The Lord is pleased often to represent unto us the glorious state of the saints, under the notion of their being clothed in white garments. It is promised to the overcomer, that he shall be clothed in white raiment, Rev. iii. 5. The elders about the throne are clothed in white raiment, chap. iv. 4. The multitude before the throne are clothed with white robes, chap. vii. 9. arrayed in white robes, ver. 13. made white in the blood of the Lamb, ver. 14. I own the last two testimonies adduced, do respect the state of the saints on earth; but withal the terms are borrowed from the state of the church in heaven. All garments, properly so called, being badges of sin and shame, shall be laid aside by the saints, when they come to their state of glory. But if we consider on what occasions white garments were wont to be put on, we shall find much of heaven under them.

First, The Romans, when they manumitted their bondservants, gave them a white garment, as a badge of their freedom. So shall the saints that day get on white robes; for it is the day of the glorious liberty of the children of God (Rom. viii. 21.) the day of the redemption of their body, ver. 23. They shall no more see the house of bondage, nor lie any more among the pots. If we compare the state of the saints on earth, with that of the wicked, it is indeed a state of freedom; whereas the other is a state of slavery: but in comparison with their state in heaven, it is but a servitude. A saint on earth is indeed a young prince, and heir to the crown; but his motto may be, I serve, for he differeth nothing from a servant, though he be Lord of all, Gal. iv. 1. What are the groans of a saint, the sordid and base work he is sometimes found employed in, the black and tattered garments he walks in, but badges of this comparative servitude? But from the day the saints come to the crown, they receive their complete freedom, and serve no more. They shall be fully freed from sin, which of all evils is the worst, both in itself, and in their apprehensions too : How great then must that freedom be, when these Egyptians whom they see to-day, they shall see them again no more for ever? They shall be free from all temptation to sin ; Satan can have no access to tempt them any more, by himself, nor by his agents. A full answer will then be

given to that petition they have so often repeated, Lead us not into temptation. No hissing serpent can come into the paradise above; no snare nor trap can be laid there, to catch the feet of the saints; they may walk there fearlessly, for they can be in no hazard, there are no lions dens, no mountains of the leopards, there. They shall be set beyond the possibility of sinning, for they shall be confirmed in goodness. It will be the consummate freedom of their will to be for ever unalterably determined to good, And they shall be freed from all the effects of sin

There shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain," Rev. xxi. 4. What kingdom is like unto this? Death makes its way now into a palace, as easily as into a cottage! sorrow fills the heart of one, who wears a crown on his head: royal robes are no fence against pain, and crying by reason of pain. But in this kingdom no misery can have place. All reproaches shall be wiped off; and never shall a tear drop any more from their eyes. They shall not complain of desertions again; the Lord will never hide his face from them: but the Sun of righteousness shining upon them in his meridian brightness, will dispel all clouds, and give them an everlasting day, without the least mixture of darkness. A deluge of wrath, after a fearful thunder-clap from the throne, will sweep away the wicked from before the judgment-seat, into the lake of fire; but they are, in the first place, like Noah brought into the ark, and out of harm's way.

Secondly, White raiment hath been a token of purity. Therefore the Lamb's wife is arrayed in fine linen, clean and white, Rev. xix. 8. And those who stood before the throne, washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, chap. vii. 14. The saints shall then put on the robes of perfect purity, and shine in spotless holiness, like the sun in his strength, without the least cloud to intercept his light. Absolute innocence shall then be restored, and every appearance of sin banished far from his kingdom. The guilt of sin, and the reigning power of it, are now taken away in the saints; nevertheless sin dwelleth in them, Rom. vii. 20. But then it shall be no more in them; the corrupt nature will be quite removed; that root of bitterness will be plucked

up, and no vestiges of it left in their souls; their nature shall be altogether pure and sinless. There shall be no more darkness in their minds; but the understanding of every saint, when he is come to his kingdom, will be as a globe of pure and unmixed light. There shall not be the least aversion to good, or inclination to evil, in their wills; but they will be brought to a perfect conformity to the will of God, blessed with angelical purity, and fixed therein. Their affections shall not be liable to the least disorder or irregularity; it will cost them no trouble to keep them right; they will get such a set of purity, as they can never lose. They will be so refined from all earthly dross, as never to savour more of any thing but heaven. Were it possible they should be set again amidst the ensnaring objects of an evil world, they should walk among them without the least defilement; as the sun shines on the dunghill yet untainted, and as the angels preserved their purity in the midst of Sodom. Their graces shall then be perfected, and all the imperfections now cleaving to them, done away. There will be no more ground for complaints of weakness of grace; none in that kingdom shall complain of an ill heart or a corrupt nature. "It doth not yet appear what we shall be, butwhen he shall appear, we shall be like him," 1 John iii. 2. Thirdly, Among the Jews, these who desired to be admitted into the priestly office, being tried, and found to be of the priest's line, and without blemish, were clothed in white, and enrolled among the priests. This seems to be alluded to, Rev iii. 5. "He that overcometh-the sa nts shall be clothed in white raiment, and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life.". The saints are not kings only, but priests also; for they are a Royal Priesthood, 1 Pet ii. 9. They will be priests upon their thrones. They are judicially found descended from the great High Priest of their profession, begotten of him by his Spirit, of the incorruptible seed of the word, and without blemish; so the trial being over, they are admitted to be priests in the temple above, that they may dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. There is nothing on earth more glorious than a kingdom, nothing more venerable than the priesthood; and both meet together in the glorified state of the saints. The general assembly of the first-born, (Heb. xi.

23.) whose is the priesthood and the double portion, appearing in their white robes of glory, will be a reverend and glorious company. That day will shew them to be the persons, whom the Lord has chosen out of all the tribes of the earth, to be near unto him, and to enter into his temple, even into his holy place. Their priesthood, begun on earth, shall be brought to its perfection, while they shall be employed in offering the sacrifice of praise to God and the Lamb, for ever and ever. They got not their portion in the earth with the rest of the tribes; but the Lord himself was their portion, and will be their double portion, through the ages of eternity.

Fourthly, They were wont to wear white raiment, in a time of triumph; to the which also there seems to be an allusion, Rev. iii. 5. "He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment." And what is heaven but an everlasting triumph! None get thither, but such as fight, and overcome too. Though Canaan was given to the Israelites, as an inheritance, they behoved to conquer it, ere they could be possessors of it. The saints in this world, are in the field of battle; often in red garments, garments rolled in blood; but the day approacheth, in which they shall stand before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands, (Rev. vii. 9.) having obtained a complete victory over all their enemies. The palm was used as a sign of victory; because that tree, oppressed with weights, yielded not, but rather shooteth upwards, and palm trees were carved on the doors of the most holy place, (1 Kings vi. 32) which was a special type of heaven; for heaven is the place which the saints are received into, as conquerors.

Behold the joy and peace of the saints in their white robes! The joy arising from the view of past dangers, and of riches and honours gained at the very door of death, do most sensibly touch one's heart; and this will be an ingredient in the everlasting happiness of the saints, which could have had no place in the heaven of innocent Adam, and his sinless offspring, supposing him to have stood. Surely the glorified saints will not forget the entertainment they met with in the world: it will be for the glory of God to remember it, and also for the heightening of their joy. The Sicilian king, by birth the son of a potter,

acted a wise part, in that he would be served at his table, with earthen vessels, the which could not but put an additional sweetness in his meals, not to be relished by one born heir to the crown. Can ever meat be so sweet to any, as to the hungry man? Or can any have such a relish of plenty, as he who has been under pinching straits: The more difficulties the saints have passed through in their way to heaven, the place will be the sweeter to them, when they come at it. Every happy stroke struck in the spiritual warfare, will be a jewel in their crown of glory. Each victory obtained against sin, Satan, and the world, will raise their triumphant joy the higher. The remem brance of the cross will sweeten the crown; and the me. mory of their travel through the wilderness, will put an additional verdure on the fields of glory, while they walk through them, minding the day, when they went mourn ing without the sun.

Sa

And now that they appear triumphing in white robes, it is a sign that they have obtained an honourable peace; such a peace as their enemies can disturb no more. every thing peculiarly adapted to their militant condition is laid aside. The sword is laid down; and they betake themselves to the pen of a ready writer, to commemorate the praises of him by whom they overcame. Public ordinances, preaching, sacraments, shall be honourably laid aside; there is no temple there, Rev. xix. 22. Sometimes these were sweet to them; but the travellers being all got home, the inns appointed for their entertainment by the way, are shut up; the candles are put out when the sun is risen; and the tabernacle used in the wilderness is folded up when the temple of glory is come in its room. Many of the saints duties will then be laid aside; as one gives his staff out of his hand when he is come to the end of his journey. Praying shall then be turned to praising; and, there being no sin to confess, no wants to seek the supply of, confession and petition shall be swallowed in everlasting thanksgiving. There will be no mourning in heaven; they have sown in tears, the reaping time of Joy is come, and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, Rev. xxi. 4. No need of mortification there; and self-examination is then at an end. They will not need to watch any more, the danger is over. Patience has had its perfect