and the gratification of their sensual desires. Matt. XXV. 30, 31.

2. How consolatory is the consideration of the second glorious appearing of Jesus Christ to the real Christian. He who comes in this great glory, is he who hath loved us. Every thing will be removed from such, that would make them afraid of this glorious appearance. Yea, at his appearance, such shall appear with him in glory. (Col. iii. 4.) The voice of the archangel shall be, to such, the sweetest melody, for such will be his language, "Awake, sing, ye that dwell in the dust; rise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee for ever and ever.”

THE NEGATIVE HAPPINESS OF THE
SAINTS IN HEAVEN.

And there shall be no more curse. Rev. xxii. 3.

THIS, and the two following verses, conclude a magnificent description of that happiness which remaineth for the people of God in the heavenly world, begun in the 10th ver. of the preceding chapter. Some interpreters apply it to a state of the church, before the end of time; but this is neither suitable to the grandeur of the expression, nor to the evident scope of this vision, which is to describe the happy condition of those written in the "Lamb's book of life." There can be no perfect blessedness, without a full removal of all evil, and possession of all good; and this is what the words of the text assures us the saints shall enjoy in heaven: there shall be no more curse.

Consider,

I. Who the persons are who shall be thus highly favoured; the particulars of their character are,

1. They have been called by the word (2 Peter iii. 9.); and convinced by the Spirit, of sin, of unbelief. (John xvi. 9.) Have been deeply affected on the account of it, and alarmed for the consequences. Acts xvi. 30.

2. Have received Christ as offered in the gospel, by a lively faith, through which their freedom from the curse is begun in this life. John v. 24; Gal iii. 13.

3. They love Christ; and consequently are delivered from the dreadful anathema denounced against those who do not love him. 1 Cor. xvi. 22.

4. It is their care and endeavour, as a fruit of this love to Christ, to give sincere, universal, and constant obedience to his commandments. Rev. xxii. 14.

5. They consider it as heaven to be where God and his Christ are, to serve him, and to enjoy him for ever. Phil. i. 23.

6. They are careful to maintain good works, particularly works of charity, towards the members of Jesus Christ. The question will not lie at last, have you prophesied in my name? heard me preach in your streets? eaten and drank in my presence? but have you, according to your ability, clothed my people who were naked, &c. if you are such, you belong to those who shall be delivered from all curse for ever. Matt. xxv. 34-41,

II. The happiness of those who shall be thus highly favoured according to the language of the text. There shall be no more curse.

1. There will be no more sin in such, or ever done by them to occasion any curse: they are the just made

perfect. (Heb. xii. 23.) No sin can enter the New Jerusalem. (xxi. 2. 27.) It will be a glorious church, without wrinkle. Ephes. v. 27; Psalm lxviii. 13.

2. There will be no more wrath in God, to inflict any curse: once he was angry with them, on account of sin. (Isa. xii. 1; Psalm xxxviii. 3.) But it shall not be so any more. Ezek. xvi. 42.

3. There will be no more sentence passed against them including a curse. Once they were subject to that tremendous sentence. (Gal. iii. 10.) But never shall any more. John v. 24.

4. There shall be no more curse, includes security against every degree of separation from God, and the communion of the church above. (Rev. iii. 12.) Here we sometimes complain with Job, xxiii. 8, 9; but there we shall have his presence for ever. (Rev. xxi. 3.) And this is what our blessed Saviour desired for us of the Father. John xvii. 21-23.

5. There shall be no more curse, includes an exemption from all the evils of affliction and sufferings, which are included in the curse of the law, and which real Christians so frequently endure here. (Isa. xxxv. 10.) In that happy world, there will be no doubt or fear; no accusations of conscience; no sickness or disease; no hunger, thirst, nakedness, want (Rev. vii. 16, 17.); no toil in religious duties, or labouring for the meat that perishes (Rev. xiv. 13; Isa. xiv. 3.); no David lamenting over his Absalom (2 Sam. xviii. 33.); no minister bewailing on account of" many who have sinned," the little good effect of his ministry; but that scripture shall be fully accomplished. Rev. xxi. 4.

Lastly: there shall be no person who is a curse, or is accursed among the inhabitants of the New Jeru

salem. Here the tares are mixed with the wheat; but there they shall be separated for ever. (Rev. xxi. 27.) In this world you may remove from church to church, from family to family, from country to country; you may remove from one end of the world to another, to avoid the society of the wicked; but the apostle tells that we cannot, unless we go out of the world. (1 Cor. v. 10.) In the next world, there will be a thorough separation, according to our Lord's words in the double parable of the sower and the net. Matt. xiii. 26-47.

III. Whence it is, that the persons already described are thus blessed.

1. The love of God the Father, is the original cause of their blessedness. (1 Thess. v. 9.) He has chosen them in Christ. (Ephes. i. 3—12.) And they are the blessed of the Father. Matt. xxv. 34.

2. The death of Christ, is the meritorious cause of their blessedness. Gal. iii. 13.

3. The Holy Ghost, with his gracious influences, is the efficient cause. Gal. iii. 13, 14; 2 Cor. v. 5; Ps. cxliii. 10.

4. The blessed Jesus will at the last day, publicly and solemnly justify all such, as the Judge of all, adjudge them to eternal blessedness in heaven, and put them into the actual and full possession of it. Jude xxiv.

Lastly that there shall be no more curse in heaven to such, is, because "the throne of God and the Lamb shall be in it for ever." This is the reason given in this verse for their blessedness.

Improvement.

1. How pleasing are the prospects of the real Christian, as to a future state; here his felicity is only be

gun, there it shall be consummated. Matt. xxv. 34. 2. How dreadful shall be the future state of the finally impenitent; for ever shut out of heaven, from the society of God, of Christ, of the Holy Ghost; of holy angels; and the wisest, the holiest, the best of men that ever lived: to feel the tremendous effects of the curse, of the law, and the wrath of God for ever. Psalm ix. 17; Matt. xxv. 41.

THE EMRLOYMENT OF THE SAINTS IN

HEAVEN.

And his servants shall serve him. Rev. xxii. 3.

CHRISTIANS frequently complain that all the services they do for their Lord are but little, imperfect, and hardly deserving the name of service, against this, there is a threefold ground of consolation; that the satisfaction of Christ is the only and sufficient mean for the acceptance of our persons and services with God, and obtaining salvation with eternal glory; that their sincere endeavours to serve the Lord, are accepted, according to the covenant of grace, as evangelical perfection: and also that the day is near, when their service shall be of the most exalted nature: then, indeed, his servants shall serve him.

I. The character of God's servants here, who shall serve him afterwards in heaven,

1. This is not the character of any man by nature: all are naturally enemies to God, (Col. i. 21.) The servants of sin. Rom. vi. 17.