498                         OF THE FINAL STATE OF THE SAINTS IN HEAVEN.                                                    BOOK VII.

John v. 24. and vi. 47 and xvii. 3..    Lastly, There
are instances of saints already in heaven, anti some in
their bodies, as well as in their souls, as Enoch and
Eliiah; and, as it is highly probable, the saints that
arose at Christ's resurrection, and went with him to
heaven; see Luke xiii. 28. and xvi. 29-. and as sure as
they are there, all the rest of the saints will. I go on
to consider,
Secondly, The names, phrases, and epithets, used
of this happiness; which may serve to convey to us
some ideas of the nature of it.
1st, The names by which it is called; both as a place
and as a state. As a place,. . 1. It is called heaven;
for there this happiness lies, which is called the reward
in heaven, the hope laid np in heaven, the inheritance
reserved in heaven, and often the kingdom of heaven;
and which is no other than the third heaven, where is
the throne of God, whither Christ in human nature is
gone, and there received, and is the habitation of the
holy angels. . .9-. It goes by the name of paradise,
in allusion to the garden of Eden, a place of pleasure
and delight, 2 Cor. xii. 4. Luke xxiii. 43. in the midst
of which, Christ, the tree of life, stands, laden with
all manner of precious fi'uit, for the solace and delight
of the blessed inhabitants; and where are fulness of
joy, and pleasures for evermore, Rev. ii.7. and xxii. 9-.
Psalm xvi. 11.----3. It is represented as a place of
light; it is called the light of life; the inheritance of
the saints in light; and needs no natural nor artificial
light to illuminate it; where God and the Lamb are
the light of it, and the angels of light dwell, John viii.
12. Col. i. 12. Rev. xxi. 23. and xxii. 5.- 4. It is sig-
nified by an house to dwell in; an house not made with
the hands of men, but is a building of God; in which
there are many mansions, room enough for the many
sons the great Captain of salvation will bring to glory,
who is gone before them, to prepare them for them;
even in his Father's house, 2 Cot. v. 1. John xiv. 9-.. -
'5. It is said t.o be a city, a city of God's preparing, of
which he is the builder and maker, and which has
foundations firm and strong, and so is a continuing and
lasting one, Heb. xi. 10, 16. and xiii. 14. and of this
city the saints are now citizens; our conversation,
\~to politeuma\~, ottr citizenship is in heaven, Phil. iii. 20.
----6. It is called, the better country: Heb. xi. 16. bet-
ter than this world, or any country m it; better than
the good land beyond Jordan, Canaan, the type of it:
it is the land that is very far off, even in the highest
heavens; the land of uprightness, where there is no-
thing but perfect purity and integrity, and where only
upright persons dwell, Isa. xxxiii. 17. Psalm cxliii. 10.
And as a state, it is sometimes called,----1. An in-
heritance, Acts xx. 32. and elsewhere, in allusion to
the land of Canaan, distributed by lot for an inheritance
to the children of Israel; or in allusion to inheritances
among men, which are not acquired and purchased by
them; but are bequeathed, or come to them by rela-
tions, and are transmitted from father to son; and
so the he. avenly glory is not obtained by the works of
men, or is a purchase of theirs; but is bequeathed to
them by their heavenly Father, and comes to them by
his will and testament, upon, by, and through the
death of the testator, Jesus Christ, Hob. ix. 15, 16.

----2. A kingdom, often called the kingdom of God,
and the kingdom of heaven, of which the saints are
heirs; and they are styled kings and princes, being
possessed of the kingdom of grace, as they will be of
ingdom of glory; to which they are called, and
is prepared for them from the foundation of the
world, and which it is their Father's good pleasure to
give them, James ii. 5. Matt. xxv. 34. Luke xii.
----3. A crown; a crown of righteousness and. life,
a crown of glory, that fades not away, an incorruptible
one; which serves to set forth the grandeur of this
state, 2 Tim. iv. 8. James i. 12. 1 Pet. v. 4. I Cot. ix.
2&--4. It is expressed by glory itself, Psalm lxxxiv.
11. and lxxiii. 24. as being exceeding glorious, beyond
all conception and expression; it is said to be a weight
of glory, 2 Cor. iv. 17. in allusion to the ponderous
crowns of princes; it will lie in beholding the glor
of Christ, and in having a glory revealed in the saints,
and in having a glory upon them, both in soul and
 body..      5. It has the name of peace, into which good
men enter at death, Psalm xxxvii. 37. Isa. lvii. 2. there
being nothing in this state to ruffle and disturb, but all
tranquil, serene, and calm; no sin within, nor sinful
men without: no sorrow and affliction; no pricking
brier, nor grieving thorn, throughout the land'-
6. It is signified by a rest, which remains for the people
of God, after this toilsome life is over, Heb. iv. 9. in
allusion to the land of Canaan, a land of rest to the
Israelites, after their weary travels in the wilderness;
or to the Sabbath, the day of rest, this state being all
day, and all Sabbath; a complete rest of body and soul,
from all labours, troubles, and enemies whatever.- _
7. It is called the joy of the Lord, into which Christ's
faithful servants will be invited to enter, Matt. xxv. 21,
23. a joy that can never be taken away from them, a
fulness of .joy, a joy unspeakable and full of glory.
2dly, There are various phrases also by which this
happy state is expressed, and epithets used of it, which
show the happiness of it; as by being iu Abraham's
bosom; and sitting down as at a table and a feast, with
him and others, expressive of the blessed communion
of the saints, Luke xvi. 22. Matt. viii. 12. but more
especially by being with Christ, and sitting with him
on his throne, Phil. i. 23. Rev. iii. 21. and by being fed,
and led by him, to fountains of living waters, Rev. vii.
17. The various epithets of this state, besides what
have been given, are worthy of notice. It is, as yet,
au unseen happiness; it consists of things not seen at
present; and which faith and hope are only concerned
with; and saints have only some glimpse of it, which
encourages to wait for it, 2 Cot. iv. 18. Hob. xi. 1.
Rom. viii. 24, 25. It is future, it is yet to come; a
glory that shall be revealed; grace that is to be brought
at the revelation of Christ, and does not yet appear
what it shall be: it is beyond all compare; the wealth
and riches, the glories and grandeur of this world, are
trifles to it; yea, the sufferings of the saints, their
purest services, are not worthy to be compared with it,
Rom. viii. 18. it is an enduring substance, a never-fad-
ing inheritance, a crown of glory that fades not away;
the glory of this world passeth away; but this glory
will never pass away: but of the eternity of it more
hereafter. I proceed to show,