The happiness of the saints in heaven consists partly in that they there serve God.
I. Show how the happiness of man consists [in serving God].
II. Particularly, how 'tis a part of [the happiness of the saints in heaven].
[I. The happiness of man consists in serving God.]
First. The happiness of the reasonable creature don't consist in idleness but rather in action. The perfection and excellency of man consists in his faculties and principles. God hath endowed man with noble and excellent faculties and powers far above the beasts, wherein consists the natural image of God. The excellency of man above the brute creatures consists in that, that he is capable of a more noble sort of acts.
But man's powers of action were given him for action.
God aimed at action, in giving man such capacities of action. And therefore when the reasonable creature is in action, or in the exercise of those powers of action which God hath given it, then 'tis in its more perfect state if its acts are suitable to the rational nature, and consequently is more happy than in a state of idleness.
When the creature is in that state that is most agreeable to the proper perfection of its nature, then is it in its most happy state. The well being, or happy being, of the creature, and its perfect and excellent being, evermore go together. But 'tis more excellent in the creature to be in action than in a state of inactivity.
While men's powers of action lie
dormant and inactive, they are useless; they are as if men had them not.
Thus, for instance, if a man has a power of reason and don't exercise his reason, he is as if he had not the power.
It is a natural excellency in man to have reason in power, but 'tis a greater excellency for him to have reason in action, for the end of power is action. If it were not for the relation that power has to action, power would be no excellency at all.
If it were not for the relation that a power of reasoning and contemplating has to actual reasoning and contemplation, it would be no perfection at all.
God evermore so orders it that the creature should be most happy when it is most according to his design in creating of it. But God created man for action, as is evident by his giving of him those powers of action which he hath. By his giving of him such noble and excellent powers of action as he hath done, it is evident that he made him for action.
Second. A serving of God is that sort of action that man, by the faculties that God has endowed him, is most fitted for. God gave man higher powers than he did the beasts for this end, that he might be capable of those exercises wherein the service of God consists.
He was made capable of reasoning, that he might be capable by his reason to see God in his works, and capable of rational actions, that he might be capable of serving God; God seeks of us a "rational service" [Romans 12:1].
A creature is not capable of serving God without understanding and reason.
A creature may be capable of serving that has no reason, as the brute creatures are capable of serving men; but God can be served only by rational creatures.
Therefore, when man serves God, he acts most according to his nature. He is employed in that sort of action that is most distinguishing of him from the beasts. He acts then in a way most according to the end of his formation, and most agreeable to his make and formation of the human nature itself.
A man never acts so rationally as when he serves God.
No actions [are] so agreeable to reason, and all that are contrary to God's service are contrary to reason. And therefore, doubtless, his happiness consists in serving God.
Third. The serving of God is the most excellent kind of action that man is capable of. If man's happiness consists in action, doubtless it consists chiefly in that kind of action which is most excellent.
'Tis the most excellent kind of action that man is capable of, because 'tis not only the action that man by his noble powers was most fitted for, but as 'tis the exercise of the most excellent principles of the heart. That principle of heart that is the greatest beauty of man is holiness, a principle of love to God. This principle was that wherein man's primitive
excellency consisted, which he lost by the fall. And this principle is that wherein consists the beauty of the angels in heaven.
By a principle of holiness men are conformed to God and have the image of God. But such a principle is exercised in the creature in serving of God. There is no exercise of holiness in the creature any other way.
II. Particularly, how 'tis a great part of the happiness of the saints in heaven.
First. The saints in heaven will take great delight in serving of [God], as they delight in doing that which is just and right. Justice is what they delight in; if anything is right and equal, it is sufficient to make those spirits that are made perfect to love it and take pleasure [in] it. They will see those charms in equity that will cause them to have a perfect love to it. Saints' love to equity and justice in this world is not perfect. Sometimes a love to other things prevails over it. A saint here may be drawn to do those things that are contrary to it, but it will not be so in heaven, where the soul shall be brought to its perfect rectitude of nature.
It is a most equal and reasonable thing that all other beings should be subject to God, who is so infinitely exalted in the perfection and glory of his nature above all other beings. They will see how worthy he is to govern, and to be the lawgiver and absolute sovereign of the world. They will see how fit God is to rule, and order, and give directions to all other beings by reason of his infinite wisdom, justice, and holiness. And they will rejoice in it, that God reigns, that he that is so worthy to rule has the government in his hands. They will see that it is most just and equal that he that is the first being and the fountain of all, and upon whom all are dependent, should rule all. They will see that 'tis most equal that he of whom, and through whom, and to whom, are all things should be supreme Lord: how just it is, that he that created them and keeps them in being every moment should govern them.
They will be sensible that 'tis most reasonable that God should be their ruler, in that he has redeemed them. They will see that all the service which they can render to him is but a small recompense for that great redemption. They will be sensible then how great the redemption was, much more sensible than they are now; for then, they will be sensible how terrible the destruction is that they were redeemed from, and shall know by experience how glorious the happiness which was purchased for them.
They will see how just it is that they should serve him upon whom they live, and from whom they continually receive such great glory and happiness.
They will be much more sensible how reasonable it is than the saints do in this world, and they will take great delight in it upon this account, as they will take delight in doing that which [is] so right and equal, see that God's authority is rightful, and they will love to be subject to it.
Second. They will take delight in doing God's will because they will know that what [he] wills them to do is best to be done. They will choose to be directed and ordered of God, rather than to be entirely left to themselves, for they will know that God perfectly knows what is best to be done, what will be most for his glory and the good of the blessed society. They will know that God is infinitely wise and holy and that he always wills that which is best.
It will be a great pleasure to the saints to see God accomplishing his own glorious purposes, fulfilling his own will. They will rejoice in seeing God's will done, and it will be a pleasure to them to be made use of as the instruments of it, as it is to the angels. The angels in heaven are blessed, and doubtless 'tis a part of their blessedness that they are continually employed as God's emissaries to accomplish his purposes and to bring to pass those events which God designs. So 'tis a part of the happiness of the saints to fulfill God's will, to fulfill that which is determined by an infinitely wise and holy God.
Third. They will take delight in serving God because they therein become conformed unto God. The thing which God requires of his creatures is to be holy, to do holy actions, to be holy as he is holy; but the saints in heaven will have such an high esteem and admiration of God that they will greatly delight in conforming to him. It will be a great pleasure to 'em to be conformed to him whose beauty they constantly behold with exaltation and ecstasy of soul, and whose glory they cease not day nor night to extol. To see the same beauty in their dispositions and actions will be what they will esteem a great part of their honor and happiness.
And herein especially they will imitate the Lord Jesus Christ. The service of God is an imitation of God, as it is the exercise of holiness; but 'tis an imitation of Jesus Christ, as it is a subjecting to God's authority. Christ, when he was in this world, he obeyed God perfectly; he was obedient even unto death. He delighted to do God's will, as it was written; Psalms 40:8, "I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart."2 And in heaven, Christ will be subject to the Father; 1 Corinthians 15:28, "And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son
himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all." It will be a great pleasure to 'em to be conformed to, and to imitate, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Fourth. They will know what they do in God's service is what is pleasing and acceptable to God, and that consideration will cause them to take great delight in it. It will be what they will greatly rejoice in, that they may do anything that is pleasing and acceptable to God. 'Tis a great honor done to them and testimony of God's favor that he will delight in anything that they do. And it will maintain their pleasure in doing God's will that they have the constant assurance and continual testimonies of God's acceptance of and complacence in their service. It will be as a sweet smelling savor unto God.
Fifth. They will take delight in it as they will have the honor of glorifying God therein. The glory of God is what the saints in heaven will exceedingly value. They will see that 'tis more worthy to be sought than any other end, and above all things worthy to be rejoiced in when accomplished. And they will esteem it a great honor and happiness that they may be the instruments of glorifying God. Therefore they will take pleasure in praising God, and they will take pleasure in serving and obeying of him.
Sixth. Herein they will have an opportunity to express their love to God. Strong love is a thing that seeks vent. He that has a great love to another, he necessarily desires to express that love and is not satisfied without an opportunity. The saints in heaven therefore will greatly delight in serving of God, as that service will be a service of love. It will be the pure exercise of an unfeigned and perfect love to God. True love is an active principle; it desires to show itself not only in words, but in deeds, by doing something for the beloved.
The saints in heaven have no opportunity to express their love by doing anything for the proper benefit [of God], but they have an opportunity another way, viz. by showing their cheerful subjection to his authority, and obedience to his commands, and by doing what shall be pleasing and acceptable to him and to his praise and glory.
Therefore the saints in heaven are much happier in a subjection to God's authority and in his service than if they were not in such a state.
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