by Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758)
THANKSGIVING SERMON, Nov. 7, 1734
"And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice
of a great thunder;
and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps." -- Revelation 14:2
We may observe in these words (1.) What it was that John heard, viz. the voice
and melody of a company praising God. It is said in the next verse that they
sung a new song before the throne. (2.) Whence he heard this voice, “I heard,”
says he, “a voice from heaven.” This company that he heard praising God was in
heaven. It is said in the following verse, “They sung this song before the
throne, and before the four living creatures, and the elders.” But the throne of
God, and the four living creatures, and the four and twenty elders, are all
represented in these visions of John, as being in heaven. So that this voice was
the voice of the heavenly inhabitants, the voice of the blessed and glorious
company that is in heaven, before the throne of God there. (3.) The kind of
voice, which is here set forth in a very lively and elegant manner. It is said
to be as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunders, and as
the voice of harpers harping with their harps. Hereby several things are
represented in a very striking manner. 1. The distance of the voice. 2. That it
was the voice of a vast and innumerable multitude, so that it was as the voice
of many waters. How naturally does this represent the joint, continual, and loud
voice of a vast multitude at a distance, that it resembled the voice of many
waters. 3. The loudness of the voice. It was as the voice of many waters, and as
the voice of a great thunder; which describes the extraordinary fervency of
their praises, and how lively and vigorous they were therein, and how that
everyone praised God with all his might. They all, joining together, sung with
such fervency, that heaven did as it were ring with their praises. The noise of
thunder, and the roaring of many waters, are the most great and majestic sounds
ever heard upon earth, and are often spoken of in the Scriptures as the
mightiest sounds. John could not distinctly hear what they sang, but they being
in heaven, at a great distance, he knew not what better to compare it to, than
to the roaring of the sea, or a great thunder. Yet, 4. It was a melodious sound,
signified by this expression, I heard the voice of harpers harping with their
harps. The harp was a stringed instrument that David made much use of in
praising God. John represents the matter thus to us, That the voice which he
heard, being at a great distance, it was in distinct; and being of such a vast
multitude, and such a mighty fervent voice, that it seemed in some measure like
distant thunder, or the roaring of water, and yet he could perceive the music of
the voice at the same time. Though it was in some respects as thunder and the
noise of water, yet there was a sweet and excellent melody in it. In short,
though these comparisons of which John makes use, to signify to us what kind of
a voice and sound it was that he heard, are exceedingly lively and elegant. Yet
this seems to be evident from them, that what he heard was inexpressible, and
that he could find nothing that could perfectly represent it. That a voice
should be as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder, and
yet like the voice of harpers, is to us not easily to be conceived of. But the
case was, that John could find no earthly sound that was sufficient to represent
it; and therefore such various and different similitudes are aggregated and cast
together to represent it. But thus much seems to be signified by it, that it
seemed to be the voice of an innumerable multitude, and that they were
exceedingly fervent and mighty in their praises. That the voice of this
multitude was very great, and exceedingly full of majesty, and yet a most sweet
and melodious voice at the same time.
Doctrine. The work of the saints in heaven doth very much consist in praising
God.
I. Proposition. The saints in heaven are employed. They are not idle. They have
there much to do. They have a work before them that will fill up eternity.
We are not to suppose, when the saints have finished their course and done the
works appointed them here in this world, and are got to their journey’s end, to
their Father’s house, that they will have nothing to do. It is true, the saints
when they get to heaven, rest from their labors and their works follow them.
Heaven is not a place of labor and travail, but a place of rest. Heb. 4:9. There
remaineth a rest for the people of God. And it is a place of the reward of
labor. But yet the rest of heaven does not consist in idleness, and a cessation
of all action, but only a cessation from all the trouble and toil and
tediousness of action. The most perfect rest is consistent with being
continually employed. So it is in heaven. Though the saints are exceedingly full
of action, yet their activity is perfectly free from all labor, or weariness, or
unpleasantness. They shall rest from their work, that is, from all work of labor
and self-denial, and grief, care, and watchfulness, but they will not cease from
action. The saints in glory are represented as employed in serving God, as well
as the saints on earth, though it be without any difficulty or opposition. Rev.
22:3, “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.” Yea, we are told, that they
shall serve God day and night, that is, continually or without ceasing. Rev.
7:15, “Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night
in his temple.” And yet this shall be without any manner of trouble, as it
follows in the next verse. “They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more,
neither shall the sun light on them nor any heat.” In this world saints labor,
as it were, in the wearisome heat of the sun. But there, though they shall still
serve God, yet shall the sun not light on them nor any heat. In one sense, the
saints and angels in heaven rest not day nor night, Rev. 4:8, that is, they
never cease from their blessed employment. Perfection of happiness does not
consist in idleness, but on the contrary, it very much consists in action. The
angels are blessed spirits, and yet they are exceedingly active in serving God.
They are as a flame of fire, which is the most active thing that we see in this
world. God himself enjoys infinite happiness and prefect bliss, and yet he is
not inactive, but is himself in his own nature a perfect act, and is continually
at work in bringing to pass his own purposes and ends. That principle of
holiness that is in its perfection in the saints in heaven, is a most active
principle. So that though they enjoy perfect rest, yet they are a great deal
more active than they were when in this world. In this world they were
exceedingly dull, and heavy, and inactive, but now they are a flame of fire. The
saints in heaven are not merely passive in their happiness. They do not merely
enjoy God passively, but in an active manner. They are not only acted upon by
God, but they mutually act towards him, and in this action and re-action
consists the heavenly happiness.
II. Proposition. Their employment consists very much in praising God.
John the beloved disciple had often visions of heaven, and in almost every
instance had a vision of the inhabitants as praising God. So in the fourth
chapter he tells us, that he looked, and behold, a door was opened in heaven,
and he was called up thither, and that he saw the throne of God and him that sat
on the throne. And there he gives us an account how those that were round about
the throne were praising God. The four living creatures rest not day nor night,
saying, Holy, holy, holy Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.
And when those living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him, the four
and twenty elders fall down before him and worship him, etc., etc. Again in the
fifth chapter, we have an account how they sing praises to Christ, Rev. 5:8, 9,
etc. And so in Rev. 7:9, 10, 11, 12. And in Rev. 11:16, 17. And in the twelfth
chapter, 10th verse. And in Rev. 15:2, 3, 4. And in the beginning of the
nineteenth chapter we have an account how the hosts of heaven sing hallelujahs
to God. By all which it most evidently appears, that their work very much
consists in praising God and Christ. We have but a very imperfect knowledge of
the future state of blessedness, and of their employment. Without doubt they
have various employments there. We cannot reasonably question but they are
employed in contributing to each other’s delight. They shall dwell together in
society. They shall also probably be employed in contemplating on God, his
glorious perfections, and glorious works, and so gaining knowledge in these
things. And doubtless they will be employed many ways, that we know nothing of:
but this we may determine, that much of their employment consists in praising
God, and that for the following reasons.
First, because they there see God. This is a blessedness promised to the saints,
that they shall see God, Mat. 5:8. That they see God, sufficiently shows the
reason why they praise him. They that see God cannot but praise him. He is a
Being of such glory and excellency that the sight of this excellency of his will
necessarily influence them that behold it to praise him. Such a glorious sight
will awaken and rouse all the powers of the soul, and will irresistibly impel
them, and draw them into acts of praise. Such a sight enlarges their souls, and
fills them with admiration, and with an unspeakable exultation of spirit.
’Tis from the little that the saints have seen of God, and know of him in this
world that they are excited to praise him in the degree they do here. But here
they see but as in a glass darkly; they have only now and then a little glimpse
of God’s excellency. But then they shall have the transcendent gory and divine
excellency of God set in their immediate and full view. They shall dwell in his
immediate glorious presence and shall see face to face, 1 Cor. 13:12. Now the
saints see the glory of God but by a reflected light, as we in the night see the
light of the sun reflected from the moon. But in heaven they shall directly
behold the Sun of righteousness, and shall look full upon him when shining in
all his glory. This being the case, it can be no otherwise, but that they should
very much employ themselves in praising God. When they behold the glorious power
of God, they cannot but praise that power. When they see God’s wisdom that is so
wonderful, and infinitely beyond all created wisdom, they cannot but continually
praise that wisdom. When they view the infinitely pure and lovely holiness of
God, whereby the heavens themselves are not pure in comparison with him, how can
they avoid with an exalted heart to praise that beauty of the divine nature!
When they see the infinite grace of God, and see what a boundless ocean of mercy
and love he is, how can they but celebrate that grace with the highest praise!
Second, they will have another sense of the greatness of the fruits of God’s
mercy than we have here in this world. They will not only have a sight of the
glorious attributes of God’s goodness and mercy in their beatific vision of God,
but they will be sensible of the exceeding greatness of the fruits of it; the
greatness of the benefits that he has bestowed. They will have another sense of
the greatness and manifoldness of the communications of his goodness to his
creation in general. They will be more sensible how that God is the fountain of
all good, the Father of lights, from whom proceeds every good and perfect gift.
We do now but little consider, in comparison with what we should do, how full
the world is of God’s goodness, and how it appears in the sun, moon, and stars,
and in the earth and seas, with all their fullness, and wheresoever we turn our
eyes, and how all ranks and orders of being, from the highest angel to the
lowest insect, are dependent upon, and maintained by, the goodness of God. These
the saints in heaven clearly see. They see how the universe is replenished with
his goodness, and how the communications of his goodness are incessantly issuing
from God as from an everflowing fountain, and are poured forth all around in
vast profusion into every part of heaven and earth, as light is every moment
diffused from the sun. We have but faint imperfect notions of these things, but
the saints in heaven see them with perfect clearness. They have another sense of
the greatness of God’s goodness to mankind, and to the church, and to them in
particular, than any of us have. They have another sense of the greatness of
God’s goodness in the temporal mercies which God bestowed upon them while they
were here in this world, though they know that spiritual mercies are infinitely
greater. But especially they have an immensely greater sense of the exceeding
greatness of the fruits of God’s grace and mercy bestowed in redemption. They
have another sense how great a gift the gift of God’s only-begotten Son is. They
have another sense of the greatness and dignity of the person of Christ, and how
great a thing it was for him to become man, and how great a thing it was for him
to lay down his life, and to endure the shameful and accursed death of the
cross. They have another sense how great the benefits are that Christ has
purchased for men, how great a mercy it is to have sin pardoned, and to be
delivered from the misery of hell. They have another sense how dreadful that
misery is, for the damned are tormented in the presence of the holy angels and
saints, and they see the smoke of their torment; and have another sense what
eternity is, and so are proportionably more sensible how great a mercy it is to
be delivered from that torment. They have another sense how great a fruit of
God’s grace it is to be the children of God, and to have a right and title to
eternal glory. They are sensible of the greatness of the benefits that Christ
has purchased, by their experience. For they are in possession of the
blessedness and glory that he has purchased. They taste the sweetness of it. And
therefore they are more sensible what cause they have to praise God for these
things. The grace and goodness of God in the work of redemption appears so
wonderful to them that their thoughts of it do excite them to the most ardent
praise. When they take a view of the grace of God and of the love of Christ in
redemption, they see that there is cause that they should exert the utmost of
their capacities, and spend an eternity in praising God and the Lamb. It is but
a very little that we at best can conceive of the greatness of the benefits of
redemption, and therefore we are but little affected by it, and our praises for
it are low and dull things.
Third, another reason is [that] they will be perfect in humility. In order to a
person’s being rightly disposed to the work of praise, he must be an humble
person. A proud person is for assuming all praise to himself and is not disposed
to ascribe it to God. It is humility only that will enable us to say from the
heart, “Not unto us, not unto us, O Lord, but unto thy name be the glory.” The
humble person admires the goodness and grace of God to him. He sees more how
wonderful it is that God should take such notice of him, and show such kindness
to him, that is so much below his notice. Now the saints in heaven have this
grace of humility perfected in them. They do as much excel the saints on earth
in humility as in other graces. Though they are so much above the saints on
earth in holiness and in their exalted state, yet they are vastly more humble
than the saints on earth be. They are as much lower in humility as they are
higher in honor and happiness. And the reason of it is that they know more of
God. They see more of his greatness and infinite highness, and therefore are
more sensible how wonderful it is that God should take so much notice of them,
to have such communion with them, and give them such a full enjoyment of him.
They are far more sensible what unworthy creatures they have been, that God
should bestow such mercies upon them, than the saints on earth. They have a
greater sight of the evil of sin. They see more what filthy vile creatures they
were by nature, and how dreadfully they provoked God by actual sin, and how they
have deserved God’s hatred and wrath. The saints in heaven have as much greater
a sense of their unworthiness in their natural state than the saints on earth as
they have a greater sense of God’s glorious excellency. For it is the sight of
God’s excellency which gives them a sight of their own unworthiness. And
therefore they do proportionally admire the love of God to them in giving Christ
to die for them, and the love of Christ in being willing to offer himself for
their sins, and of the wonderful mercy of God in their conversion, and bestowing
eternal life upon them. The humble sense the saints have of their own
unworthiness, doth greatly engage and enlarge their hearts in praise to him for
his infinite mercy and grace.
Fourth, their love to God and Christ will be perfect. Love is a principal
ingredient in the grace of thankfulness. There is a counterfeit thankfulness in
which there is no love. But there is love in exercise in all sincere
thankfulness. And the greater any person’s love is, the more will he be disposed
to praise. Love will cause him to delight in the work. He that loves God,
proportionably seeks the glory of God, and loves to give him glory. Now the
hearts of the saints in heaven are all, as it were, a pure flame of love. Love
is the grace that never faileth. Whether there be prophecies, they shall fail,
whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. Faith shall cease in vision,
and hope in fruition, but love never faileth. The grace of love will be exalted
to its greatest height and highest perfection in heaven. And love will vent
itself in praise. Heaven will ring with praise because it is full of love to
God. This is the reason that great assembly, that innumerable host, [praises]
God with such ardency, that their praise is as the voice of many waters, and as
the mighty thunderings, because they are animated by so ardent, vigorous, and
powerful a principle of divine love.
APPLICATION
I. This subject may be applied in the way of INSTRUCTION.
First, hence we may learn the excellency of this work of praising God. That it
is a most excellent employment, appears because it is a heavenly employment. It
is that work wherein the saints and angels are continually employed.
If we sincerely and frequently praise God, we shall therein be like the heavenly
inhabitants, and join with them.
That it is the work of heaven shows it to be the most honorable work. No
employment can be a greater honor to a man than to praise God. It is the
peculiar dignity of the nature of man, and the very thing wherein his nature is
exalted above things without reason, and things without life, that he is made
capable of actively glorifying his Creator. Other creatures do glorify God. The
sun, moon, and stars, and the earth and waters, and all the trees of the field,
and grass and herbs, and fishes and insects do glorify God. Psa. 19:1-6; Job
12:7, 8. But herein is the peculiar dignity of the nature of man, that he is
capable of glorifying him as a cause, by counsel, understandingly and
voluntarily, which is a heavenly work.
Second, this doctrine may give us an idea of the glorious and happy state of the
saints in heaven. It shows how joyfully and gloriously they spend their time.
Joy is a great ingredient in praise. There is an exultation of spirit in fervent
praise. Praise is the most joyful work in the world. And how joyful a society
are they that join together, so many thousands and millions of them, with one
heart and one soul, to sing a new song before the throne, that fill heaven with
their glorious melody! How joyful they are in their work, appears in the text,
by their fervency in it, so that their voices resounded as the voice of many
waters, and as the voice of a great thunder. What ineffable joy was there in
those harpers whom John heard harping with their harps!
This shows how different a state the saints are in in heaven, from what they are
in this world. Here much of the work to which the saints are called, consists in
laboring, in fighting, in toilsome traveling in a waste howling wilderness, in
mourning and suffering, and in offering up strong crying and tears. But there in
heaven, their work continually is to lift up their joyful songs of praise.
This world is a valley of tears, a world filled with sighs and groans. One is
groaning under some bodily pain. Another is mourning and lamenting over a dear
departed friend. Another is crying out by reason of the arm of the oppressor.
But in heaven there is no mixture of such sounds as these. There is nothing to
be heard amongst them but the sweet and glorious melody of God’s praises. There
is a holy cheerfulness to be seen throughout that blessed society. Rev. 21:4,
“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more
death, neither sorrow nor crying.” They shall never have anything more to do
with sighing and crying; but their eternal work henceforward shall be praise.
This should make us long for heaven, where they spend their time so joyfully and
gloriously. The saints especially have reason to be earnestly breathing after
that happy state, where they may in so joyful a manner praise God.
Third, this may put natural persons upon reflecting on their own state, that
they have no part nor lot in this matter. You are an alien from the commonwealth
of Israel. You are not one of the people of God. You do not belong to their
society that are to spend their eternity after that joyful manner, which you
have now heard. You have no right nor portion in heaven. If you hereafter come
and offer yourself to be admitted into this blessed society, in your present
state; if you come and try to be admitted, you will be thrust out. You will be
driven away. If you come and knock, and cry to be admitted to the wedding,
saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us, all will be to no purpose! You will hear no
other word except Depart! You shall be shut out into outer darkness. You shall
not be permitted to sing among the children, but shall be driven out, to howl
among dogs. Rev. 22:14, 15, “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that
they may have a right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates
into the city; for without are dogs,” etc. You are in danger of spending
eternity, not in joyfully singing praises, but in a quite contrary manner; in
weeping, in wailing, and gnashing of teeth, and blaspheming God because of your
pains and because of your plagues. You shall see others coming from the east and
the west, and sitting down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of
God, taking their places among that blessed, happy society, and joining their
voices in their heavenly music. But you see your lot. You shall have other work
to do. Isa. 65:14, “Behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart; but ye
shall cry for sorrow of heart, and howl for vexation of spirit.”
II. In the way of EXHORTATION. — If it be so that praising God is very much the
employment of heaven, hence let all be exhorted to the work and duty of praising
God. The following considerations will show why we should be stirred up by this
doctrine to this work.
First, let it be considered that the church on earth is the same society with
those saints who are praising God in heaven. There is not one church of Christ
in heaven, and another here upon earth. Though the one be sometimes called the
church triumphant, and the other the church militant, yet they are not indeed
two churches. By the church triumphant is meant the triumphant part of the
church. And by the church militant, the militant part of it, for there is but
one universal or catholic church. Song 6:9, “My dove, my undefiled, is but one.”
Christ has and hath many members.” The glorious assembly and the saints on earth
make but one family. Eph. 3:15, “Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is
named.” Though some are in heaven, and some on earth, in very different
circumstances, yet they are all united. For there is but one body, and one
spirit, and one Lord Jesus Christ. One God and Father of all, who is above all,
and through all, and in all. God hath in Christ united the inhabitants of
heaven, and the holy inhabitants of this earth, and hath made them one. Eph.
1:10, “That in the dispensation of the fulness of time, he might gather together
in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth,
even in him.” Heaven is at a great distance from the earth. It is called a far
country. Mat. 25:14. Yet the distance of place does not separate them so as to
make two societies. For though the saints on earth, at present, are at a
distance from heaven, yet they belong there. That is their proper home. The
saints that are in this world are strangers here. And therefore the apostle
reproved the Christians in his day, for acting as though they belonged to this
world. Col. 2:20, “Why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to
ordinances?”
Some of a people may be in their own land, and some in a strange land. And yet
be but one people. Some of a family may be at home, and some sojourning abroad.
And yet be but one family. The saints on earth, though they be not actually in
heaven, yet have their inheritance in heaven, and are traveling towards heaven,
and will arrive there in a little time. They are nearly related to the saints in
heaven. They are their brethren, being children of the same Father, and fellow
heirs with Jesus Christ. In Eph. 2:19, the saints on earth are said to be fellow
citizens with the saints, and of the household of God. And the apostle tells the
Christian Hebrews, Heb. 12:22-24, that they were “come to mount Zion, and to the
city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of
angels, to the general assembly and church of the first-born, which are written
in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made
perfect.” But how were they come to this heavenly city, and this glorious
assembly, when they were yet here on earth? They were come to them, ere they
were brought and united to them in the same family. But this is what I would
inculcate by all this, that the church of God on earth ought to be employed in
the same work with the saints in heaven, because they are the same society. As
they are but one family, have but one Father, one inheritance, so they should
have but one work. The church on earth ought to join with the saints in heaven
in their employment, as God hath joined them in one society by his grace.
We profess to be of the visible people of Christ, to be Christians and not
heathens, and so belong to the universal church. We profess therefore to be of
the same society, and shall not walk answerably to our profession, unless we
employ ourselves in the same work.
Second, let it be considered, that we all of us hope to spend an eternity with
the saints in heaven, and in the same work of praising God. There is, it may be,
not one of us but who hopes to be a saint in heaven, and there continually to
sing praises to God and the Lamb. But how disagreeable will it be with such a
hope, to live in the neglect of praising God now! We ought now to begin that
work which we intend shall be the work of another world. For this life is given
us on purpose that therein we might prepare for a future life. The present state
is a state of probation and preparation, a state of preparation for the
enjoyments and employment of another, future, and eternal state. And no one is
ever admitted to those enjoyments and employments, but those who are prepared
for them here. If ever we would go to heaven, we must be fitted for heaven in
this world. We must here have our souls molded and fashioned for that work and
that happiness. They must be formed for praise, and they must begin their work
here. The beginnings of future things are in this world. The seed must be sown
here. The foundation must be laid in this world. Here is laid the foundation of
future misery, and of future happiness. If it be not begun here, it never will
be begun. If our hearts be not in some measure tuned to praise in this world, we
shall never do anything at the work hereafter. The light must dawn in this
world, or the sun will never rise in the next. As we therefore all of us would
be, and hope to be, of that blessed company which praise God in heaven, we
should now inure ourselves to the work.
Third, those works of God’s mercy for which the saints in heaven will chiefly
praise him, have been wrought amongst us in this world.
The mercy and grace of God for which the saints in heaven will chiefly praise
him is his mercy exercised in he work of redemption, which work has been wrought
out in this world. This love of God is the chief object of their admiration, and
what they chiefly contemplate, and that employs their most ardent praises.
The grace of Christ, about which their praises will be principally employed is
that he should so love sinful man as to undertake for him, to take upon him
man’s nature, and lay down his life for him. We find that is the subject of
their praises in Rev. 5:8, 9, “And when he had taken the book, the four living
creatures, and the four and twenty elders, fell down before the Lamb, having
every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers
of saints; and they sang a new song, Thou art worthy, for thou hast redeemed us
to God by thy blood.”
They will chiefly praise God for these fruits of his mercy, because these are
the greatest fruits of it that ever have been, far greater than the glorifying
of saints. The saints in heaven will praise God for bestowing glory upon them.
But the actual bestowment of glory upon them, after it has been purchased by the
blood of Christ, is in no measure so great a thing as the purchasing of it by
his blood. For Christ, the eternal Son of God, to become man, and to lay down
his life, was a far greater thing than the glorifying of all the saints that
ever have been, or ever will be glorified, from the beginning of the world to
the end of it. The giving Christ to die, comprehends all other mercies. For all
other mercies are through this. The giving of Christ is a greater thing than the
giving of all things else for the sake of Christ. This evidently appears, from
Rom. 8:32, “He who spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how
shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” So that the work of
redemption is that for which the saints in heaven do chiefly praise God. But
this work has been wrought here, among us in this world. “The Word was made
flesh, and dwelt among us.” The incarnation of Christ was a thing that was
brought to pass in this world, and the sufferings and death of Christ were also
accomplished on earth. Shall heaven be filled with praises for what was done on
earth, and shall there be no praises on earth where it was done?
Fourth, if you praise God sincerely in this world, it will be a sign that you
are really to be one of those that shall praise him in heaven. If any man be
found sincerely glorifying God, he will in due time be brought to them, as one
who is fit to be of their company. Heaven is the appointed place of all sincere
praisers of God. They are all to be gathered together there. And no man can
sincerely praise God unless he be one of those who are redeemed from among men,
one that God has separated from the rest of the world, and set apart for
himself.
Fifth, if we begin now to exercise ourselves in the work of heaven, it will be
the way to have foretastes of the enjoyments of heaven. The business and the
happiness go together. This will be the way to have your heart filled with
spiritual joy and comfort. If you heartily praise God, you shall rejoice in him,
and he will show you more of himself, of his glory and love, that you may still
have greater cause of praise.
I proceed to give some DIRECTIONS for the performance of this work.
First, be directed, in order to your acceptably performing this duty, to repent
of your sins, and turn to God. If you have not a work of conversion wrought in
you, you will do nothing to any purpose in this work of praise. An unconverted
person never once sincerely or acceptably praises God. If you would do the work
of the saints in heaven, you must be, not only in profession, but really, one of
their society. For there are none else can do their work. As in the verse
following the text: “And they sung as it were a new song, before the throne, and
before the four living creatures, and the elders; and no man could learn that
song, but the hundred and forty-four thousand, which were redeemed from the
earth.” A hundred and forty-four thousand is a mystical number for the church of
God, or the assembly of the saints, or those that are redeemed from the earth..
There is no man can learn the song that they sing in heaven, but those of that
number. It is beyond the reach of all natural men, let them be persons of ever
so great abilities and sagacity. They never can learn that heavenly song, if
they be not of that number. For it is only the sanctifying, saving instruction
of the Spirit of God, that can teach us that song.
Second, labor after more and more of those principles from whence the praise of
the saints in heaven doth arise. You have already heard that the saints in
heaven do praise the Lord so fervently because they see him. Labor therefore
that you, though you have not an immediate vision of God, as they have, may yet
have a clear spiritual sight of him, and that you may know more of God, and have
frequent discoveries of him made to you.
You have heard that the saints in heaven make praise so much their work, because
of the great sense they have of the greatness and wonderfulness of the fruits of
the Lord’s goodness. Labor therefore to get your minds more deeply impressed
with such a sense.
The saints in glory are so much employed in praise, because they are perfect in
humility, and have so great a sense of the infinite distance between God and
them. They have a great sense of their own unworthiness, that they are by nature
unworthy of any of the mercy of God. Labor therefore that you may obtain more of
a sense of your own littleness, and vileness; that you may see more what you
are, how ill you have deserved at the hands of God, and how you are less than
the least of all his mercies.
The hearts of the saints in heaven are all inflamed with divine love, which
continually influences them to praise God. Seek that this principle may abound
in you, and then you likewise will delight in praising God. It will be a most
sweet and pleasant employment to you.
Third, labor, in your praises, to praise God, so far as may be, in the same
manner that the saints do in heaven. They praise him fervently, with their whole
heart, and with all their strength, as was represented in vision to John by the
exceeding loudness of their praise. Labor therefore that you may not be cold and
dull in your praises, but that you also may praise God fervently.
The saints in heaven praise God humbly. Let it also be your delight to abase
yourselves, to exalt God, and set him upon the throne, and to lie at his
footstool.
The saints in heaven praise God unitedly. They praise him with one heart and one
soul, in a most firm union. Endeavor that you may thus praise God in union with
his people, having your hearts knit to them in fervent love and charity, which
will be a great help to your praising and glorifying God unitedly with them.
III. In the way of REPROOF to those who neglect the singing of God’s praises.
Certainly, such a neglect is not consonant to the hope and expectation of
spending an eternity in that work. It is an appointment of God, that we should
not only praise in our prayers, but that we should sing his praises. It was a
part of divine worship, not only under the Old Testament, but the New. Thus we
read that Christ and his disciples sung praises together, Mat. 26:30. So it is
commanded, Eph. 5:18, 19, “Be ye filled with the Spirit, speaking to yourselves
in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your
hearts to the Lord.” And Col. 3:16, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly
in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, and hymns, and
spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” 1 Cor. 14:15,
“I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.” So
also the saints in heaven are represented as singing God’s praises. And is that
their happy and glorious employment; and yet shall it be so neglected by us, who
hope for heaven? If there be any of the godly that do neglect this duty, I would
desire them to consider how discordant such a neglect is with their profession,
with their state, and with the mercies which God has bestowed. How much cause
has God given you to sing his praise! You have received more to prompt you to
praise God than all the natural men in the world. And can you content yourself
to live in the world without singing the praises of your heavenly Father, and
your glorious Redeemer?
Parents ought to be careful that their children are instructed in singing, that
they may be capable of performing that part of divine worship. This we should
do, as we would have our children trained up for heaven, for we all of us would
have our children go to heaven.
IV. In the way of CONSOLATION to the godly. It may be matter of great comfort to
you that you are to spend your eternity with the saints in heaven, where it is
so much their work to praise God. The saints are sensible what cause they have
to praise God, and oftentimes are ready to say they long to praise him more and
that they never can praise him enough. This may be a consolation to you, that
you shall have a whole eternity in which to praise him. They earnestly desire to
praise God better. This, therefore, may be your consolation, that in heaven your
heart shall be enlarged, you shall be enabled to praise him in an immensely more
perfect and exalted manner than you can do in this world. You shall not be
troubled with such a dead, dull heart, with so much coldness, so many clogs and
burdens from corruption, and from a earthly mind; with a wandering, unsteady
heart; with so much darkness and so much hypocrisy. You shall be one of that
vast assembly that praise God so fervently, that their voice is “as the voice of
many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings.”
You long to have others praise God, to have every one praise him. There there
will be enough to help you, and join you in praising him, and those that are
capable of doing it ten thousand times better than saints on earth. Thousands
and thousands of angels and glorified saints will be around you, all united to
you in the dearest love, all disposed to praise God, not only for themselves,
but for his mercy to you.