If God has thus fitted thee, O Christian, in this manner for the mansions of the happy world, then surely He has set thee apart for Himself; He has begun eternal life in thee; the dawn of eternal glory is risen upon thee, and He will bring thee into the complete noon of blessedness, into the overflowing light of divine beatitudes. Arise and shine, O Christian, for thy light is come; the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee; thou hast no need to ascend into Heaven to search for thy evidences among the decrees of God, and to pry into the rolls of electing grace. For if thou hast been transformed into a heavenly temper, thy name is surely written in the Lamb’s book of life. Heaven is begun within thee, and God will fulfill His own work. . . How vain, and idle, and unreasonable are all the hopes of sinners that they shall ever arrive at Heaven without any preparation for it here! There is nothing divine and holy begun in them in this world, and yet they hope to be made happy in the world that is to come. There is nothing of true grace in their hearts here, and yet they vainly expect to be made perfect in pleasure and glory hereafter.

   Think with thyself, O carnal creature, that Heaven will be a burden to thee; the powers, the appetites, and passions of thy sinful nature will not suffer thee to relish the joys of the heavenly state. Does thou imagine that a worm or serpent of the earth, or a swine which is ever tumbling in the mire, can be entertained with the golden ornaments and splendors of a palace? Or will the stupid ass be delighted with the harmony of a harp or viol? No more can a soul of a carnal and sensual taste, and which is ever seeking and groveling after earthly gratifications be pleased or gratified with the refined enjoyments of the heavenly world. Thou must have a new nature, new appetites and affections, ere thou canst partake of divine joys, or relish them if thou wert placed in the midst of them. 

The World To Come - Isaac Watts