lord, amidst the Agonies of dissolving
Nature, addresses him in Language becoming the
Prince of Life; This Day thou shalt be with me
in Paradise. Into this delightful Abode, the
Spirit of departed Lazarus was conveyed by ministring
Angels. No sooner was he delivered from
the Sorrows of this mortal State, but he was admitted
to the Refreshments of Abraham's Bosom.

The Spirits of just Men, while upon Earth, reside
in Tabernacles of Clay, which must shortly
be resolved into their original Dust. But they have
a Building not made with Hands, eternal in the Heavens.
Even while they dwell in this the Land of
their Pilgrimage, they seek a better, even an heavenly
Country. God, who condescends to stile
himself their Father and their Friend, will not
disappoint those Hopes, which are founded on
the Promises of his Word, but will exceed their
largest Expectations.

The enlivening Prospect of an Entrance into
this happy Place, reconciled Saint Paul to the
Thoughts of his approaching Dissolution: He
desired to be absent from the Body, that he might be
present with the Lord.

When our divine Master took an affectionate
Farewel of his favourite Apostles, He comforted
them with this kind and condescending Promise;
I go to prepare a Place for you; I will come again
and receive you to myself; that where I am, ye may
be also.

We know, that when our blessed Lord had
finished his Work upon Earth, He was received
into the highest Heavens; in the View of his
astonished Disciples, attended with a radiant
Guard of Angels, He entred into the Courts
above, to appear for us in the Presence of God.
Him must the Heaven of Heavens receive until
the Times of the Restitution of all Things[1] . If
then the Souls of departed Saints are to be with
Christ, as we are assured by the unerring Oracles
of Truth, they must be received into Heaven:
For this is the Place where our blessed Redeemer
resides; from thence he issues out his authoritative
Orders, and governs the Worlds of Nature
and Grace, for the Advantage of his Church.

Secondly, We now proceed to take a View
of some of the magnificent Descriptions that are
given us of Heaven in the Word of God.

We are indeed, at present, too distant from this
superior World to form an adequate Idea of its
Excellency and Glory. It is in a great measure
an unknown Country: Its Glories are covered
with a Veil; they are only discovered by an Eye
of Faith. Let us extend our View to the utmost
Limits of our present Capacity, we shall form as
defective Conceptions of these exalted Regions,
as a Man confined all his Days to a solitary Dungeon,
could of the Pomp and Grandeur of the
most magnificent Palace. But, blessed be God,
though we are not capable of a full View, we may
take a distant Prospect of the heavenly World.
We are not left intirely in the Dark; we may
form some faint Conception of the Happiness of
those who are admitted into it.

The Son of God descended from Heaven to
bring Life and Immortality to Light. He has given
us such an Account of this unseen State, as is
adapted to our present Situation and Circumstances.
Enough is discovered to inspire us with
ardent Desires after it, and engage us to the most
active and earnest Endeavours to prepare for it.
Though we must pass through the Shades of
Death before we enter into this Land of Life and
Light; yet we may view it as described in the sacred
Scriptures. While travelling through this dark
and uncomfortable Desert, we are permitted to
behold, as in a Landscape, the promised Canaan.

The strongest Images are employed to shadow
out its invisible Glories. The Charms of Nature

and Art are described in Strains of the sublimest
Eloquence, to give us the most lively Prospect of
the Happiness of its glorified Inhabitants.

It is represented as a City,—not like those erected
by human Hands, which are often disturbed by
intestine Divisions, and destroyed by hostile Neighbours:
But a City founded upon an immoveable
Basis, whose Maker and Builder is God. Its Citizens
are for ever exempted from the Assaults of Pain,
the Ravages of War, and the Fury of the Elements.
It is free from those melancholly Accidents
which have often depopulated the most
flourishing Communities, and transformed the
superb Palaces of Princes into Heaps of Ruin.
Into this City entreth nothing that defileth or distresseth
its Inhabitants. There is no Night, for
the Presence of the Lord God Almighty enlightneth it.
The Beams of his blessed Countenance form a
perpetual and unclouded Day.

But further, to give us the most exalted Idea
of the Dignity and Privileges to which the Righteous
are advanced, they are represented as possessing
a Kingdom; a Kingdom is the utmost Wish of
ambitious and aspiring Mortals. To enjoy this,
they form the most artful Intrigues, encounter
the most formidable Dangers, wade through Fields
of Blood, and often sacrifice the Lives of their
dearest Friends. If they succeed to the Extent of
their Wishes, how often are earthly Kingdoms
undermined by secret Treachery, or overthrown
by open Violence? The Crowns of Princes are

lined with Thorns; their distinguished Heads
become the Marks against which the Shafts of
Envy and Malice are perpetually discharged:
Their Administration is rendred uneasy by popular
Discontents, and the public Tranquillity destroyed
by Schemes of Ambition and Avarice.

But the Kingdom of the Just is at all Times
free from these disagreeable Circumstances. There
the Lord God omnipotent reigneth: The most
consummate Wisdom, impartial Justice, condescending
Goodness, are displayed in every Part
of the divine Government. Universal Love reigns
in every Breast. The Laws of Peace, Order and
Harmony, are invariably observed through all the
heavenly Mansions.

Heaven is called the Kingdom of God; because
it is the chosen Residence of the supreme Monarch
of the Universe. Here he has erected his
Throne, and fixed the Seat of his eternal Empire.
Here he appears in the Grandeur and Majesty
of a God, and displays the awful and amiable
Perfections of his Nature. His Smiles perpetually
irradiate these Regions. A Sense of his Love
diffuses unutterable Joy to all the Subjects of his
extensive Dominion. Myriads of adoring Scraphs
surround his Throne, and with the Voice of Triumph
celebrate the Honours of their King.
Clothed with the Charms of unfading Beauty,
possessed of angelic Strength and Vigour, they
stand before Him in shining Ranks, and with
quick Obedience perform his sovereign Orders.

The Spirits of departed Saints immediately become
Members of this pure and perfect Society,
are admitted to the same Dignity, partake of the
same Joys, and with unutterable Transport join
in the same Hallelujahs. The Rays which continually
proceed from the Sun of Righteousness,
spread Life and Joy through every Part of this
holy Community. All that die in the Faith of
God's Elect, are appointed to dwell in this Kingdom,
and are the Favourites of the King of
Kings. They all share in its Honours, Riches
and Delights. They are adorned with the Title
of Kings and Priests unto God. In this Character
they stand before the Throne of God, and serve him
Day and Night. Clothed with the unspotted
Robes of the Mediator's Righteousness, they
shine with transcendent Glory. Each wears a
Crown upon his Head, to intimate the Honour
to which he is advanced: All have Palms in their
Hands, as Ensigns of Victory and Triumph.
What is the Splendor of an earthly Court, when
compared with the dazzling Lustre in which the
Sons of God appear in the Kingdom of their
Father?

I add, the Habitation of the Righteous is not
only described as a Place of Dignity, but Pleasure.
To guard against the imaginary Dream of
a Mahometan Paradise, its Pleasures are represented
as pure and spiritual; such as exalt our
Natures, and form us to a Resemblance of the
Great Father of our Spirits.

In this celestial Paradise, ample Provision is
made to supply the Wants, satisfy the Desires,
complete the Happiness of the illustrious Residents.
They are freed from those Disorders of
Body, those distresses of Mind, which attend us
through every Stage of our Pilgrimage upon
Earth. None of the Inhabitants say they are sick:
They flourish in immortal Youth and Vigour.
The reviving Presence of God banisheth all Sorrow
from their Breasts, and his own kind Hand
wipes all Tears from their Eyes. The Lamb, which
is in the midst of the Throne, feeds them with the
heavenly Manna, and leads them to Fountains of
living Waters. Then shall be fulfilled in the sublimest
Sense that consolatory Promise, Behold,
the Tabernacle of God is with Men; He will dwell
with them, and they shall be his People; and God
himself shall be their God[2] . This contains every
thing which is requisite to complete and perpetuate
our Happiness; an Happiness superior to
our largest Desires; an Happiness which surpasses
our highest Imaginations.