A River abounds with Water; so doth Heaven, like Paradise, with Divine and Sacred Pleasures.
IV. Adam in Paradise knew no Sorrow, he had Joy without Sadness, Strength without Weakness, Health without Sickness, Light without Darkness, Life without Death; for Death had nothing to do with him whilst he stood in his Innocency: So in Heaven the Godly are delivered from every mixture of Evil, God shall wipe away all Tears from their Eyes, and there shall be no more Death, neither Sorrow, nor Crying, neither shall there be any more pain, for the former things are past away. Here is Joy without Sadness, Strength without Weakness, Health without Sickness, Light without Darkness, Life without Death.
V. Adam in Paradise, before tempted by the Devil, knew no Sin, he was free, absolutely free from the least stain, he had not so much as an evil Thought, he was created in the Image of God, being perfectly Righteous: So in Heaven the Saints shall be free from Sin, perfectly free, not only free from the Guilt, Filth, Power, and Punishment of it, but also from the Act of it; they shall not be troubled with one evil Thought more, they are with∣out Fault before the Throne of God and the Lamb.
VI. Adam in Paradise enjoyed the sweet and blessed Presence of God, he convers'd, and had glorious Acquaintance and Communion with him; God and Man lived then in perfect Peace and Friendship, there was no Breach, because no Sin, and so God's Face was not hid from him: So in Heaven, all the Godly enjoy the sweet and Soul-ravishing Presence of God, and of Jesus Christ; Where I am there shall my Servant be. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to my self, that where I am ye may be also; so shall we ever be with the Lord. Saints there have the Fruition of God and of Christ, for we shall see him as he is: and this is the highest glory Man can be raised to, we shall not only see God and the Lamb, but be filled with the Joy and Delight of God and Jesus Christ. Heaven from hence is cal∣led the Joy of the Lord, if the perfect enjoyment and participation of the glorious Trinity, or fulness of it, so far as it is capable of Communication, can delight and fill the Soul with Joy and Happiness, the Godly in Heaven shall have it; God's Face will never be hid from his Children any more, there will be no more a Breach between the Soul and its Saviour.
VII. Adam in Paradise had the Tree of Life, and Liberty (before he sinned) to eat of the Tree of Life: So in this Paradise of God, we read of the Tree of Life, which, as some under∣stand, is Jesus Christ; And to him that overcometh, will I give to eat of the Tree of Life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God; which doubtless signifies the glorious participation of the Life, Fulness, and transcendent Sweetness of the Lord Jesus, and of the continuance of the Life of the Saints, in its full Strength, Vigour, and Glory to Eternity.
VIII. Adam in Paradise had great knowledg, both of God, and the Nature of all Creatures; God brought all the Creatures to Adam, to see what he would call them, and whatsoever Adam called each living Soul, that was the Name thereof; the naming of the Creatures (saith Ainsworth) was a sign of Soveraignty; it also manifested Adam's Wisdom, in naming things presently, according to their Natures; as the Hebrew Names, by which he called them, do declare: So the Saints in Heaven shall be perfect in Knowledg, they shall know as they are known, they shall know all the Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, and all the Saints that ever lived, by Name, which we may gather by that Knowledg Peter, James, and John had of Moses and Elias, in the transfiguration of Christ in the Mount, which was a Figure of Hea∣ven.
Disparity.
ADam's Pleasure and Delight in Paradise was much of it Earthly: But the Saints Pleasure and Delight in the Celestial Paradise will be Heavenly.
II. Adam in Paradise was troubled with a tempting Devil: But the Saints in the Celestial Paradise shall not be troubled any more with a tempting Devil, for he shall be shut up in Chains of Eternal Darkness, to be tormented for ever.
III. Adam soon lost his earthly Paradise, by Sin, and was turned out of all: But those who are accounted worthy to obtain this Heavenly Paradise, shall never lose it, nor be turned out of it, but continue in it for ever and ever, even to the days of Eternity.