Use 6: Of Exhortation

1. Branch. If there be such a glorious kingdom coming, then you who have any good hope through grace that you are the heirs of this kingdom, let me exhort you to six things.

1. Often take a prospect of this heavenly kingdom, climb up the celestial mount, take a turn as it were in heaven every day by holy meditation (Psalm 48:12-13). Walk about Zion, tell the towers thereof, mark well her bulwarks: see what a glorious kingdom heaven is, go tell the towers, view the palaces of the heavenly Jerusalem; Christian, show your heart the gates of pearl, the bed of spices, the clusters of grapes which grow in the Paradise of God; say, O my soul, all this glory is yours, it is your Father's good pleasure to give you this kingdom. The thoughts of heaven are very delightful and ravishing; can men of the world so delight in viewing their bags of gold, and fields of corn, and shall not the heirs of promise take more delight in contemplating the celestial kingdom? The serious meditation of the kingdom of glory would work these three effects.

(1.) It would put a damp and slur upon all worldly glory: those who stand upon the top of the Alps the great cities of Campania seem but small in their eye. Could we look through the perspective glass of faith, and take a view of heaven's glory, how small and minute would all other things appear. Moses slighted the honors of Pharaoh's Court, having an eye to the recompense of reward (Hebrews 11:26). Saint Paul who had a vision of glory, and Saint John who was carried away in the Spirit, and saw the holy Jerusalem descending out of heaven, having the glory of God in it (Revelation 21:11), how did the world after appear in an eclipse to them.

(2.) The meditation of the heavenly kingdom would much promote holiness in us: heaven is an holy place (1 Peter 1:4), an inheritance undefiled; it is described by transparent glass to denote its purity (Revelation 21:21). The contemplating heaven would put us upon the study of holiness, because none but such are admitted into that kingdom: heaven is not like Noah's Ark, into which came clean beasts and unclean; only the pure in heart shall see God (Matthew 5:8).

(3.) The meditation of the heavenly kingdom would be a spur to diligence, immensum Gloria Calcar habet (1 Corinthians 15:58), always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor shall not be in vain in the Lord. When the mariner sees the haven he plies it harder with his oars; when we have a sight and prospect of glory, it would make us much in prayer, alms, watching, it would add wings to duty, and make the lamp of our devotion burn brighter.

2. If you have hopes of this kingdom, be content though you have but a little of the world: contentment is a rare thing, it is a jewel that but few Christians wear; but if you have a grounded hope of heaven, it may work your heart to contentment; what though you have but little in possession, you have a kingdom in reversion. Were you to take an estimate of a man's estate, how would you value it? By what he has in his house, or by his land? Perhaps he has little money or jewels in his house, but he is a landed man, there lies his estate. A believer has but little oil in the cruse and meal in the barrel, but he is a landed man, he has a title to a kingdom, and may not this satisfy him? If a man who lived here in England, had a great estate befallen him beyond the seas, and perhaps had no more money at present, but just to pay for his voyage, he is content, he knows when he comes to his estate he shall have money enough. You who are a believer have a kingdom befallen you; though you have but little in your purse, yet if you have enough to pay for your voyage, enough to bear your charges to heaven, it is sufficient. God has given you grace which is the fore crop, and will give you glory, which is the after-crop, and may not this make you content?

3. Branch. If you have hope of this blessed kingdom, pray often for the coming of this glorious kingdom, your kingdom come: only believers can pray heartily for the hastening of the kingdom of glory.

1. They cannot pray that Christ's kingdom of glory may come who never had the kingdom of grace set up in their hearts: can the guilty prisoner pray that the Assizes may come?

2. They cannot pray heartily that Christ's kingdom of glory may come, who are lovers of the world; they have found Paradise, they are in their kingdom already, this is their heaven, and they desire to hear of no other; they are of his mind who said, if he might keep his Cardinalship in Paris he would lose his part in Paradise.

3. They cannot pray heartily that Christ's kingdom of glory may come, who [reconstructed: oppose] Christ's kingdom of grace, who break his laws which are the scepter of his kingdom, who shoot at those who bear Christ's name and carry his colors; sure these cannot pray that Christ's kingdom of glory may come, for then Christ will judge them, and if they say this prayer they are hypocrites, they mean not as they speak. But you who have the kingdom of grace set up in your hearts, pray much that the kingdom of glory may hasten, Your kingdom come; when this kingdom comes then you shall behold Christ in all his embroidered robes of glory, shining ten thousand times brighter than the sun in all its meridian splendor. When Christ's kingdom comes the bodies of the saints that slept in the dust shall be raised in honor, and made like Christ's glorious body; then shall your souls like diamonds sparkle with holiness; you shall never have a sinful thought more, you shall be as holy as the angels, you shall be as holy as you would be, and as holy as God would have you to be; then you shall be in a better state than in innocency. Adam was created a glorious creature but mutable, a bright star but a falling star, but in the kingdom of heaven is a fixation of happiness: when Christ's kingdom of glory comes you shall be rid of all your enemies: As Moses said (Exodus 14:13), The Egyptians whom you have seen today, you shall see them no more forever; so those enemies who have plowed on the backs of God's people, and made deep their furrows, when Christ shall come in his glory, you shall see these enemies no more. All Christ's enemies shall be put under his feet (1 Corinthians 15:25), and before the wicked be destroyed the saints shall judge them (1 Corinthians 6:2), Know you not that the saints shall judge the world: this will cut the wicked to the heart, that those whom they have formerly scorned and scourged shall sit as judges upon them, and vote with Christ in his judicial proceedings: O then well may you pray for the hastening of the kingdom of glory, Your kingdom come.

4. Branch. If you have any good hope of this blessed kingdom, let this make the color come in your faces, be of a sanguine, cheerful temper; have you a title to a kingdom, and sad? (Romans 5:2) We rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Christians, the trumpet is ready to sound; an eternal jubilee is at hand when a freedom from sin shall be proclaimed; your coronation day is coming; it is but putting off your clothes, and laying your head upon a pillow of dust, and you shall be enthroned in a kingdom, and invested with the embroidered robes of glory: Does not all this call for a cheerful spirit? Cheerfulness adorns religion; it is a temper of soul Christ loves: (John 14:28) If you loved me you would rejoice. It makes many suspect heaven is not so pleasant, when they see those that walk there so sad. How does the heir rejoice in hope of the inheritance? Who should rejoice if not a believer who is heir of the kingdom, and such a kingdom as eye has not seen. When the flesh begins to droop, let faith lift up its head, and cause a holy jubilation and rejoicing in the soul.

5. Let the saints long to be in this blessed kingdom. A prince that travels in foreign parts, does he not long to be in his own nation, that he may be crowned? The bride desires the marriage day: (Revelation 22:17) The Spirit and the bride say, Come: Even so come Lord Jesus. Sure our unwillingness to go hence shows either the weakness of our faith in the belief of the heavenly kingdom, or the strength of our doubtings, whether we have an interest in it. Were our title to heaven more cleared, we should need patience to be content to stay here any longer.

Again, our unwillingness to go hence declares, we love the world too much, and Christ too little. Love (as Aristotle says) desires union; did we love Christ as we should, we would desire to be united to him in glory; when we might take our fill of love, be humbled that we are so unwilling to go hence: Let us labor to arrive at that divine temper of soul as Paul had, Cupio dissolvi, I desire to depart and be with Christ (Philippians 1:23). We are encompassed with a body of sin, should not we long to shake off this viper? We are in Meseck, and the tents of Kedar, in a place where we see God dishonored, should not we desire to have our pass to be gone? We are in a valley of tears, is it not better being in a kingdom? Here we are combating with Satan, should not we desire to be called out of the bloody field where the bullets of temptation fly so fast, that we may receive a victorious crown? O you saints, breathe after the heavenly kingdom. Though we should be willing to stay to do service, yet we should ambitiously desire to be always sunning ourselves in the light of God's countenance. Think what it will be to be ever with the Lord, are there any sweeter smiles or embraces than his? Is there any bed so soft as Christ's bosom? Is there any such joy as to have the golden banner of Christ's love displayed over us? Is there any such honor as to sit upon the throne with Christ (Revelation 3:21)? O then long for the celestial kingdom.

6. Wait for this kingdom of glory. It is not incongruous or improper to long for heaven, yet wait for it; long for it because it is a kingdom, yet wait your Father's good pleasure; God could presently bestow this kingdom, but he sees it good that we should wait a while.

(1.) Had we the kingdom of heaven presently, as soon as ever grace is infused, then God would lose much of his glory. 1. Where would be our living by faith, which is the grace that brings in the chief revenues of glory to God (Romans 4:20)? 2. Where would be our suffering for God, which is a way of honoring him, which the angels in heaven are not capable of? 3. Where would be the active service we are to do for God? Would we have God give us a kingdom, and we do nothing for him before we come there? Would we have rest before labor, a crown before victory? This were disingenuous. Paul was content to stay out of heaven a while, that he might be a means to bring others there (Philippians 1:23).

While we wait for the Kingdom, our glory is increasing. Every duty religiously performed adds a jewel to our crown. Do we desire to have our robes of glory shine brighter, let us wait and work; the longer we stay for the principal, the greater will the interest be. The husbandman waits till the seed spring up: wait for the harvest of glory. Some have their waiting weeks at court; this is your waiting time: Christ says, Pray and faint not (Luke 18:1). So wait and faint not. Be not weary; the Kingdom of Heaven will make amends for your waiting: I have waited for your salvation, O Lord, said that dying patriarch (Genesis 49:18).