 12. True Saints when Absent from the Body are Present with the Lord. 1. Preached on the Day of the Funeral of the Reverend Mr. David Brainerd, Missionary to the Indians, from the Honorable Society in Scotland for the Propagation of Christian Knowledge, and Pastor of a Church of Christian Indians in New Jersey, who died at Northampton in New England October 9th, 1747, in the thirtieth year of his age, and was interred on the twelfth following. 2 Corinthians 5 verse 8. We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. The apostle in this place is giving a reason why he went on with so much boldness and immovable steadfastness through such labours, sufferings, and dangers of his life in the service of his Lord. For which his enemies, the false teachers among the Corinthians, sometimes reproached him as being beside himself, and driven on by a kind of madness. In the latter part of the preceding chapter the apostle informs the Christian Corinthians that the reason why he did thus was that he firmly believed the promises that Christ had made to his faithful servants of a glorious future eternal reward, and knew that these present afflictions were light, and but for a moment, in comparison of that far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. The same discourse is continued in this chapter wherein the apostle further insists on the reason he had given of his constancy and suffering and exposing himself to death in the work of the ministry, even the more happy state he expected after death. And this is the subject of the text wherein may be observed. Point one. The great future privilege which the apostle hoped for, that of being present with Christ, the words in the original properly signifying dwelling with Christ as in the same country or city or making a home with Christ. Point two. When the apostle looked for this privilege, for example, when he should be absent from the body, not to wait for it till the resurrection, when soul and body should be united again, he signifies the same thing in his epistle to the Philippians, chapter one, verse 22 and 23. But if I live in the flesh this is the fruit of my labor, yet what I shall choose I want not, for I am in a strait between two, having a desire to depart and to be with Christ. Point three. The value the apostle set on this privilege. It was such that for the sake of it he chose to be absent from the body. He was willing, rather, or as the word properly signifies, it were more pleasing to him to part with the present life and all its enjoyments and be possessed of this great benefit than to continue here. Point four. The present benefit which the apostle had by his faith and hope of this future privilege and of his great value for it, that is, that hence he received courage, assurance and constancy of mind, agreeable to the proper import of the word that is rendered, we are confident. The apostle is now giving a reason of that fortitude and immovable stability of mind, with which he went through those extreme labors, hardships and dangers, which he mentions in this discourse, so that in the midst of all he did not faint, was not discouraged, but had constant light and inward support, strength and comfort in the midst of all. Agreeable to the tenth verse of the foregoing chapter, for which cause we faint not, but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. And the same is expressed more particularly in the eighth, ninth and tenth verses of that chapter. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed. We are perplexed but not in despair, persecuted but not forsaken, cast down but not destroyed, always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. And in the next chapter, verses four to ten, in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes and imprisonments, in tumults and labors and watchings and fastings by pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfaigned, by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report, as deceivers and yet true, as unknown and yet well known, as dying and behold we live, as chastened and not killed, as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, always having nothing and yet possessing all things. Among the many useful observations there might be raised from the text. I shall at this time only insist on that which lies most plainly before us. In the words this, the souls of true saints, when they leave their bodies at death, go to be with Christ. Departed souls of saints, go to be with Christ in the following respects. First, they go to dwell in the same blessed abode with the glorified human nature of Christ. The human nature of Christ is yet in being. He still continues, and will continue to all eternity, to be both God and man. His whole human nature remains, not only his human soul, but also his human body. His dead body rose from the dead, and the same that was raised from the dead is exalted and glorified at God's right hand. That which was dead is now alive and lives forevermore. And therefore there is a certain place, a particular part of the external creation, to which Christ is gone and where he remains. And this place is that which we call the highest heaven, or the heaven of heavens, a place beyond all the visible heavens. Ephesians 4, verses 9 and 10. Now that he ascended, what is it, but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens. This is the same which the Apostle calls the third heaven, in 2 Corinthians, chapter 12, verse 2. Reckoning the aerial heaven as the first, the starry heaven as the second, and the highest heaven as the third. This is the abode of the holy angels. They are called the angels of heaven. Matthew 24, verse 36. The angels which are in heaven, in Mark 13, verse 32. The angels of God in heaven, Matthew 22, verse 30, and Mark 12, verse 25. They are said, always to behold the face of the Father which is in heaven. Matthew 18, verse 10. And they are elsewhere often represented as before the throne of God, or surrounding his throne in heaven, and sent from fence, and descending from fence on messages to this world. And thither it is that the souls of departed saints are conducted when they die. They are not reserved in some abode distinct from the highest heaven, a place of rest which they are kept in till the day of judgment, such as some imagine, which they call the Hades of the happy, but they go directly to heaven itself. This is the saints home, being in their Father's house. They are pilgrims and strangers on the earth, and this is the other and better country that they are traveling to. Hebrews 11, 13 to 26. This is the city they belong to, Philippians chapter 3, verse 20. Our conversation, or as the word properly signifies, citizenship, is in heaven. Therefore this undoubtedly is the place the apostle has respect to in my text, when he says, we are willing to forsake our former house, the body, and to dwell in the same house, city or country wherein Christ dwells. Which is the proper import of the words of the original. What can this house or city or country be but that house, which is elsewhere spoken of as their proper home, and their Father's house, and the city and the country to which they properly belong, and whither they are traveling all the while they continue in this world, and the house, city, and country where we know the human nature of Christ is. This is the saints rest. Here their hearts are while they live, and here their treasure is. The inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, that is designed for them, is reserved in heaven. 1 Peter chapter 1, verse 4. And therefore they never can have their proper and full rest till they come here. So that undoubtedly their souls, when absent from their bodies, when the scriptures represent them as in a state of perfect rest, arrive hither. Those two saints that left this world to go to their rest in another world without dying, that is Enoch and Elijah, went to heaven. Elijah was seen ascending up to heaven as Christ was. Into the same resting place is there all reason to think that those saints go that leave the world to go to their rest by death. Moses when he died in the top of the mount, ascended to the same glorious abode with Elias, who ascended without dying. They are companions in another world as they appeared together at Christ's transfiguration. They were together at that time with Christ in the mount when there was a specimen or sample of his glorification in heaven, and doubtless they were also together afterwards with him when he was actually fully glorified in heaven. And hither undoubtedly it was that the soul of Stephen ascended when he expired. The circumstances of his death demonstrated as we have an account of in Acts chapter 7 verse 55 etc. He being full of the Holy Ghost looked up steadfastly into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God and said, Behold I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man, that is Jesus in his human nature, standing on the right hand of God. Then they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and ran upon him with one accord and cast him out of the city and stoned him. And they stoned Stephen calling upon God and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. Before his death he had an extraordinary view of the glory that his Savior had received in heaven, not only for himself but for him, and all his faithful followers, that he might be encouraged by the hopes of this glory cheerfully to lay down his life for his sake. Accordingly he dies in the hope of this saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. By which doubtless he meant receive my spirit to be with thee in that glory wherein I have now seen thee in heaven at the right hand of God. And thither it was that the soul of the penitent thief on the cross ascended. Christ said to him, Today shalt thou be with me in Paradise. Paradise is the same with the third heaven, as appears by 2 Corinthians chapter 12 verses 2, 3 and 4. There that which is called the third heaven in the second verse, in the fourth verse is called Paradise. The departed souls of the apostles and prophets are in heaven, as is manifest from Revelation's chapter 18 verses 20. Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets. The church of God is distinguished in Scripture from time to time into these two parts. That part of it that is in heaven and that which is in the earth. Ephesians 3 verse 14 and 15. Jesus Christ of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, in Colossians chapter 1 verse 20, and having made peace through the blood of his cross by him to reconcile all things to himself, by him I say whether they be things in earth or things in heaven. Now what things in heaven are they, for whom peace has been made by the blood of Christ's cross? And who have by him been reconciled to God but the saints in heaven? In like manner we read in Ephesians chapter 1 verse 10 of God's gathering together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are in earth even in him. The spirits of just men made perfect are in the same city of the living God and heavenly Jerusalem with the innumerable company of angels and Jesus the mediator of the new covenant as is manifest by Hebrews chapter 12 verses 22, 23, and 24. The church of God is often in Scripture called by the name Jerusalem and the apostle speaks of the Jerusalem which is above or which is in heaven as the mother of us all. But if no part of the church be in heaven or none but Enoch and Elias it's not likely that the church would be called the Jerusalem which is in heaven. Second, the souls of true saints when they leave their bodies at death go to be with Christ as they go to dwell in the immediate full and constant sight or view of him. When we are absent from our dear friends they are out of sight but when we are with them we have the opportunity and satisfaction of seeing them. So while the saints are in the body and are absent from the Lord he is in several respects out of sight. 1 Peter 1 verse 8, whom having not seen ye love in whom though now ye see him not yet believing etc. They have indeed in this world a spiritual sight of Christ but they see through a glass darkly and with great interruption but in heaven they shall see him face to face. 1 Corinthians chapter 13 verse 12. The pure in heart are blessed for they shall see God. Matthew 5 verse 8. There be a typical vision of God is in Christ who is that brightness or effulgence of God's glory by which his glory shines forth in heaven to the view of saints and angels there as well as here on earth. This is the sun of righteousness. That is not only the light of this world but is also the sun that enlightens the heavenly Jerusalem by whose bright beams it is that the glory of God shines forth there to the enlightening and making happy all the glorious inhabitants. The Lamb is the light thereof and so the glory of God doth lighten it. Revelations 21 verse 23. None sees God the Father immediately who is the King eternal immortal invisible. Christ is the image of that invisible God by which he is seen by all elect creatures. The only begotten son that is in the bosom of the Father he have declared him and manifested him. None has ever immediately seen the Father but the son. And none else sees the Father any other way than by the sons revealing him. And in heaven the spirits of just men made perfect do see him as he is. They behold his glory. They see the glory of his divine nature consisting in all the glory of the Godhead, the beauty of all his perfections, his great majesty, almighty power, his infinite wisdom, holiness and grace and they see the beauty of his glorified human nature and the glory which the Father hath given him as God, man and mediator. For this end Christ desired that his saints might be with him, that they might be hold his glory. John 17 24. And when the souls of the saints leave their bodies to go to be with Christ they behold the marvelous glory of that great work of his, the work of redemption and of the glorious way of salvation by him, desire to look into. They have a most clear view of the unfathomable depths of the manifold wisdom and knowledge of God and the most bright displays of the infinite purity and holiness of God that do appear in that way and work and see in a much clearer manner than the saints do here what is the breadth and length and depth and height of the grace and love of Christ appearing in his redemption. As they see the unspeakable riches and glory of the attribute of God's grace so they most clearly behold and understand Christ's eternal and unmeasurable dying love to them in particular. And in short they see everything in Christ that tends to kindle and inflame love and everything that tends to gratify love and everything that tends to satisfy them and that in the most clear and glorious manner without any darkness or delusion without any impediment or interruption. Now the saints while in the body see something of Christ's glory and love as we in the dawning of the morning see something of the reflected light of the sun mingled with darkness but when separated from the body they see their glorious and loving redeemer as we see the sun when risen and showing his whole disc above the horizon by his direct beams in a clear hemisphere and with perfect day. Third the souls of true saints when absent from the body go to be with Jesus Christ as they're brought into a most perfect conformity to an union with him. Their spiritual conformity is begun while they are in the body here beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord. They're changed into the same image but when they come to see him as he is in heaven then they become like him in another manner. That perfect sight will abolish all remains of deformity disagreement and sinful unlikeness. As all darkness is abolished before the full blaze of the sun's meridian light it's impossible that the least degree of obscurity should remain before such light. So it is impossible the least degree of sin and spiritual deformity should remain. In such a view of the spiritual beauty and glory of Christ as the saints enjoy in heaven. When they see that sun of righteousness without a cloud they themselves shine forth as the sun and shall be as little suns without a spot. For then has come the time when Christ presents his saints to himself in glorious beauty not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing and having holiness without a blemish. And then the saints union with Christ is perfected. This also is begun in this world. The relative union is both begun and perfected at once when the soul first closes with Christ by faith. The real union consisting in the union of hearts and affections and in the vital union is begun in this world and perfected in the next. The union of the heart of a believer to Christ is begun when his heart is drawn to Christ by the first discovery of divine excellency at conversion and consequent on this drawing and closing of his heart with Christ is established a vital union with Christ whereby the believer becomes a living branch of the true vine living by a communication of the sap and vital juice of the stock and root and a member of Christ's mystical body living by a communication of spiritual and vital influences from the head and by a kind of participation of Christ's own life. But while the saints are in the body there's much remaining distance between Christ and them. There are remainders of alienation and the vital union is very imperfect. And so consequently is the communication of spiritual life and vital influences. There's much between Christ and believers to keep them asunder. Much in dwelling sin. Much temptation. A world of carnal objects to keep off the soul from Christ and hinder a perfect coalescence. But when the soul leaves the body all these clogs and hindrances shall be removed. Every separating wall shall be broken down and every impediment taken out of the way and all distance shall cease. The heart shall be holy and forever attached and bound to him by a perfect view of his glory. And the vital union shall then be propped to perfection. The soul shall live perfectly in and upon Christ. Being perfectly filled with his spirit and animated by his vital influences. Living as it were only by Christ's life. Without any remainder of spiritual death or carnal life. Four. Departed souls of saints are with Christ as they enjoy a glorious and immediate intercourse and converse with him. While we are present with our friends we have opportunity for that free and immediate conversation with them. Which we cannot have in absence from them. And therefore by reason of the vastly more free perfect and immediate intercourse with Christ. Which the saints enjoy when absent from the body. They are fitly represented as present with him. The most intimate intercourse becomes that relation that the saints stand in to Jesus Christ. And especially becomes that most perfect and glorious union they shall be brought into with him in heaven. They are not merely Christ's servants but his friends. John chapter 15 verse 15. His brethren and companions Psalms 122 verse 8. Yea they are the spouse of Christ. They are espoused or betrothed to Christ while in the body. But when they go to heaven they enter into the king's palace. The marriage with him is come and the king brings them into his chambers indeed. They then go to dwell with Christ constantly. To enjoy the most perfect converse with him. Christ conversed in the most friendly manner with his disciples on earth. He admitted one of them to lean on his bosom. But they are admitted much more fully and freely to converse with him in heaven. Though Christ be there in a state of glorious exultation. Reigning in the majesty and glory of the sovereign Lord and God of heaven and earth angels and men. Yet this will not hinder intimacy and freedom of intercourse but rather promote it. For he is thus exalted not only for himself but for them. He is instated in this glory of head over all things for their sakes. They might be exalted and glorified. And when they go to heaven where he is they are exalted and glorified with him. And shall not be kept at a more awful distance from Christ. But shall be admitted nearer and to a greater intimacy. For they shall be unspeakably more fit for it. And Christ in more fit circumstances to bestow on them his blessedness. They're seeing the great glory of their friend and redeemer will not awe them to a distance and make them afraid of a near approach. But on the contrary will most powerfully draw them near and encourage and engage them to holy freedom. For they will know that it is he that is their redeemer and beloved friend and bridegroom. The very same that loved them with a dying love and redeemed them to God by his blood. Matthew 14 verse 27. It is I be not afraid. Revelations 1 verse 17 18. Fear not I am he that liveth and was dead. In the nature of this glory of Christ that they shall see will be such as will draw and encourage them. For they'll not only see infinite majesty and greatness but infinite grace condescension and mildness and gentleness and sweetness equal to his majesty. For he appears in heaven not only as the lion of the tribe of Judah but as the lamb and the lamb in the midst of the throne. Revelations 5 verse 5 and 6. And this lamb in the midst of the throne shall be their shepherd to feed them and lead them to living fountains of water. Revelations 7 verse 17. So that the site of Christ's great kingly majesty will be no terror to them but will only serve the more to heighten their pleasure and surprise. When Mary was about to embrace Christ being full of joy at the site of him again alive after his crucifixion, Christ forbids her to do it. For the ended, John 20 verse 16 17, Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself and saith unto him, Rabbini, which is to say, Master, Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not, for I am not yet ascended to my father. But go to my brethren and say unto them I ascend unto my father and your father and to my God and your God. As if he had said, this is not the time and place for that freedom, your love to me desires, this is appointed in heaven after my ascension. I am going dither, and you that are my true disciples shall, as my brethren and companions, soon be there with me in my glory. And then there shall be no restraint. That is, the place appointed for the most perfect expressions of complacence and endearment and full enjoyment of mutual love. And accordingly the souls of departed saints with Christ in heaven shall have Christ as it were unbosomed unto them, manifesting those infinite riches of love towards them that have been there from eternity. And they shall be enabled to express their love to him in an infinitely better manner than ever they could while in the body. Thus they shall eat and drink abundantly and swim in the ocean of love, and be eternally swallowed up in the infinitely bright and infinitely mild and sweet beams of divine love. Eternally receiving that light, eternally full of it, and eternally compassed round with it and everlastingly reflecting it back again to the fountain of it. Fifth, the souls of the saints, while they leave their bodies at death, go to be with Christ, as they are received to a glorious fellowship with Christ in his blessedness. As the wife is received to a joint possession of her husband's estate, and as the wife of a prince partakes with him in his princely possessions and honors, so the church, the spouse of Christ, when the marriage comes and she is received to dwell with him in heaven, shall partake with him in his glory. When Christ rose from the dead and took possession of eternal life, this was not as a private person, but as the public head of all his redeemed people. He took possession of it for them, as well as for himself. And they are quickened together with him and raised up together. And so when he ascended into heaven and was exalted to great glory there, this also was as a public person. He took possession of heaven not only for himself, but for his people, as their forerunner and head, that they might ascend also and sit together in heavenly places with him. Ephesians 2 verse 5 and 6. Christ writes upon them his new name, Revelations 3 verse 12. That is, he makes them partakers of his own glory and exaltation in heaven. His new name is that new honor and glory that the Father invested him with, when he set him on his own right hand. As a prince, when he advances anyone to a new dignity in his kingdom, gives him a new title. Christ and his saints shall be glorified together. Romans 8 verse 17. The saints in heaven have communion or a joint participation with Christ in his glory and blessedness in heaven. In the following respects more especially. First, they partake with him in the ineffable delights he has in heaven in the enjoyment of his Father. When Christ ascended into heaven he was received to a glorious and peculiar joy and blessedness in the enjoyment of his Father, who in his passion hid his face from him. Such an enjoyment as became the relation he stood in to the Father, and such as was a meat reward for the great and hard service he had performed on earth. Then God showed him the path of life and brought him into his presence, where his fullness of joy and to sit on his right hand, where there are pleasures for evermore. As it is said of Christ in Psalm 16 verse 11. Then the Father made him most blessed for ever. He made him exceedingly glad with his countenance as in Psalm 21.6. The saints by virtue of their union with Christ and being his members do in some sort partake of his childlike relation to the Father, and so are heirs with him of his happiness in the enjoyment of his Father, as seems to be intimated by the Apostle in Galatians 4 verses 4 to 7. The spouse of Christ by virtue of her espousals to that only begotten Son of God is, as it were, a partaker of his filial relation to God, and becomes the King's daughter. Psalm 14 verse 13. And so partakes with her divine husband in his enjoyment of his Father and her Father, his God, and her God. A promise of this seems to be implied in those words of Christ to Mary in John 20 verse 17. Thus Christ's faithful servants enter into the joy of their Lord, Matthew 25 verse 21 and 23, and Christ's joy remains in them, agreeably to those words of Christ, John chapter 15 verse 11. Christ from eternity is, as it were, in the bosom of the Father, as the object of his infinite complacence. In him is the Father's eternal happiness. Before the world was, he was with the Father in the enjoyment of his infinite love, and had infinite delight and blessedness in that enjoyment. As he declares of himself in Proverbs 8 verse 30, then I was by him as one, brought up with him, and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him. And when Christ ascended to the Father after his passion, he went to him to the enjoyment of the same glory and blessedness in the enjoyment of his love, agreeably to his prayer the evening before his crucifixion, John 17 verse 5, and now, O Father, glorify me with thine own self, with the glory I had with thee before the world was. And in the same prayer he manifests it to be his will, that his true disciples shall be with him in the enjoyment of that joy and glory, which he then asked for himself, verse 13, that my joy might be fulfilled in themselves, verse 22, and the glory which thou gaveest me, I have given them. This glory of Christ, which the saints are to enjoy with him, is that which he has in the enjoyment of the Father's infinite love to him, as appears by the last words of that prayer of our Lord, verse 26, that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them and I in them. The love which the Father has to his Son is great indeed. The deity does, as it were, holy and entirely flow out in a stream of love to Christ, and the joy and pleasure of Christ is proportionately great. This is the stream of Christ's delights, the river of his infinite pleasure, which he will make his saints to drink of with him, agreeably to Psalm 36, verse 8 and 9. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house. Thou shall make them drink of the river of thy pleasures, for with thee is the fountain of life. In thy light shall we see light. The saints shall have pleasure in partaking with Christ in his pleasure, and shall see light in his light. They shall partake with Christ of the same river of pleasure, shall drink of the same water of life, and of the same new wine in Christ's Father's kingdom. Matthew 26, verse 29. That new wine is especially that joy and happiness that Christ and his true disciples shall partake of together in glory, which is the purchase of Christ's blood, or the reward of his obedience unto death. Christ, at his ascension into heaven, received everlasting pleasures at his Father's right hand, and in the enjoyment of his Father's love as the reward of his own death, or obedience unto death. But the same righteousness is reckoned to both head and members, and both shall have fellowship in the same reward, each according to their distinct capacity. That the saints in heaven have such a communion with Christ in his joy, and do so partake with him in his own enjoyment of the Father, does greatly manifest the transcendent excellency of their happiness, and they're being admitted to a vastly higher privilege in glory than the angels. End of Section 12. Section 13 of Selected Sermons of Jonathan Edwards. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Of Selected Sermons of Jonathan Edwards. Section 13. True Saints When Absent from the Body Are Present with the Lord. Part 2. The saints in heaven are received to a fellowship or participation with Christ in the glory of that dominion to which the Father hath exalted him. The saints, when they ascend to heaven as Christ ascended, and are made to sit together with him in heavenly places, and are partakers of the glory of his exultation, are exalted to reign with him. They are through him made kings and priests and reign with him and in him over the same kingdom. As the Father hath appointed unto him a kingdom, so he is appointed to them. The Father has appointed the Son to reign over his own kingdom, and the Son appoints his saints to reign in his. The Father has given to Christ to sit with him on his throne, and Christ gives to the saints to sit with him on his throne. Agreeably to Christ's promise, Revelations chapter 3 verse 21. Christ as God's Son is the heir of his kingdom, and the saints are joint heirs with Christ, which implies that they are heirs of the same inheritance, to possess the same kingdom in and with him according to their capacity. Christ in his kingdom reigns over heaven and earth. He is appointed the heir of all things, and so all things are the saints. Whether Paul or Apollos or Syphus or the world or life or death or things present or things to come, all are theirs because they are Christ's and united to him. 1 Corinthians chapter 3 verses 21, 22 and 23. The angels are given to Christ as part of his dominion. They are all given to wait upon him as ministering spirits to him. So also they are all, even the highest and most dignified of them, ministering spirits, to minister to them who are the heirs of salvation. They are Christ's angels, and they are also their angels, such as the saints' union with Christ and their interest in him. That what he possesses, they possess. In a much more perfect and blessed manner than if all things were given to them separately and by themselves to be disposed of according to their discretion, they are now disposed of, so as in every respect, to be most for their blessedness by an infinitely better discretion than their own, and in being disposed of by their head and husband, between whom in them there is the most perfect union of hearts, and so the most perfect union of wills, and who are most perfectly each others. As the glorified spouse of this great king reigns with and in him, in his dominion over the universe, so more especially does she partake with him in the joy and glory of his reign in his kingdom of grace, which is more peculiarly the kingdom that he possesses as head of the church, and is that kingdom wherein she is more especially interested. It was especially to reign in this kingdom that God the Father exalted him to his throne in heaven. He set his king on his holy hill of Zion, especially that he might reign over Zion or over his church, in his kingdom of grace, and that he might be under the best advantages to carry on the designs of his love in this lower world. And therefore undoubtedly the saints in heaven are partakers with Christ in the joy and glory of the advancement and prosperity of his kingdom of grace on earth, and success of his gospel here, which he looks on as the peculiar glory of his reign. The good shepherd rejoices when he finds but one sheep that was lost, and his friends and neighbors in heaven rejoice with him on that occasion. That part of the family that is in heaven is surely not unacquainted with the affairs of that part of the same family that is on earth. They that are with the king and are next to him, the royal family that dwell in his palace, are not kept in ignorance of the affairs of his kingdom. The saints in heaven are with the angels, the king's ministers by which he manages the affairs of his kingdom, and who are continually ascending and descending from heaven to the earth, and one or other of them daily employed as ministering spirits to each individual member of the church below. Besides the continual ascending of the souls of departed saints from all parts of the militant church, on these accounts the saints in heaven must needs be under a thousand times greater advantage than we here for a full view of the state of the church on earth, and a speedy direct and certain acquaintance with all its affairs in every part. And that which gives them much greater advantage for such an acquaintance than the things already mentioned, is there being constantly in the immediate presence of Christ, and in the enjoyment of the most perfect intercourse with him, who is the king who manages all these affairs, and has an absolutely perfect knowledge of them. Christ is the head of the whole glorified assembly. They are mystically his glorified body, and what the head sees, it sees for the information of the whole body according to its capacity, and what the head enjoys is for the joy of the whole body. The saints, in leaving this world and ascending to heaven, do not go out of sight of things appertaining to Christ's kingdom on earth, but on the contrary they go out of a state of obscurity, and ascend above the mists and clouds into the clearest light, to a pinnacle in the very center of light where everything appears in clear view. They have as much greater advantage to view the state of Christ's kingdom, and the works of the new creation here, than while they were in this world, as a man that ascends to the top of a high mountain has a greater advantage to view the face of the earth, than he had while he was in a deep valley or thick forest below, surrounded on every side with those things that impeded and limited his sight. Nor do they view as indifferent or unconcern spectators any more than Christ himself as an unconcern spectator. The happiness of the saints in heaven consists very much in beholding the glory of God appearing in the work of redemption, for it is by this chiefly that God manifests his glory, the glory of his wisdom, holiness, grace, and other perfections, to both saints and angels as is apparent by many scriptures, and therefore undoubtedly their happiness consists very much in beholding the progress of this work in its application and success, and the steps by which infinite power and wisdom bring it to its consummation. And the saints in heaven are under unspeakably greater advantage to take the pleasure of beholding the progress of this work on earth than we are that are here. As they are under greater advantages to see and understand the marvelous steps that divine wisdom takes in all that is done, and the glorious ends he obtains, the opposition Satan makes in how he is baffled and overthrown. They can better see the connection of one event with another, and the beautiful order of all things that come to pass in the church in different ages that to us appear like confusion. Nor do they only view these things and rejoice in them as a glorious and beautiful sight, but as persons interested, as Christ is interested, as possessing these things in Christ and reigning with him in this kingdom. Christ's success in his work of redemption, in bringing home souls to himself, applying his saving benefits by his spirit, and the advancement of the kingdom of grace in the world, is the reward especially promised to him by his father in the covenant of redemption, for the hard and difficult service he performed while in the form of a servant. As is manifest by Isaiah 53 verse 10, 11, and 12. But the saints shall be rewarded with him. They shall partake with him in the joy of this reward, for this obedience that is thus rewarded is reckoned to them as they are his members, as was before observed. This was especially the joy that was set before Christ, for the sake of which he endured the cross and despised the shame. And his joy is the joy of all heaven. They that are with him in heaven are under much the greatest advantages to partake with him in this joy, for they have a perfect communion with him through whom, and in fellowship with whom, they enjoy and possess their whole inheritance, all their heavenly happiness, as much as the whole body has all its pleasure of music by the ear, and all the pleasure of its food by the mouth and stomach, and all the benefit and refreshment of the air by the lungs. The saints while on earth pray and labor for the same thing that Christ labored for, the advancement of the kingdom of God among men, the promoting of the prosperity of Zion, and flourishing of religion in this world. And most of them have suffered for that end, as Christ did, have been made partakers with their head in his sufferings, and filled up, as the apostle expresses it, that which is behind of the sufferings of Christ, and therefore they shall partake with him of the glory and joy of the end obtained. Romans 8 verse 17. We are joint heirs with Christ, if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. 2 Timothy 2 verse 12. If we suffer with him, we shall also reign with him. Christ, when his sufferings were passed, and he left the earth and ascended into heaven, was so far from having done with kingdom in this world, that it was as it were, but then begun. And he ascended for that very end, that he might more fully possess and enjoy this kingdom, that he might reign in it, and be under the best advantages for it, as much as a king ascends a throne in order to reign over his people, and receive the honour and glory of his dominion. No more have the saints done with Christ's kingdom on earth when they leave the earth and ascended into heaven. Christ came, that is ascended, with clouds of heaven, and came to the ancient of days, and was brought near before him to the very end, that he might receive dominion and glory, and a kingdom that all people, nations, and languages should serve him. Daniel 7 verse 13 and 14. Which shall be eminently fulfilled after the ruin of anti-Christ, which is especially the time of Christ's kingdom. And the same is the time when the kingdom and dominion and greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High God, as verse 27 in the same chapter. It is because they shall reign in and with Christ, the Most High, as seems intimated in the words that follow, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him. This verse is true not only of the saints on earth, but also the saints in heaven. Hence the saints in heaven, having respect to this time, do sing in Revelation 5 verse 10, we shall reign on the earth. And agreeably here too it is afterwards represented that when the aforementioned time comes, the souls of them that in former ages had suffered with Christ, do reign with Christ, having as it were given to them new life and joy in that spiritual blessed resurrection, which shall then be of the church of God on earth. And thus it is that it is said, Matthew 5 verse 5, the meek, those that meekly and patiently suffer with Christ and for his sake, shall inherit the earth. They shall inherit it and reign on earth with Christ. Christ is the heir of the world, and when the appointed time of his kingdom comes, his inheritance shall be given him, and then the meek, who are joint heirs, shall inherit the earth. The place in the Old Testament, once the words are taken, leads to a true interpretation of them. Psalms 37 verse 11, the meek shall inherit the earth and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. That there is reference in these latter words, the abundance of peace. To the peace and blessedness of the latter days, we may be satisfied by comparing these words with Psalm 72 verse 7. In his days shall be abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth, in Jeremiah 33 verse 6. I will reveal to them the abundance of peace and truth. Also Isaiah 2 verse 4, Micah 4 verse 3, Isaiah 11, 6 to 9, and many other parallel places. The saints in heaven will be as much with Christ in reigning over the nations and in the glory of his dominion at that time, as they will be with him in the honor of judging the world at the last day. That promise of Christ to his disciples, Matthew 19 verse 28 and 29, seems to have a special respect to the former of these. In verse 28 Christ promises to the disciples that hereafter, when the Son of Man shall sit on the throne of his glory, they shall sit on the twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. The saints in heaven, reigning on earth in the glorious latter day, is described in language accommodated to this promise of Christ. Revelation 20 verse 4. And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given them, and they reigned with Christ. And the promise in the next verse, in that 19th of Matthew, seems to have its fulfillment at the same time. And everyone that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or fathers, or wife or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. That is, in the time when the saints shall inherit the earth, and reign on earth, the earth, with all its blessings and good things, shall be given in great abundance to the church, to be possessed by the saints. This shall they receive in this present world, and in the time to come everlasting life. The saints in heaven shall partake with Christ in the triumph and glory of those victories he shall obtain in that future glorious time over the kings and nations of the world, that are sometimes represented by his ruling them with a rod of iron, and dashing them in pieces as a potter's vessel, which doubtless there is respect to in Revelation 2 verse 26 and 27, he that overcometh and keepeth my words unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations, and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessel of a potter shall they be broken to shivers, even as I received of my father. In Psalm 149 verse 5, to the end, let the saints be joyful in glory, let them sing aloud upon their beds, that is, in their separate state after death, compare Isaiah 57 verses 1 and 2, let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand to execute vengeance upon the heathen and punishments upon the people, to bind their kings with chains and their nobles with fetters of iron, to execute upon them the judgment written, this honor have all the saints. Accordingly when Christ appears riding forth to his victory over Antichrist, Revelation 19, the hosts of heaven appear going forth with him in robes of triumph, verse 14, and when Antichrist is destroyed the inhabitants of heaven and the holy apostles and prophets are called upon to rejoice, chapter 18 verse 20, and accordingly the whole multitude of the inhabitants of heaven on that occasion do appear to exalt and praise God with exceeding joy, chapter 19 verses 1 to 8 and chapter 11 verse 15, and are also represented as greatly rejoicing on occasion of the ruin of the heathen empire in the days of Constantine, chapter 12 verse 10. And it is observable all along in the visions of that book the hosts of heaven appear as much concerned and interested in the events appertaining to the kingdom of Christ here below as the saints on earth. The day of the commencement of the church's latter-day glory is imminently the day of Christ's espousals, the day of the gladness of his heart, when as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride so he will rejoice over his church. And then will all heaven exceedingly rejoice with him, and therefore they say at that time, Revelations 19 verse 7, let us be glad and rejoice and give glory to him for the marriage of the Lamb is come. Thus Abraham enjoys these things when they come to pass that were of old promised to him and that he saw beforehand and rejoiced in. He will enjoy the fulfillment of the promise of all the families of the earth being blessed in his seed when it shall be accomplished. And all the ancient patriarchs who died in faith of promises of glorious things that should be accomplished in this world, who had not received the promises but saw them afar off and were persuaded of them and embraced them, do actually enjoy them when fulfilled. David actually saw and enjoyed the fulfillment of that promise in its due time, which was made to him many hundred years before and was all his salvation and all his desire. Thus Daniel shall stand in his lot at the end of the days, pointed out by his own prophecy. Thus the saints of old that died in faith, not having received the promises, are made perfect and have their faith crowned by the better things accomplished in these latter days of the Gospel, Hebrews 11 verses 39 and 40, which they see and enjoy in their time. Third, the departed souls of saints have fellowship with Christ in his blessed and eternal employment of glorifying the Father. The happiness of heaven consists not only in contemplation and a mere passive enjoyment, but consists very much in action and particularly in actively serving and glorifying God. This is expressly mentioned as a great part of the blessedness of the saints in their most perfect state, Revelation 22 verse 3, and there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and his servants shall serve him. The angels are as a flame of fire in their ardor and activity in God's service. The four animals, Revelations chapter 4, which are generally supposed to signify the angels, are represented as continually giving praise and glory to God, and are said not to rest day nor night, verse 8. The souls of departed saints are doubtless, become as the angels of God in heaven in this respect, and Jesus Christ is the head of the whole glorious assembly, as in other things appertaining to their blessed state, so in this, of their praising and glorifying the Father. When Christ the night before he was crucified, prayed for his exaltation to glory, it was that he might glorify the Father. John chapter 17 verse 1, these words spake Jesus and lift up his eyes to heaven and said, Father the hours come, glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee. And this he doubtless does. Now he is in heaven, not only in fulfilling the Father's will, in what he does as head of the church and ruler of the universe, but also in leading the heavenly assembly in their praises. When Christ instituted the supper and ate and drank with his disciples at his table, giving them therein a representation and pledge of their future feasting with him and drinking new wine in his heavenly Father's kingdom, he at that time led them in their praises to God in that hymn that they sang, and so doubtless he leads his glorified disciples in heaven. David was the sweet psalmist of Israel, and he led the great congregation of God's people in their songs of praise. Herein, as well as in innumerable other things, he was a type of Christ, who is often spoken of in Scripture by the name of David, and many of the psalms that David penned were songs of praise that he, by the spirit of prophecy, uttered in the name of Christ as head of the church and leading the saints in their praises. Christ in heaven leads the glorious assembly in their praises to God, as Moses did the congregation of Israel at the Red Sea, which is implied in its being said that they sing the song of Moses and the Lamb, Revelation 15 verses 2 and 3. In Revelation 19 verse 5, John tells us that he heard a voice come out of the throne saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great. Who can it be that utters this voice out of the throne, but the Lamb that is in the midst of the throne, calling on the glorious assembly of saints to praise his Father and their Father, his God and their God. And what the consequence of this voice is, we have an account in the next words, and I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thundering saying, Alleluia for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Application. The use that I would make of what has been said on this subject is of exhortation. Let us all be exhorted hence earnestly to seek after that great privilege that has been spoken of, that when we are absent from the body, we may be present with the Lord. We cannot continue always in these earthly tabernacles, their frail, almost soon decay and fall, and are continually liable to be overthrown by innumerable means. Our souls must soon leave them and go into the eternal world. Oh how infinitely great will the privilege and happiness of such be, who at that time shall go to be with Christ in his glory, in the manner that has been represented. The privilege of the twelve disciples was great, in being so constantly with Christ as his family, in his state of humiliation. The privilege of those three disciples was great, who were with him in the mount of his transfiguration, where it was exhibited to them some little semblance of his future glory in heaven, such as they might behold in the present frail, feeble and sinful state. They were greatly entertained and delighted with what they saw, and were for making tabernacles to dwell there, and return no more down the mount. And great was the privilege of Moses, when he was with Christ in Mount Sinai, and besought him to show him his glory, and he saw his back parts as he passed by, and proclaimed his name. But is not that privilege infinitely greater, that has now been spoken of? Privilege of being with Christ in heaven, where he sits on the right hand of God, in the glory of the King and God of Angels, and of the whole universe shining forth as the great light, the bright sun of that world of glory, there to dwell in the full, constant and everlasting view of his beauty and brightness. They are most freely and intimately to converse with him, and fully to enjoy his love. As his friends and spouse, there to have fellowship with him in the infinite pleasure and joy he has in the enjoyment of his Father, there to sit with him on his throne, and reign with him in the possession of all things, and partake with him in the joy and glory of his victories over his enemies, and the advancement of his kingdom in the world, and to join with him in joyful songs of praise to his Father and their Father, to his God and their God forever and ever? Is not such a privilege worth the seeking after? But here, as a special enforcement of this exhortation, I would improve that dispensation of God's holy providence, that is the sorrowful occasion of our coming together at this time, the death of that imminent servant of Jesus Christ, in the work of the Gospel ministry, whose funeral is this day to be attended, together with what was observable in him, living and dying. In this dispensation of providence, God puts us in mind of our mortality, and forewarns us that the time is approaching when we must be absent from the body, and must all appear, as the Apostle observes in the next verse, but one to my text, before the judgment seat of Christ, that every one of us may receive the things done in the body according to what we have done, whether it be good or bad. And in him, whose death we are now called to consider and improve, we have not only an instance of mortality, but an instance of one that, being absent from the body, is present with the Lord, as we have all imaginable reason to conclude. In that, whether we consider the nature of the operations he was under, about the time whence his dates, his conversion, or the nature and course of his inward exercises from that time forward, or his outward conversation and long space wherein he looked death in the face, his convictions of sin, preceding his first consolations in Christ, as appears by a written account he is left of his inward exercises and experiences, were exceedingly deep and thorough, his trouble and exercise of mind, through a sense of guilt and misery, very great and long continued, but yet sound and solid, consisting in no unsteady, violent and unaccountable hurries and frights and strange perturbations of mind, but arising from the most serious consideration and proper illumination of the conscience, to discern and consider the true state of things, and the light let into his mind at conversion, and the influences and exercises that his mind was subject to at that time, appear very agreeable to reason and the gospel of Jesus Christ. The change very great and remarkable, without any appearance of strong impressions on the imagination, sudden flights and pangs of the affections, and vehement emotions in animal nature, but attended with proper intellectual views of the supreme glory of the divine being, consisting in the infinite dignity and beauty of the perfections of his nature, and of the transcendent excellency of the way of salvation by Christ. This was about eight years ago, when he was about twenty-one years of age. Thus God sanctified and made meat for his use that vessel that he intended to make imminently a vessel of honor in his house, in which he had made of large capacity, having endowed him with very uncommon abilities and gifts of nature. He was a singular instance of a ready invention, natural eloquence, easy flowing expression, sprightly apprehension, quick discerning and a very strong memory, and yet of a very penetrating genius, close and clear thought, and piercing judgment. He had an exact taste. His understanding was, if I may so express it, of a quick, strong and distinguishing scent. His learning was very considerable. He had a great taste for learning and applied himself to his studies in so close a manner when he was at college that he much injured his health, and was obliged on that account for a while to leave the college, throw by his studies, and return home. He was esteemed one that excelled in learning in that society. He had an extraordinary knowledge of men as well as things. Had a great insight into human nature and excelled most that ever I knew in a communicative faculty. He had a peculiar talent at accommodating himself to the capacities, tempers, and circumstances of those that he would instruct or counsel. He had extraordinary gifts for the pulpit. I never had opportunity to hear him preach, but have often heard him pray, and I think his manner of addressing himself to God, and expressing himself before him in that duty, almost inimitable. Such, so far as I may judge, as I very rarely known equalled, he expressed himself with that exact propriety and pertinence in such significant, weighty, pungent expressions, with that decent appearance of sincerity, reverence, and solemnity, and great distance from all affectation, as forgetting the presence of men, and as being in the immediate presence of a great and holy God, that I have scarcely ever known paralleled. And his manner of preaching, by which I have often heard of it from good judges, was no less excellent, being clear and instructive, natural, nervous, forcible, moving, and very searching and convincing. He nauseated and affected noisiness, and violent boisterousness in the pulpit, and yet much dishe relished, a flat, cold delivery, when the subject of discourse and matter delivered required affection and earnestness. Not only had he excellent talents for the study and the pulpit, but also for conversation. He was of sociable disposition, and was remarkably free, entertaining, and profitable in ordinary discourse, and had much of a faculty of disputing, defending truth, and confuting error. As he excelled in his judgment and knowledge of things in general, so especially in divinity, he was truly for one of his standing and extraordinary divine, but above all in matters relating to experimental religion. In this I know I have the concurring opinion of some that have had a name for persons of the best judgment, and according to what ability I have to judge things of this nature, and according to my opportunities, which of late have been very great, I never knew his equal, of his age and standing, for clear, accurate notions of the nature and essence of true religion, and its distinctions from its various false appearances, which I suppose to be owing to these three things meaning together in him, the strength of his natural genius, and the great opportunities he had of observation of others in various parts, both white people and Indians, and his own great experience. His experiences of the holy influences of God's spirit were not only great at his first conversion, but they were so in a continued course from that time forward. As appears by a record or private journal, he kept of his daily inward exercises. From the time of his conversion, until he was disabled by the failing of his strength, a few days before his death, the change which he looked upon as his conversion was not only a great change of the present views, affections, and frame of his mind, but was evidently the beginning of that work of God on his heart, which God carried on in a very wonderful manner, from that time to his dying day. He greatly abhorred the way of such, as live on their first work, as though they had now got through their work and are thus forward by degrees settled in a cold, lifeless, negligent, worldly frame. He had an ill opinion of such persons' religion. All that the things that were seen and heard in this extraordinary person, his holiness, heavenliness, labor, and self-denial in life, his so remarkably devoting himself and his all in heart and practice to the glory of God, and the wonderful frame of mind manifested in so steadfast a manner under the expectation of death and the pains and agonies that brought it on, may excite in us all, both ministers and people, a due sense of the greatness of the work we have to do in the world, the excellency and amiableness of thorough religion and experience and practice, and the blessedness of the end of such, whose death finishes such a life, and the infinite value of their eternal reward, when absent from the body and present with the Lord, and effectually stirs us up to endeavors, that in the way of such a holy life we may at least come to so blessed an end. Amen. Footnote. We have omitted a few pages which follow here of this discourse, because what the author communicates respecting Mr. Brainard is to be found almost in the same words in the memoirs of his life and in his reflections upon it, which he afterwards published. End of section 13, end of part two. Part one. Hebrews 5 verse 12. For when, for the time, he ought to be teachers, he have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God, and are become such as have need of milk and not of strong meat. These words are a complaint which the apostle makes of a certain defect in the Christian Hebrews to whom he wrote, wherein we may observe, one, what the defect complained of is, vis-a-vis a want of such a proficiency in the knowledge of the doctrines and mysteries of religion, as might have been expected of them. The apostle complains of them that they had not made that progress in their acquaintance with the things of divinity or things taught in the oracles of God which they ought to have made, and he means to reprove them not merely for their deficiency in spiritual and experimental knowledge of divine things, but for their deficiency in a doctrinal acquaintance with the principles of religion and the truths of Christian divinity, as is evident by several things. It appears by the manner in which the apostle introduces this complaint or reproof. The occasion of his introducing it is this. In the next verse but one preceding, he mentions Christ's being a high priest after the order of Mochizedek. Quote, called of God a high priest after the order of Mochizedek, close quote. This Mochizedek being in the Old Testament which was the oracles of God held forth as an eminent type of Christ, and the account with their half of Mochizedek containing many gospel mysteries. These the apostles willing to point out to the Christian Hebrews. But he apprehended that through their weakness in knowledge and little acquaintance and mysteries of that nature, they would not understand him, and therefore breaks off for the present from saying anything about Mochizedek. Thus in verse 11, of whom we have many things to say and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. i.e. there are many things concerning Mochizedek which contain wonderful gospel mysteries, and which I would take notes of to you were it not the time afraid that through your dullness and backwardness in understanding these things, you would only be puzzled and confounded by my discourse, and so receive no benefit, and that it would be too hard for you as meeked that is too strong. Then come in the words of the text. For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God, and are become such as have need of milk and not of strong meat. As much as to say indeed it might have been expected of you, that you should have known enough of divinity and the holy scriptures to be able to understand and digest such mysteries, but it is not so with you. Again the Apostle speaks of their proficiency in such knowledge as is conveyed and received by human teaching, as appears by that expression, when for the time ye ought to be teachers, which includes not only a practical and experimental, but also a doctrinal knowledge of the truths and mysteries of religion. Again the Apostle speaks of such a knowledge whereby Christians are enabled to digest strong meat, i.e. to understand those things in divinity which are more abstruse and difficult to be understood, and which require great skill in things of this nature. This is more fully expressed in the next two verses. For everyone that uses milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe, but strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who, by reason of use, have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. Again it is such a knowledge that proficiency in it shall carry persons beyond the first principles of religion, as here you have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God. Therefore the Apostle in the beginning of the next chapter advises them to leave the first principles of the doctrine of Christ and go on unto perfection. Two, we may observe wherein the fault of this defect appears, vis-a-vis, in that they had not made proficiency according to their time. For the time they ought to have been teachers, as they were Christians their business was to learn and gain Christian knowledge. They were scholars in the school of Christ and if they had improved their time in learning, as they ought to have done, they might by the time when the Apostle wrote have been fit to be teachers in this school. To whatever business anyone is devoted, it may be expected that his perfection in it shall be answerable to the time he has had to learn and perfect himself. Christians should not always remain babes, but should grow in Christian knowledge, and, leaving the food of babes which is milk, should learn to digest strong meat. Doctrine. Every Christian should make a business of endeavouring to grow in knowledge in divinity. This is indeed esteemed the business of divines and ministers. It is commonly thought to be their work by the study of the scriptures and other instructive books to gain knowledge, and most seem to think that it may be left to them as what belongeth not to others. But if the Apostle had entertained this notion, he would never have blamed the Christian Hebrews for not having acquired knowledge enough to be teachers. Or if he had thought that this concerned Christians in general only as a thing by and by, and that their times should not, in a considerable measure, be taken up with this business, he never would have so much blamed them that their proficiency in knowledge had not been answerable to the time which they had had to learn. In handling this subject, I shall show 1. What divinity is? 2. What kind of knowledge in divinity is intended? 3. Why knowledge in divinity is necessary? 4. Why all Christians should make a business of endeavouring to grow in this knowledge? First, I shall show very briefly what divinity is. Various definitions have been given of it by those who have treated on the subject. I shall not now stand to inquire which, according to the rules of art, is the most accurate definition, but shall so define or describe it as I think has the greatest tendency to convey a notion of it to this auditory. By divinity is meant that science or doctrine which comprehends all those truths and rules which concern the great business of religion. There are various kinds of arts and sciences taught and learned in the schools which are conversant about various subjects, about the works of nature in general as philosophy, or the visible heavens as astronomy, or the sea as navigation, or the earth as geography, or the body of man as physics and anatomy, or the soul of man with regard to its natural powers and qualities as logic and pneumatology, or about human government as politics and jurisprudence. But there is one science, or one certain kind of knowledge and doctrine, which is above all the rest, as it is concerning God and the great business of religion. This is divinity, which is not learned as other sciences merely by the improvement of man's natural reason, but is taught by God himself in a certain book that he had given for that end, full of instruction. This is the rule which God had given to the world to be their guide in searching after this kind of knowledge, and is a summary of all things of this nature needful for us to know. Upon this account divinity is rather called a doctrine than an art or a science. Indeed there is what is called natural religion or divinity. There are many truths concerning God and our duty to him, which are evident by the light of nature. But Christian divinity, properly so-called, is not evident by the light of nature. It depends on revelation. Such are our circumstances now in our fallen state that nothing which it is needful for us to know concerning God is manifest by the light of nature in the manner in which it is necessary for us to know it. For the knowledge of no truth in divinity is of any significance to us, any otherwise than as it some way or other belongs to the gospel scheme or as it relates to a mediator. But the light of nature teaches no truth of divinity in this matter. Therefore it cannot be said that we come to the knowledge of any part of Christian divinity by the light of nature. The light of nature teaches no truth as it is in Jesus. It is only the word of God contained in the Old and New Testament which teaches us Christian divinity. Divinity comprehends all that is taught in the Scriptures and so all that we need to know or is to be known concerning God and Jesus Christ, concerning our duty to God and our happiness in God. Divinity is commonly defined the doctrine of living to God and by some who seem to be more accurate, the doctrine of living to God by Christ. It comprehends all Christian doctrines as they are in Jesus and all Christian rules directing us in living to God by Christ. There is nothing in divinity, no one doctrine, no promise, no rule but what some way or other relates to the Christian and divine life or our living to God by Christ. They all relate to this in two respects, vis a vis as they tend to promote our living to God here in this world in a life of faith and holiness and also as they tend to bring us to a life of perfect holiness and happiness in the full enjoyment of God here after. But I hasten to the second thing proposed, vis a vis to show what kind of knowledge in divinity is intended in the doctrine. Here I would observe, one, that there are two kinds of knowledge in the things of divinity, vis a vis speculative and practical or in other terms natural and spiritual. The former remains only in the head, no other faculty but the understanding is concerned in it. It consists in having a natural or rational knowledge of the things of religion or such a knowledge as is to be obtained by the natural exercise of our own faculties without any special illumination of the Spirit of God. The latter rests not entirely in the head or in the speculative ideas of things, but the heart is concerned in it. It principally consists in the sense of the heart, the mere intellect without the heart, the will or the inclination is not the seat of it, and it may not only be called seeing but feeling or tasting. Thus there is a difference between having a right speculative notion of the doctrines contained in the Word of God and having a due sense of them in the heart. In the former consists speculative or natural knowledge of the things of divinity, in the latter consists spiritual or practical knowledge of them. Two, neither of these is intended in the doctrine exclusively of the other, but it is intended that we should seek the former in order to the latter. The latter even a spiritual and practical knowledge of divinity is of the greatest importance, for a speculative knowledge of it without spiritual knowledge is in vain and to no purpose but to make our condemnation the greater. Yet speculative knowledge is also of infinite importance in this respect, that without it we can have no spiritual or practical knowledge as may be shown by and by. I have already shown that the Apostle speaks not only of a spiritual knowledge but of such knowledge as can be acquired and communicated from one to another. Yet it is not to be thought that he means this exclusively of the other, but he would have the Christian Hebrews seek the one in order to the other. Therefore the former is first and most directly intended. It's intended that Christians should, by reading and other proper means, seek a good rational knowledge of the things of divinity. The latter is more indirectly intended since it is to be sought by the other as its end. But I proceed to the third thing proposed, vis-à-vis to show the usefulness and necessity of knowledge in divinity. One, there is no other way by which any means of grace whatsoever can be of any benefit but by knowledge. All teaching is in vain without learning. Therefore the preaching of the gospel would be wholly to no purpose if it conveyed no knowledge to the mind. There is an order of men whom Christ has appointed on purpose to be teachers in his church. They are to teach the things of divinity, but they teach in vain if no knowledge in these things is gained by their teaching. It is impossible that their teaching and preaching should be a means of grace or of any good in the hearts of their hearers, any otherwise than by knowledge imparted to the understanding. Otherwise it would be of as much benefit to the auditory if the minister should preach in some unknown tongue. All the difference is that preaching in a known tongue conveys something to the understanding which preaching in an unknown tongue doth not. On this account such preaching must be unprofitable. Men in such things receive nothing when they understand nothing and are not at all edified unless some knowledge be conveyed, agreeably to the apostles arguing in 1 Corinthians 14 verses 2 to 6. No speech can be any means of grace but by conveying knowledge. Otherwise the speech is as much lost as if there had been no man there and he that spoke had spoken only into the air, as it falls in the passage just quoted verses 6 to 10. He that doth not understand can receive no faith nor any other grace, for God deals with man as with a rational creature and when faith is in exercise it is not about something he knows not what. Therefore hearing is absolutely necessary to faith because hearing is necessary to understanding. Romans 10 verse 14, how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? So there could be no love without knowledge. It is not according to the nature of the human soul to love an object which is entirely unknown. The heart cannot be set upon an object of which there is no idea in the understanding. The reasons which induce the soul to love must first be understood before they can have a reasonable influence on the heart. God have given us the Bible which is a book of instructions but this book can be of no manner of profit to us any otherwise than as it conveys some knowledge to the mind. It can profit us no more than if it were written in the Chinese or Tartarian language of which we know not one word. So the sacraments of the gospel can have a proper effect no other way than by conveying some knowledge. They represent certain things by visible signs and what is the end of signs but to convey some knowledge of the things signified. Such is the nature of man that nothing can come at the heart but through the door of the understanding and there can be no spiritual knowledge of that of which there is not first a rational knowledge. It is impossible that anyone should see the truth or excellency of any doctrine of the gospel who knows not what that doctrine is. A man cannot see the wonderful excellency and love of Christ in doing such and such things for sinners unless his understanding be first informed how those things were done. He cannot have a taste of the sweetness and divine excellency of such and such things contained in divinity unless he first have a notion that there are such and such things. 2. Without knowledge in divinity, none would differ from the most ignorant and barbarous heathens. The heathens remain in gross heathen-ish darkness because they are not instructed and have not attained the knowledge of the truths of divinity. So if we live under the preaching of the gospel this will make us to differ from them only by conveying to us more knowledge of the things of divinity. 3. If a man have no knowledge of these things the faculty of reason in him will be wholly in vain. The faculty of reason and understanding was given for actual understanding and knowledge. If a man have no actual knowledge the faculty or capacity of knowing is of no use to him. And if he have actual knowledge yet if he be destitute of the knowledge of those things which are the last end of his being and for the sake of the knowledge of which he had more understanding given him than the beasts then still this faculty of reason is in vain. He might as well have been a beast as a man with this knowledge. But the things of divinity are the things to know which we had the faculty of reason given us. They are the things which appertain to the end of our being and to the great business for which we are made. Therefore a man cannot have his faculty of understanding to any purpose any further than he have knowledge of the things of divinity. So that this kind of knowledge is absolutely necessary. Other kinds of knowledge may be very useful. Some other sciences such as astronomy and natural philosophy and geography may be very excellent in their kind. But the knowledge of this divine science is infinitely more useful and important than of all other sciences whatever. I come now to the fourth and principal thing proposed under the doctrine vis-a-vis to give the reasons why all Christians should make a business of endeavouring to grow in the knowledge of divinity. This implies two things. One, that Christians ought not to contend themselves with such degrees of knowledge in divinity as they have already obtained. It should not satisfy them that they know as much as is absolutely necessary to salvation, but should seek to make progress. Two, that this endeavouring to make progress in such knowledge ought not to be attended to as a thing by the by, but all Christians should make a business of it. They should look upon it as part of their daily business, and no small part of it neither. It should be attended to as a considerable part of the work of their high calling. The reason of both fees may appear in the following things. First, our business should doubtless much consist in employing those faculties by which we are distinguished from the beasts, about those things which are the main end of those faculties. The reason why we have faculties superior to those of the Brutes given us is that we are indeed designed for a superior employment. That which the Creator intended should be our main employment is something above what he intended the beasts for, and therefore have given us superior powers. Therefore, without doubt, it should be a considerable part of our business to improve those superior faculties. But the faculty by which we are chiefly distinguished from the Brutes is the faculty of understanding. It follows then that we should make it our chief business to improve this faculty, and should by no means prosecute it as a business by the by. For us to make improvement of this faculty as a business by the by is in effect for us to make the faculty of understanding itself a by faculty, if I may so speak, a faculty of less importance than the others, whereas indeed it is the highest faculty we have. But we cannot make a business of the improvement of our intellectual faculty any otherwise than by making a business of improving ourselves in actual understanding and knowledge. So that those who make not this very much their business, but instead of improving their understanding to acquire knowledge, are chiefly devoted to their inferior powers to provide wherewithal to please their senses and gratify their animal appetites, and so rather make their understanding a servant their inferior powers than their inferior powers a servant their understanding, not only behave themselves in a manner not becoming Christians, but also act as if they had forgotten that they are men, and that God hath set them above the Brutes by giving them understanding. God hath given to man some things in common with the Brutes, as his outward senses, his bodily appetites, a capacity of bodily pleasure and pain, and other animal faculties, and some things he hath given him superior to the Brutes, the chief of which is a faculty of understanding and reason. Now God never gave man those faculties whereby he is above the Brutes to be subject to those which he hath in common with the Brutes. This would be great confusion and equivalent to making man to be a servant to the beasts. On the contrary, he has given those inferior powers to be employed in subserviency to man's understanding, and therefore it must be a great part of man's principal business to improve his understanding by acquiring knowledge. If so, then it will follow that it should be a main part of his business to improve his understanding in acquiring divine knowledge, or the knowledge of the things of divinity. For the knowledge of these things is a principal end of this faculty. God gave man the faculty of understanding, chiefly, that he might understand divine things. The wiser heathens were sensible that the main business of man was the improvement and exercise of his understanding, but they were in the dark as they knew not the object about which the understanding should chiefly be employed. That science which many of them thought should chiefly employ the understanding was philosophy, and accordingly they made it their chief business to study it, but we who enjoy the light of the gospel are more happy we are not left, as to this particular, in the dark. God hath told us about what things we should chiefly employ our understandings, having given us a book full of divine instructions, holding forth many glorious objects about which all rational creatures should chiefly employ their understandings. These instructions are accommodated to persons of all capacities and conditions, and proper to be studied not only by men of learning, but by persons of every character, learned and unlearned, young and old, men and women. Therefore the acquisition of knowledge in these things should be a main business of all those who have the advantage of enjoying the holy scriptures. Second, the things of divinity are things of superlative excellency, and are worthy that all should make a business of endeavouring to grow in the knowledge of them. There are no things so worthy to be known as these things. They are as much above those things which are treated out in other sciences as heaven is above the earth. God himself, the eternal three in one, is the chief object of this science. In the next place Jesus Christ as God-man and mediator, and the glorious work of redemption, the most glorious work that ever was wrought, then the things of the heavenly world, the glorious and eternal inheritance purchased by Christ and promised in the gospel, the work of the Holy Spirit of God on the hearts of men, our duty to God and the way in which we ourselves may become like angels and like God himself in our measure. All these are objects of this science. Such things as these have been the main subject of the study of the holy patriarchs, prophets and apostles, and the most excellent men that ever were in the world, and are also the subject of the study of the angels in heaven, 1 Peter 1, verses 10, 11 and 12. These things are so excellent and worthy to be known that the knowledge of them will richly pay for all the pains and labour of an earnest seeking of it. If there were a great treasure of gold and pearls hid in the earth but should accidentally be found and should be opened among us with such circumstances that all might have as much as they could gather of it, would not everyone think it worth his while to make a business of gathering it while it should last? But that treasure of divine knowledge which is contained in the scriptures and is provided for everyone to gather to himself as much of it as he can, is a far more rich treasure than any one of gold and pearls. How busy are also its men all over the world in getting riches. But this knowledge is a far better kind of riches than that after which they so diligently and laboriously pursue. 3. The things of divinity not only concern ministers but are of infinite importance to all Christians. It is not with the doctrines of divinity as it is with the doctrines of philosophy and other sciences. These last are generally speculative points which are of little concern in human life and it very little alters the case as to our temporal or spiritual interests whether we know them or not. Philosophers differ about them, some being of one opinion and others of another, and while they are engaged in warm disputes about them others may well leave them to dispute among themselves without troubling their heads much about them. It being of little concern to them whether the one or the other be in the right. But it is not thus in matters of divinity. The doctrines this nearly concern everyone. They are about those things which relate to every man's eternal salvation and happiness. The common people cannot say let us leave these matters to ministers and divines, let them dispute them out among themselves as they can. They concern not us. For they are of infinite importance to every man. Those doctrines of divinity which relate to the essence, attributes and subsistences of God concern all as it is of infinite importance to common people as well as to ministers to know what kind of being God is. For he is the being who hath made us all in whom we live and move and have our being, who is the Lord of all, the being to whom we are all accountable is the last end of our being and the only fountain of our happiness.