The Puritans on Heaven

[FenderPriest]

Hey folks,

We're hosting a retreat this weekend focused on Heaven. We'll be doing lots of teaching on it and reflecting on what the Bible has to say about Heaven. So, it got me thinking: What did the Puritans have to say about Heaven? I was wondering if you guys had any quotes or extracts on hand, or knew of good places to search, of what the Puritans had to say about Heaven. I'm eager to read whatever you guys put up! Thanks for your help!

~Jacob

 

[Wayne]

Find a text that you want more on, then go here: PCA Historical Center: Textual Index to Puritan & Reformed Sermons - Table of Contents
Copy the author and title and dump it into a Google search to see if you can then locate the sermon online.

Also, go to PURITANLIBRARY.COM and check the indexes for Manton, Sibbes, Goodwin, etc.

See also, Thomas Woodcock, "On Heaven", Puritan Sermons, v. 492-515.

(at which point, thanks for this search--I just found a work I was previously unaware of:

Memoirs of the Seventhy-Five Eminent Divines Whose Discourses Form the Morning Exercises at Cripplegate, with an Outline of a Sermon from each Author, by Samuel Dunn (1844).
[]Memoirs of the seventy-five eminent ... - Samuel Dunn - Google Books

 

[LeeD]

Here are just a few that I have collected over the years, quotes that encourage me to press on!

Go up beforehand and see your lodging. Look through all your Father's rooms in heaven; in your Father's house are many dwelling-places. Men take a sight of lands ere they buy them. I know Christ hath made bargain already: but be kind to the house you are going to, and see it often. – Samuel Rutherford

All the saints have their own measure of winter before eternal summer. O! for the long day, and the high sun, and the fair garden, and the King's great city up above these visible heavens. – Samuel Rutherford

What tranquility will there be in heaven! Who can express the fullness and blessedness of this peace! What a calm is this! – Jonathan Edwards

To go to heaven, fully to enjoy God, is infinitely better than the most pleasant accommodations here. – Jonathan Edwards

What a Canaan of rest to come to, after going through this wilderness, full of snares and poisonous serpents, where no rest could be found. – Jonathan Edwards

Here joy begins to enter into us, there we shall enter into joy. God keeps his best wine till last. – Thomas Watson

 

[Don Kistler]

I don't know how much time you have to read before your event, but here are two good sources:

Jonathan Edwards: "Heaven A World of Love" which is the last chapter in "Charity and Its Fruits."

William Gearing: "The Glory of Heaven," a Soli Deo Gloria title.

 

[FenderPriest]

Thanks folks! Your references were very helpful! I happen to be in the midst of reading Charity and its Fruits right now anyways, so I jumped ahead to read the last chapter this morning.

I did a little more looking around, and came across some great stuff that I've put up at my blog: here. Feel free to check it out.

Thanks again!