vessel thrown into the sea of happiness

We are very apt to conceive that those that are thus, that are more holy and more happy than others in heaven, will be elated and lifted up above them; whereas, their being superior in holiness implies their being superior in humility, or having the greatest humility; for humility is a part of holiness that is capable of degrees in the perfect state of heaven, as well as other graces. Not that the holiest shall think more meanly of themselves than the less holy, for they shall all be perfectly humble and perfectly free from pride, and none shall think more highly of themselves than they ought to think; but yet as they see further into the divine perfections than others, so they shall penetrate further into the vast and infinite distance that is between them and God, and their delight of annihilating themselves, that God may be all, shall be greater.

And besides, those that are highest in holiness, and so necessarily highest in happiness (for holiness and happiness are all one in heaven), instead of anything like despising those that are less holy and happy, will love those that are inferior to them more than they would do if they [themselves] had not so much holiness and happiness, more than if they were but equal with them, and more than [do] those that are equal with them.

This is certain, for the foundation of the saints' love to each other will be their love to the image of God which they see in them. Now most certainly, the holier a man is the more he loves the same degree of the image; so that the holiest in heaven will love that image of God they see in the less holy, more than [do] those that are equally less holy. And that which makes it beyond any doubt that their superior happiness will be no damp to them, is this, that their superior happiness consists in their greater humility and in their greater love to them, and to God and Christ, whom the saints look upon as themselves.

These things may be said of this, besides what may be said about everyone being completely satisfied and full of happiness, having as much as he is capable of enjoying or desiring, like a vessel thrown into the sea of happiness; and also [besides] what may be said about their entire resignation, for God's will is become so much their own that the fulfilling of his will, let it be what it will, fills them with inconceivable satisfaction.

http://edwards.yale.edu/archive?path=aHR0cDovL2Vkd2FyZHMueWFsZS5lZHUvY2dpLWJpbi9uZXdwaGlsby9nZXRvYmplY3QucGw/Yy4xMjo0LndqZW8uNjY2NDkzLjY2NjUwMC42NjY1MDcuNjY2NTEyLjY2NjUxNi42NjY1MjAuNjY2NTIz

Press forward in the straight and narrow

Some men spend their whole lives, from their infancy to their dying day, in going down the broad way to destruction. They don't only draw nearer to hell in time, but they every day grow more and more ripe for destruction; they are more assimilated to the inhabitants of the infernal world.

While others press forward in the straight and narrow way to life, towards Zion, and laboriously travel up the hill against the inclination and tendency of the flesh, these run with a swift career down towards the valley of eternal death, towards the lake of fire, towards the bottomless pit.

1730 sermon

http://edwards.yale.edu/archive?path=aHR0cDovL2Vkd2FyZHMueWFsZS5lZHUvY2dpLWJpbi9uZXdwaGlsby9nZXRvYmplY3QucGw/Yy4xNjoyMToyOjA6OS53amVvLjEyNDM2NDYuMTI0MzY1Mg==

Perfect brightness

If you find Christ, this glorious star, this excellent heavenly jewel, will be yours. He will be your own, your Savior, your Lord, your portion. Then may you say, as in Canticles 2:16, “My beloved is mine, and I am his.” O how rich and happy will you be then! 

What will all the riches of kings be in comparison of yours? If you find this, what can you desire more? Would you desire a better treasure than the most precious jewel to be found anywhere, not only in this lower world but in the highest heavens itself?

Would you desire to find a better treasure than the best and choicest jewel, that the King of kings himself possesses?

If this star arises in your heart, it will bring day along with it. The day will dawn when the day star arises. The night, by degrees, will vanish away till, at length, perfect day begins. And this light will be to you an everlasting light. 

If once this star rises, it will never set any more; and the joy and comfort that you have in its beams never will finally cease. And though it may sometimes go into a cloud in this world, yet it will break out again. 

And the time will soon come when all clouds and darkness shall be totally done away, and then this excellent light shall shine with perfect brightness upon your soul to all eternity without any interruption.

1739 Sermon

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Brightness of hope

For so hath God contrived and constituted things, in his dispensations towards his own people, that when their love decays, and the exercises of it fail, or become weak, fear should arise;

for then they need it to restrain them from sin, and to excite 'em to care for the good of their souls, and so to stir them up to watchfulness and diligence in religion:

but God hath so ordered that when love rises, and is in vigorous exercise, then fear should vanish, and be driven away;

for then they need it not, having a higher and more excellent principle in exercise, to restrain 'em from sin, and stir 'em up to their duty.

There are no other principles, which human nature is under the influence of, that will ever make men conscientious, but one of these two, fear or love: and therefore, if one of these should not prevail, as the other decayed, God's people when fallen into dead and carnal frames, when love is asleep, would be lamentably exposed indeed.

And therefore God has wisely ordained, that these two opposite principles of love and fear, should rise and fall, like the two opposite scales of a balance; when one rises, the other sinks.

As light and darkness, necessarily and unavoidably succeed each other; if light prevails, so much does darkness cease, and no more; and if light decays, so much does darkness prevail; so it is in the heart of a child of God: if divine love decays and falls asleep, and lust prevails, the light and joy of hope goes out, and dark fear and doubting arises;

and if on the contrary, divine love prevails, and comes into lively exercise, this brings in the brightness of hope, and drives away black lust, and fear with it.

From Religious Affections.

http://edwards.yale.edu/archive?path=aHR0cDovL2Vkd2FyZHMueWFsZS5lZHUvY2dpLWJpbi9uZXdwaGlsby9jb250ZXh0dWFsaXplLnBsP3AuMS53amVvLjUwOTAwMy41MDkwMTQuNTA5MDE3