employments. I shall express this in three considerable things—
his birth"? Death's shroud wipes away all tears from the believer's
eyes! Rev. 7:9.
4. Death is a change of ENJOYMENTS, as well as a change of
employments. I shall express this in three considerable things—
(1.) Death is a change of our more dark and obscure enjoyment of
God—for a more clear and sweet enjoyment of God. I say, the best
believer who breathes in this world, who does see and enjoy most of
God, and the visions of his glory—yet he does not enjoy God so
clearly—but that he is much in the dark.
The apostle Paul was a man who was high in his enjoyments of
God—yet while he was here in the flesh, he did but see as through a
dark glass. "Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we
shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully,
even as I am fully known." 1 Corinthians 13:12
God told Moses that he could not see his face and live. The truth
is, we are able to bear but little of the discoveries of God, there being
such a mighty majesty and glory in all the spiritual discoveries of
God. We are weak, and able to take in little of God. We have but dark
apprehensions of God. Witness our tears, sighs, groans, and
complaints, because we go forward and backward. We look on the
right hand and on the left, as Job speaks, Job 23:8-9, and God hides
himself that we cannot see him. Plutarch tells of Eudoxus, that he
would be willing to be burnt up presently by the sun, so he might be
admitted to come so near it as to learn the nature of it. This is upon
the heart of believers, "Lord, let us be burnt up—so we may see you
more in all your glorious manifestations; let us be poor, let us be
anything—just so that we may be taken up into a more clear
enjoyment of yourself." [Chrysostom professes that the lack of the
enjoyment of God would be a far greater hell to him, than the feeling
of any punishment.] Ask those who live highest in the enjoyment of
God, "What is your greatest burden?" They will tell you, "This is our
greatest burden, that our apprehensions of God are no more clear,
that we cannot see him whom our souls do dearly love, face to face!"
Oh—but now in heaven saints shall have a clear vision of God! There
are no clouds or mists in heaven!
(2.) Death is a change of our imperfect and incomplete
enjoyments of God, for a more complete and perfect enjoyment of
him. As no believer has a clear sight of God here, so no believer has a
full and perfect sight of God here. In Job 26:14, how little a portion is
heard of him—speaking of God—and of that is heard, ah how little a
portion is understood! It is an excellent expression that Augustine
has: "The glorious things of heaven are so many—that they exceed
number; so precious—that they exceed estimation; so great—that
they exceed measure!" Bernard says, "For Christ to be with Paul was
the greatest security—but for Paul to be with Christ was the chief
happiness!" Chrysostom says, "If it were possible that all the
sufferings of the saints should be laid upon one man, it could not
equal one hour's being in heaven!" Such is the greatness and fullness
of that glory above. The saints' motto is, "Let us go hence! Let us go
hence!
So in 1 Cor. 13:12, "Now we see through a glass darkly—but then
face to face. Now I know in part—but then shall I know even as also I
am known." The soul, while it is in this present world, says, "I enjoy
something of God — and that I would not lack for a thousand worlds
—yet my enjoyment is not full." If you should say, "Souls, why do you
wait upon God in this ordinance and that ordinance?" they will
answer, "That we may enjoy God more fully. Oh, that I might be
filled with the fullness of God!"
There are no complaints in heaven, because there are no needs.
Oh, when death shall give the fatal stroke, there shall be an exchange
of earth—for heaven; of imperfect enjoyments—for perfect
enjoyments of God; then the soul shall be swallowed up with a full
enjoyment of God; no corner of the soul shall be left empty—but all
shall be filled up with the fullness of God. Here in this present world,
they receive grace—but in heaven they shall receive glory. God keeps
the best wine until last; the best of God, Christ, and heaven—is
beyond this present world. Here we have but some sips, some tastes
of God; fullness is reserved for the glorious state. He who sees most
of God here on earth, sees but his back parts; his face is a jewel of
that splendor and glory, which no eye can behold but a glorified eye.
The best of Christians are able to take in but little of God; their
hearts are like the widow's vessel, which could receive but a little oil.
Sin, the world, and creatures do take up so much room in the best
hearts, that God gives out himself little by little, as parents give
sweets to their children. But in heaven God will communicate
himself fully at once to the soul! Grace shall then be swallowed up of
glory!
(3.) Death is a change of a more inconstant and transient
enjoyment of God—for a more constant and permanent enjoyment of
God. Here on earth, the saints' enjoyment of God is inconstant. One
day they enjoy God, and another day the soul sits and complains in
anguish of spirit. He who should "comfort my soul stands afar off;"
my glass is out, my sun is set, and what can make up the lack of this
sun? As all candle-light, star-light, and torch-light, cannot make up
the lack of the light of the sun; so when the Sun of righteousness
hides his face, it is not all creature-comforts that can make up the
lack of his countenance.
[By death, saints come to a fixed and invariable eternity. What
will that life be—or rather, what will not that life be—since all good is
in such a life—light which place cannot limit, music which time
cannot vanish away, fragrances which are never dissipated, a feast
which is never consumed, a blessing which eternity bestows—but
eternity shall never see at an end.]