Use 1: Of Information
1. Branch, From all this you see then that there is nothing within the whole sphere of religion imposed upon unreasonable terms; when God bids us serve him, it is no unreasonable request, he will out of free grace enthrone us in a kingdom. When we hear of repentance, steeping our souls in briny tears for sin; or of mortification, beheading our king sin, we are ready to grumble, and think this is hard and unreasonable. But do we serve God for nothing? Is it not infinite bounty to reward us with a kingdom? This kingdom is as far above our thoughts, as it is beyond our deserts. No man can say without wrong to God, that he is a hard Master; though he sets us about hard work, yet he is no hard Master: God gives double pay; he gives great wages in his service, sweet joy and peace; and a great reward after, an eternal weight of glory. God gives the spring flowers and a crop; he settles upon us such a kingdom as exceeds our faith, Praemium quod Fide non attingitur, Aug. Such as mortal eye has not seen, nor can it enter into the heart of man to conceive (1 Corinthians 2:9). Alas, what an infinite difference is there between duty enjoined, and the kingdom prepared? What is the shedding of a tear to a crown? So that God's commands are not grievous (1 John 5:3), our service cannot be so hard as a kingdom is sweet.
2. Branch. See hence the royal bounty of God to his children, that he has prepared a kingdom for them. [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], Chrys. A kingdom bespangled with glory: It is infinitely above the model we can draw of it in our thoughts. The painter going to draw the picture of Helena, as not being able to draw her beauty to the life, drew her face covered with a veil. So when we speak of the kingdom of heaven, we must draw a veil, we cannot set it forth in all its brilliant beauty and magnificence; gold and pearl do but faintly shadow it out (Revelation 21); the glory of this kingdom is better felt than expressed.
1. They who inherit this kingdom are amicti stolis [reconstructed: albis], clothed with white robes (Revelation 7:9). White robes denote three things: 1. Their dignity; the Persians were arrayed in white, in token of honor. 2. Their purity; the magistrates among the Romans were clothed in white, ergo called candidati, to show their integrity: Thus the queen, the Lamb's wife, is arrayed in fine linen pure and white, which is the righteousness of the saints (Revelation 19:8). 3. Their joy: white is an emblem of joy (Ecclesiastes 9:7). Eat your bread with joy, let your garments be always white.
2. The dwellers in this kingdom have palms in their hands (Revelation 7:9), in token of victory. They are conquerors over the world, and being victors they now have palm branches.
3. They sit upon the throne with Christ (Revelation 3:21). When Caesar returned from conquering his enemies, there was set for him a chair of state in the senate, and a throne in the theatre. Thus the saints in glory, after their heroic victories, shall sit upon a throne with Christ. Here is royal bounty in God to bestow such an illustrious kingdom upon the saints. It is a mercy to be pardoned, but what is it to be crowned? It is a mercy to be delivered from wrath to come, but what is it to be invested into a kingdom? Behold, what manner of love is this! Earthly princes may bestow great gifts and donatives upon their subjects, but they keep the kingdom to themselves. Though King Pharaoh advanced Joseph to honor, and took the ring off his finger and gave him, yet he would keep the kingdom to himself (Genesis 41:40), but God enthrones the saints in a kingdom; God thinks nothing too good for his children: We are ready to think much of a tear, a prayer, or to sacrifice a sin for him, but he does not think much to bestow a kingdom upon us.
3. Branch. See hence, that religion is no ignominious disgraceful thing. Satan labors to cast all the odium and reproach upon it that he can; that it is a devout frenzy, folly in grain (Acts 28:22). As for this sect, we know that it is everywhere spoken against; but wise men measure things by the end: What is the end of a religious life? It ends in a kingdom. Would a prince regard the slightings of a few fanatics when he is going to be crowned? You who are beginners, bind their reproaches as a crown about your head, despise their censures as much as their praise; a kingdom is coming.
4. Branch. See what contrary ways the godly and the wicked go at death; the godly go to a kingdom, the wicked to a prison: The devil is the jailor, and they are bound with the chains of darkness (Jude 6); but what are these chains? Not iron chains, but worse; the chain of God's decree, decreeing them to torment, and the chain of God's power, whereby he binds them fast under wrath: This is the deplorable condition of impenitent sinners, they do not go to a kingdom when they die, but to a prison. O think what horror and despair will possess the wicked, when they see themselves engulfed in misery, and their condition hopeless, helpless, endless; they are in a fiery prison, and no possibility of getting out. A servant under the law, who had a hard master, yet every seventh year was a year of release when he might go free; but in hell there is no year of release when the damned shall go free; the fire, the worm, the prison are eternal. If the whole world from earth to heaven, were filled with grains of sand, and once in a thousand years an angel should come and fetch away one grain of sand, how many millions of ages would pass before that vast heap of sand would be quite spent; yet, if after all this time the sinner might come out of hell there were some hope, but this word ever, breaks the heart with despair.
5. Brother. See then that which may make us in love with holy duties. Every duty spiritually performed brings us a step nearer to the kingdom: Finis dat amabilitatem mediis. He whose heart is set on riches counts trading pleasant because it brings in riches; if our hearts are set upon heaven we shall love duty because it brings us by degrees to the kingdom; we are going to heaven in the way of duty. Holy duties increase grace, and as grace ripens, so glory hastens; the duties of religion are irksome to flesh and blood, but we should look upon them as spiritual chariots to carry us quickly to the heavenly kingdom. The Protestants in France called their church paradise, and well they might, because the ordinances did lead them to the paradise of God. As every flower has its sweetness, so would every duty, if we could look upon it as giving us a lift nearer heaven.
6. Brother. It shows us what little cause the children of God have to envy the prosperity of the wicked; Quis aerario, quis plenis loculis indiget, Sen. The wicked have the waters of a full cup wrung out to them (Psalm 73:10), as if they had a monopoly of happiness; they have all they can desire; indeed, they have more than heart can wish (Psalm 73:7). They steep themselves in pleasure (Job 21:12); they take the timbrel, and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the organ. The wicked are high, when God's people are low in the world; the goats clamber up the mountains of preferment, when Christ's sheep are below in the valley of tears; the wicked are clothed in purple while the godly are in sackcloth; the prosperity of the wicked is a great stumbling block. This made Averroes deny a providence, and made Asaph say, "Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain" (Psalm 73:12), but there is no cause of envy at their prosperity, if we consider two things.
1. This is all they must have (Luke 16:25): "Son, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things; you had all your heaven here." Luther calls the Turkish Empire a bone which God casts to dogs.
2. That God has laid up better things for his children; he has prepared a kingdom of glory for them; they shall have the beatific vision, they shall hear the angels sing in concert, they shall be crowned with the pleasures of paradise forever. O then envy not the flourishing prosperity of the wicked; they go through fair way to execution, and the godly go through foul way to coronation.
7. Brother. Is there a kingdom of glory coming? Then see how happy all the saints are at death — they go to a kingdom; they shall see God's face which shines ten thousand times brighter than the sun in its meridian glory. The godly at death shall be installed into their honor, and have the crown royal set upon their head. They have in the kingdom of heaven the quintessence of all delights; they have the water of life clear as crystal; they have all aromatic perfumes; they feed not on the dew of Hermon, but the manna of angels; they lie in Christ's bosom, that bed of spices. There is such a pleasant variety in the happiness of heaven, that after millions of years it will be as fresh and desirable as at the first hours of enjoying. In the kingdom of heaven the saints are crowned with all those perfections which human nature is capable of. The desires of the glorified saints are infinitely satisfied; there is nothing absent that they could wish might be enjoyed; there is nothing present that they could wish might be removed. They who are arrived at this kingdom would be loath to come back to the earth again — it would be much to their loss: they would not leave the fatness and sweetness of the olive to court the bramble; the things which tempt us they would scorn. What are golden bags to the golden beams of the Sun of Righteousness? In the kingdom of heaven there is glory in its highest elevation; in that kingdom is knowledge without ignorance, holiness without sin, beauty without blemish, strength without weakness, light without darkness, riches without poverty, ease without pain, liberty without restraint, rest without labor, joy without sorrow, love without hatred, plenty without surfeit, honor without disgrace, health without sickness, peace without war, contentment without cessation. O the happiness of those that die in the Lord — they go into this blessed kingdom; and if they are so happy when they die, then let me make two inferences.
1. Inference. What little cause have the saints to fear death; are any afraid of going to a kingdom? What is there in this world should make us desirous to stay here? Do we not see God dishonored, and how can we bear it? Is not this world a valley of tears, and do we weep to leave it? Are we not in a wilderness among fiery serpents? And are we afraid to go from these serpents? Our best friend lives above; God is ever displaying the banner of his love in heaven, and is there any love like his? Are there any sweeter smiles, or softer embraces than his? What news so welcome as leaving the world and going to a kingdom. Christian, your dying day will be your wedding day, and do you fear it? Is a slave afraid to be redeemed? Is a virgin afraid to be matched into the crown? Death may take away a few worldly comforts, but it gives that which is better; it takes away a flower, and gives a jewel; it takes away a short lease and gives land of inheritance. If the saints possess a kingdom when they die they have no cause to fear death. A prince would not be afraid to cross the sea though tempestuous, if he were sure to be crowned as soon as he came ashore.
2. Infer. If the godly are so happy when they die, they go to a kingdom, then what little cause have we to mourn immoderately for the death of godly friends; shall we mourn for their preferment? Why should we shed tears immoderately for them who have all tears wiped from their eyes? Why should we be swallowed up of grief for them who are swallowed up of joy? They are gone to their kingdom, they are not lost, but gone a little before, not perished but translated; non amissi sed praemissi, Cyprian. They are removed for their advantage; as if one should be removed out of a smoky cottage to a palace. Elijah was removed in a fiery chariot to Heaven, shall Elisha weep inordinately because he enjoys not the company of Elijah? Shall Jacob weep when he knows his son Joseph is preferred, and made chief ruler in Egypt? We should not be excessive in grief when we know our godly friends are advanced to a kingdom: I confess when any of our relations die in their impenitency, there is just cause of mourning, but not when our friends take their flight to glory. David lost two sons, Absalom a wicked son, he mourned for him bitterly; he lost the child he had by Bathsheba, he mourned not when the child was departed. Saint Ambrose gives the reason, David had a good hope; in fact, assurance that the child was translated into Heaven; but he doubted of Absalom, he died in his sins, therefore David wept so for him, O Absalom, my son, my son; but though we are to weep to think any of our flesh should burn in Hell, yet let us not be cast down for them who are so highly preferred at death as to a kingdom. Our godly friends who die in the Lord, are in that blessed estate, and are crowned with such infinite delights, that if we could hear them speak to us out of Heaven, they would say, Weep not for us, but weep for your selves (Luke 23:28). We are in our kingdom, weep not at our preferment, but weep for your selves, who are in a sinful sorrowful world; you are tossing on the troublesome waves, but we are got to the haven; you are fighting with temptations, while we are wearing a victorious crown. Weep not for us, but weep for your selves.
8. Branch, See the wisdom of the godly, they have the serpent's eye in the dove's head, wise virgins (Matthew 25:2). Their wisdom appears, in their choice, they choose that which will bring them to a kingdom; they choose grace, and what is grace but the seed of glory? They choose Christ with his cross, but this cross leads to a crown. Moses chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God (Hebrews 11:25). It was a wise rational choice, he knew if he suffered he should reign. At the day of judgment those whom the world accounted foolish will appear to be wise, they made a prudent choice, they chose holiness, and what is happiness but the quintessence of holiness? They chose affliction with the people of God; but through this purgatory of affliction they pass to paradise: God will proclaim the saints' wisdom before men and angels.
9. Branch, See the folly of those who for vain pleasures and profits will lose such a glorious kingdom; like that Cardinal of France who said, He would lose his part in paradise if he might keep his Cardinalship in Paris: I may say as (Ecclesiastes 9:3), madness is in their heart. Lysimachus for a draught of water lost his empire; so for a draught of sinful pleasure these will lose Heaven. We too much resemble our grandfather Adam, who for an apple lost paradise; many for trifles to get a shilling more in the shop or bushel will venture the loss of Heaven. This will be an aggravation of the sinner's torment, to think how foolishly he was undone; for a flash of impure joy he lost an eternal weight of glory. Would it not vex one who is the lord of a manor, to think he should part with his stately inheritance for a fit of music? Such are they who let Heaven go for a song. This will make the devil insult at the last day to think how he has gulled men, and made them lose their souls and their happiness for lying vanities. If Satan could make good his brag, in giving all the glory and kingdoms of the world, it could not countervail the loss of the celestial kingdom. All the tears in Hell, are not sufficient to lament the loss of Heaven.
