Chapter 22: Showing the Duties of a Believer by Way of Retaliation

There are several duties which I would press upon believers; and they branch themselves into nine particulars.

1. Admire, and thankfully adore the love of God in settling this rich charter upon you. How was David affected with God's goodness? (2 Samuel 7:19) You have spoken of your servant's house for a great while to come. So should we say, Lord, you have not only given us things present, but you have spoken of your servants for a great while to come, or rather, forever. It will be a great part of our work in heaven to admire God: let us begin to do that work now which we shall be forever doing. Adore free-grace; free-grace is the hinge on which all this turns; every link in this golden chain is richly enameled with free-grace; free-grace has provided us a plank after shipwreck. When [reconstructed: things past] were forfeited, God has given us things to come. When we had lost Paradise, he has provided heaven. Thus are we raised a step higher by our fall. Set the crown upon the head of free-grace. O to what a seraphic frame of spirit should our hearts be raised! How should we join with angels and archangels in blessing God for this! It is well there is an eternity coming; and truly that will be little enough to praise God. Say as that sweet singer of Israel, (Psalm 103:1) Bless the Lord, O my soul; or as the original will bear, [illegible]. Bow the knee, O my soul, before the Lord. Thus should a Christian say, All things in heaven and earth are mine; God has settled this great portion upon me, bow the knee, O my soul, praise God with the best instrument, the heart; and let the instrument be screwed up to the highest, do it with the whole heart. When God is tuning upon the string of mercy, a Christian should be tuning upon the string of praise. I have given you but a taste of this new wine: yet so full of spirits it is, that a little of it should inflame the heart in thankfulness. Let me call upon you, who are the heirs apparent to this rich inheritance, things present and to come; that you would get your hearts elevated, and wound up into a thankful frame. It is not a seemly posture, to see a Christian ever complaining when things go cross. O do not so look upon your troubles, as to forget your mercies. Bless God for what is to come: and to heighten your praises, consider God gives you not [reconstructed: one of these] things, but he gives [reconstructed: himself]. It was Augustine's prayer: Lord, said he, whatever you have given me, take all away, only give me yourself: you have not only the gift, but the giver. O take the harp and viol; if you do not bless God, who shall? Where will God have his praise? He has but a little in the world. Praise is in itself a high, angelic work, and requires the highest-spirited Christians to perform it. Wicked men cannot praise God: they can say, God be thanked; but as it is with the hand-dial, the finger of the dial is at twelve, when the dial has not moved one minute. So, though the tongues of wicked men are forward in praise, yet their hearts stand still. Indeed, who can praise God for these glorious privileges to come, but he that has the seal of the Spirit to assure him that all is his? O that I might persuade the people of God to be [reconstructed: thankful], make God's praise glorious. Let me tell you, God is much taken with this frame; repentance is the joy of heaven, and thankfulness is the music of heaven: let not God want his music; let it not be said, God has more murmurers than musicians; who so offers praise, glorifies me.

2. If all things to come are yours, live suitable to those glorious hopes: you that look for things to come, let me tell you, God looks for something present from you; namely, that your lives be answerable to your hopes. What manner of persons ought you to be? (2 Peter 3:11) You have heard what manner of privileges you shall have; yes, but what manner of persons ought you to be? Those that look to differ from others in their condition, must differ from them also in their conversation. Therefore beloved, seeing you look for such things, be diligent that you may be found of him in peace without spot. We would all be glad to be found of God in peace, then labor to be found without spot. Spot not your faces, spot not your consciences; live as those who are the citizens and burgesses of this new Jerusalem above. Walk as Christ did upon earth. There are three steps in which we should follow Christ.

1. In sanctity: his was a holy life; "Which of you convinces me of sin?" Though he was made sin, yet he knew no sin. The very devils acknowledged his holiness: "We know you who you are, the holy One of God." Oh be like Christ; tread in his steps. In the Sacrament, we show forth the Lord's death: and in a holy conversation we show forth his life. The holy oil, with which the vessels of the sanctuary were to be consecrated, was compounded of the purest ingredients, which was a type and emblem of that sanctity which should rest upon the godly; their hearts and lives should be consecrated with the holy oil of the Spirit. How does it discredit and as it were entomb the honor of religion when men profess they look for heaven, yet there is nothing of heaven in them; if there be light in the lantern, it will shine out: and if grace be in the heart, it will shine forth in the conversation. It is a great sin in these times to be bewailed, the looseness of professors: even those that we hope (by the rule of charity) have the sap of grace in their heart, yet do not give forth such a sweet savor in their lives. How many under the notion of Christian liberty degenerate into libertinism. The carriage of some that go for saints is such, that it would make men afraid to embrace religion. What Chrysostom says of the contentions of the church in his time — (If, says he, a Gentile should come and say, I would be made a Christian; yet when he sees such a spirit of dissension among them; one of Paul, and another of Apollo, such are the diversity of opinions, that he knows not which to choose, but must return to his Gentilism again) — the same may I say of the looseness, if not scandals of some professors; if a stranger should come from beyond sea, and see the miscarriages of many, their covetousness, their licentiousness; had he no other Bible to read in, but the lives of some professors, he would turn back again, and resolve never to be made a Christian. Pudet haec opprobria nobis — What a shame is this! Did Christ walk thus when he was upon earth? His life was a pattern of sanctity! You that are professors, your sins are sins of unkindness, they go nearest to Christ's heart. Do you live as those who have hope of things to come? Is Christ preparing heaven for you, and are you preparing war against him? Is this your kindness to your friend? Oh consider how you wound religion; your sins are worse than others. A stain in a black cloth is not so easily seen or taken notice of; but a spot in a piece of scarlet, every one's eye is upon it. The sins of wicked men are not so much wondered at, they can do no other, theirs is a spot in black; but a sin in a professor, this is like a spot in a bright scarlet, every one's eye is upon it — this wounds the honor of religion: the deviation of the godly is as odious as the devotion of the profane. Oh that there were such a luster and majesty of holiness in the lives of professors, that others might say, these look as if they had been with Jesus, they live as if they were in heaven already. Aaron must not only have bells, but pomegranates, which were for savor, as the other were for sound. It is not enough to discourse of godliness, or to make a noise by a profession: what are these bells without the pomegranates, namely, a life that casts a savor in the church of God?

2. Walk as Christ did, in humility. His life was a pattern of humility. He was the heir of heaven, the Godhead was in him, yet he washes his disciples' feet (John 13:6). He poured water into a basin, and began to wash his disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel. No wonder it is said, that he came in the form of a servant; he stands here with his basin of water and a towel; nay, he did not only humble himself to the disciples' feet, but he humbled himself to the death, even the death of the cross (Philippians 2:8). Tread in this step of Christ — be humble; the humble saint looks like a citizen of heaven. Humility is the veil of a Christian: Christ's bride never looks more beautiful in his eye, than when she has on this veil — Be you clothed with humility. Humility, as it hides another's error, so it hides its own graces; grace shines brightest through the mask of humility. Moses' face shined, but he knew not that it shined. What are all our duties without humility? Incense smells sweetest when it is beaten small; when the incense of our duties is beaten small, then it sends forth its most fragrant perfume. Humility studies its own unworthiness, it looks with one eye upon grace, to keep the heart cheerful, and with the other eye upon sin, to keep it humble. Better is that sin which humbles me, than that duty which makes me proud! Humility gives all to Christ; as Joab when he had gotten a victory, sends for King David, that he might carry away the crown of it: so does the humble Christian, when he has gotten the victory over a corruption, he sets the crown upon the head of Christ: if he has strength to go through duties, he writes Christ and free grace upon all. I labored more abundantly than they all; yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me (1 Corinthians 15:10). You that look for things above, let me tell you, the way to ascend is to descend; the lower the tree roots, the higher it shoots up: would you shoot up in glory, would you be tall cedars in the Kingdom of God? Be deeply rooted in humility. Humility is compared by some of the Fathers to a valley; we must walk to heaven through this valley of humility. Humility is such a precious herb, as grows not in the garden of Philosophy; that is rather humanity, than humility. Humility distinguishes Christ's spouse from harlots. Hypocrites grow in knowledge; but not in humility. Knowledge puffs up (1 Corinthians 8:1). It is a metaphor taken from a pair of bellows, that are blown up and filled with wind. He that is proud of his knowledge, the Devil cares not how much he knows. It is observable in the old law that God hated the very resemblance of the sin of pride, he would have no honey mingled in their offering; You shall burn no leaven, nor any honey in any offering of the Lord made by fire. Indeed, leaven is sour, but what is there in honey that should offend? Why no honey? Because honey when it is mingled with meal or flour, makes it to rise, and swell, therefore the people of Israel must mingle no honey in their offering. This was to let us see how God hated the resemblance of this sin of pride. Be humble.

3. Be like Christ in charity; Christ's life was a life of charity; he breathed nothing but love; he was full of this sweet perfume: as his person was lovely, so was his disposition, he was composed all of love: his lips dropped honey, his side dropped blood, his heart dropped love. You that expect these glorious things to come, live as Christ did, live in love: Oh that this spice might send out its fragrant smell among Christians! We know we are passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. Do you love the person of Christ, and hate the picture? He that loves him who does beget, loves him also that is begotten. There are two devils which are not fully cast out of God's own people: the devil of vainglory, and the devil of uncharitableness. Are we not fellow citizens? Do we not all expect the same heaven? Or rather, are we not brethren? Which should be a sufficient bond to knit us together in amity. We have all the same Father, God; we are born of the same mother, the Church; we are begotten of the same seed, the Word; we suck the same breasts, the promises; we feed at the same board, the table of the Lord; we wear the same clothing, the robe of Christ's righteousness; we are partners in the same glory, the inheritance of the saints in light. And shall we not love? There is indeed a blessed strife, when the saints strive for the faith: but this is a strife that consists of unity; striving together for the faith of the gospel (Philippians 1:27). You that look for things to come, live suitably to your hopes: Walk as Christ did, that some of his beams may shine in you, and his life may be as it were copied out in yours.

3. The third duty is, if things to come are a believer's, be content though you have the less of things present: having food and clothing, let us be content with that. Oh what a rich estate has a believer! he is to be valued according to that which is in reversion. Things to come are his. If you were to take an estimate of a man's estate, would you value it by that which he has in his house, or by his land? Perhaps he has little in his house, little money, or plate; but he is a landed man, there lies his estate. While we are in this house of clay, we have but little. Many a Christian can hardly keep life and soul together; but, he is a landed man, things to come are his; then be content with the less of things present. If we have but a small fore-crop, we shall have a great after-crop; it is sufficient if we have but enough to bear our charges till we come to Heaven. An heir that has a great estate beyond the sea, though he has but a little money for his voyage there, he will be content. If a Christian has but enough to pay for his passage, till he comes at Heaven, it is sufficient; as Seneca said to his friend Polibius, Never complain of your hard fortune, as long as Caesar is your friend. So I say to a believer, Never complain as long as Christ is your friend; he is preparing the heavenly mansions for you. If you complain of anything, let it be of your complaining. Should not Hagar have been content, though the water were spent in her bottle, when there was a well so near? God has made a deed of gift, he has given Christ to a believer, and in him all things, things present and to come, grace and glory; is not here enough to make him content? But, says the Christian, I want present comforts. Consider, the angels in Heaven are rich, yet they have no money; you have things to come, angels' riches, such as cannot stand with reprobation; be content then with the less of things present. The philosophers, who never understood one syllable of this charter, did despise riches, and preferred a contemplative life; what poor contemplations were those? Certainly a man that lives by faith may have more sweet content in his soul by the meditation of things to come, than a worldly man by the enjoying things present.

4. Labor for such a high degree of faith, as to make these things to come, present. Faith and hope are two sisters, and are very like; they differ thus: hope looks at the excellency of the promise, faith at the certainty of it. Now faith, looking at the infallible truth of him that promises, thus makes things to come present. Faith does antedate glory, it does substantiate things not seen. Faith alters the tenses, it puts the future into the present tense (Psalm 60:6): Gilead is mine, Manasseh is mine, Ephraim is the strength of my head, etc. Those places were not yet subdued, but God had spoken in his holiness, he had made David a promise, and he believed it, therefore he looked upon them as already subdued: Gilead is mine, etc. So says faith, God has spoken in his holiness, he has made me a promise of things to come, therefore Heaven is mine already. When one has the reversion of a house, says he, This house is mine. Oh that we had this art of faith, thus to anticipate Heaven, and make things to come present. You who are a believer, Heaven is yours now; your head is already glorified; nay, heaven is begun in you, you have some of those joys which are the primitiae, the first-fruits of it. A Christian by the eye of faith, through the perspective-glass of the promise, may see into Heaven. Faith sees the promise fulfilled before it is fulfilled. Faith sets to its hand: Item, Received so much, before it is paid. Had we a vigorous faith, we might be in Heaven before our time: that which a weak believer hopes for, a strong believer does in some kind possess. Oh that we could often take a prospect of the heavenly paradise: Walk about [reconstructed: Zion], and go round about her, tell the towers thereof, mark well her bulwarks, consider her palaces. So, walk into the heavenly mount, see what a glorious situation it is, go tell her towers, see what an inheritance you have; see your beauty and nobility, behold your escutcheon. Oh that we could thus breathe our faith up this mount of Heaven every day. Do not say, All this shall be mine; but, It is mine already: my head is there, my faith is there, my heart is there. Could we thus, living up to the height of our faith, realize and antedate things to come, how would all present things vanish! If a man could live in the sun, the earth would not appear. When Saint Paul had been wrapped up into the third heaven, the earth did hardly appear ever after: see how he scorns it, I am crucified to the world: it was a dead thing to him, he had begun Heaven already; thus it is with a man that is heavenized. You saints that are earthly, the eye of your faith is bloodshot: it is the character of a sinner, he cannot see afar off (2 Peter 1:9), like a man who has bad eyes, that can see but just before him. Faith carries the heart up to Heaven, and brings Heaven down into the heart.

5. If all things to come are yours, then walk cheerfully with God, put on your white robes: has a believer a title to Heaven? What, and sad? We rejoice in hope of the glory of God (Romans 5:2). It is but a while, it is but putting off the earthly clothes of our body, and we shall be clothed with the bright robes of glory, and can a believer be sad? See how Christ does secretly check his disciples for this (Luke 24:17): What manner of communications are these, while you walk and are sad? What, sad and Christ risen? So I say to believers: things to come are yours — why walk you and are sad? Let them be out of heart, who are out of hope. Oh rejoice in God: when the lead of the flesh begins to sink, let the cork of faith swim above! How does the heir rejoice in hope of the inheritance! How does the apprentice rejoice to think of coming out of his time! Here we are kept under by sin, and a child of God is forced sometimes to do the devil's work, but shortly death will make us free; there is an eternal jubilee coming, therefore rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Can wicked men rejoice that have their portion in this life, and cannot he rejoice that has a reversion of Heaven? Are the waters of Abanah and Pharpar like to the waters of Jordan? O you saints, think into what a blessed condition you are now brought! Is it not a sweet thing to have God appeased? Is it not a matter of joy to be an heir of the promise? Adam in Paradise had choice of all the trees, one only excepted. The promises are the trees of life, you may walk in the garden of the Bible, and pluck from all these trees. Who should rejoice if not a Christian? He has never so much cause to be sad, as he has to be cheerful.

Objection 1. But my sins trouble me.

Answer. It is true: that sin will not forsake you, is matter of sadness; but that you have forsaken sin, is matter of joy: sin is a talent of lead. That you cannot run so fast as you would in the ways of God, is matter of sadness: but that you go without halting (in regard of uprightness), this is matter of joy; and for your comfort remember, shortly you shall sin no more, all things shall be yours but sin.

Objection 2. But we are bid to mourn.

Answer. I would not speak against holy mourning; while we carry fire about us, we must carry water; as long as the fire of sin burns in our breasts, we must carry tears to quench it. But consider: 1. Spiritual joy and mourning may stand together; sometimes it rains and shines at once: when there is a shower in the eyes, there may be sunshine in the heart: in religion, mourning and music are not inconsistent. 2. The end why God makes us sad, is to make us rejoice; he does not require sorrow for sorrow, but it is ordained to be sal & condimentum, as sauce to make our joy relish the better: we sow in tears, that we may reap in joy. 3. The sweetest joy is from the sourest tears: Christ made the best wine of water; the purest and most excellent joy is made of the waters of true repentance: the bee gathers the best honey off the bitterest herbs: tears are the breeders of spiritual joy. When Hannah had wept, she went away, and was no more sad. Those clouds are very uncomfortable that never have any sunshine: that mourning which dyes the soul all in sable, namely, that has no place for rejoicing, I shall rather think it despair, than true remorse. The same God who has bid us mourn, has also bid us rejoice (Philippians 4:4). It is an excellent temper to be serious, yet cheerful. Jesus Christ loves the sanguine complexion: joy puts liveliness and activity into a Christian, it oils the wheels of the affections; a heavy mind makes a dull action: the joy of the Lord is your strength. The pensive melancholy Christian does disparage the glory of Heaven: what will others say? Here is one that speaks of things to come, and of a crown laid up, but sure he does not believe it: see how sad he is! What ado is here to make a child of God cheerful! Shall we need bid an heir rejoice in the estate befallen him? Let me tell you — you who refuse consolation, are not fit persons to praise God: it is a kind of solecism, to praise God with a sad heart. I will sing praises (Psalm 108:1). It is more proper to sing praises, than to weep them. Rejoice, O Christian, lift up your crest, triumph in the hope of these ⟨in non-Latin alphabet⟩, things to come: it is not enough that there be joy within the firmament of a Christian's heart but it must shine out in his countenance.

Sixth Duty. If all things to come are a believer's, let him not envy them who have only things present. God often wrings out the waters of a full cup to wicked men, but there are dregs at the bottom. Indeed, the prosperity of sinners is a great temptation: David stumbled at it, and had almost fallen (Psalm 73); my feet had well nigh slipped. It is not matter of envy but pity, to see men thrive in a way of sin; a fool is in gay clothes, but do you envy him? A man under a sentence, going up the ladder, do you envy him? They that will be rich fall into temptations and a snare (1 Timothy 6:9). Do you envy a man who is fallen into a snare? Wicked men have that guilt which embitters their comforts, so that they may be said to want what they have: as a man who has great possessions, yet having a fit of the stone or gout, while he is in that torment he may be said not to have them, because the comfort of them is taken away. A believer has better things than these; things to come: wicked men have a crown of unrighteousness, he has a crown of righteousness; they have robes (and perhaps stained with the blood of innocents), he has the bright robe of glory. Envy not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways: better is sanctified adversity, than successful impiety.

Seventh Duty: Be supported in want of spiritual comfort: spiritual joy is a sweet thing — it is the spiced wine that [reconstructed: causes the] lips of them who are asleep to speak: this is the hidden Manna, the bunch of grapes that grows upon the true vine; this is the saints' banqueting stuff; how sweet it is to have Word and Spirit, and Conscience speaking peace! In the mouth of these three witnesses faith is confirmed. But, says the poor soul that goes mourning, It is not so with me, I have not the Privy Seal of Heaven, I want assurance. Well, do not give over waiting. We read (John 6:19) the Disciples were in the ship, and there arose a great storm, and when they had rowed about twenty-five or thirty furlongs, they saw Jesus. This, O Christian, may be your case, there is a tempest of sorrow risen in your heart; and you have rowed from one Ordinance to another, and have no comfort: Well, be not discouraged, do not give over rowing; you have rowed but three or four furlongs, perhaps when you have rowed twenty-five or thirty furlongs, you may see Jesus, and have a comfortable evidence of his love; but suppose you should row all your life long, and not have assurance, there are two things should support the heart in want of spiritual joy.

1. God denies comfort to exercise grace. We are impatient if we have not comfort presently; and truly, did we carve for ourselves, we should often cut the worst piece; a Christian would ever be upon Mount Tabor, looking into Canaan, he is loath to come down into the valley, and be in trials, agonies, temptations, as if God could not love us except he had us in his arms: God will have us without comfort sometimes; to make us row against tide, believe against hope. Of what use were the Stars, if the Sun did always shine? How could patience have its perfect work, how could repentance, if we were always upon the Mount of joy? Rachel is more fair, but Leah is more fruitful; comfort is fair to look upon, but grace is better than comfort. A Christian should rather pray for a fruitful heart than fair weather; oftentimes when God lets down comfort into the heart, we begin to let down care. As it is with musicians, before they have money, they will play you many a sweet lesson; but as soon as you throw them down money, they are gone, you hear no more of them: Before joy and assurance, oh the sweet music of Prayer and Repentance! but when God throws down the comforts of his Spirit, we either begin to leave off duty; or at least slacken the strings of our viol, and grow remiss in it: you are taken with the money, but God is taken with the music; you are taken with comfort, but God is more taken with your faith: when there is too much sunshine, oftentimes there follows a drought in our graces.

2. The second thing to support the heart is, Things to come are yours: it is but staying a while, and you shall be brim-full of comfort: now a believer is an heir of this joy, let him stay but while he is of age, and he shall be fully possessed of the joys of Heaven. For the present, God leaves a seed of comfort in the heart, the seed of God; there's a time shortly coming when we shall have the full flower; We shall drink of the fruit of the vine in the Kingdom of Heaven. As Paul said of Onesimus (Philemon 1:15), For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that you might receive him for ever: so I say of the comforts of God's Spirit, they may be withdrawn for a season, that we may have them for ever: there's a time coming when we shall bathe ourselves in the rivers of divine pleasure.

8. The next duty is, If all Christ's things are ours, then all our things must be Christ's; this is Lex Talionis, justice and equity require it. There's a joint interest between Christ and a believer: Christ says, All mine are yours, things present, and things to come; then the heart of a believer must echo back to Christ, Lord, whatever I have is for you; my parts, my estate; it was the saying of a reverend Father — Lord, you are my all, and my all is yours. Oh be willing to spend, and be spent; do, and suffer for Christ.

1. Let us to our power advance the honor and interest of Jesus Christ: Alas, what is all that we can do? If a King should bestow upon another a Million per annum, with this proviso, that in lieu of his acknowledgement he should pay a peppercorn every year to the King, what proportion were there between this man's rent and his revenue? Alas, we are but unprofitable servants, all that we can do for Christ is not so much as this peppercorn; yet up and be doing: Christ hates compliments: we must not only bow the knee to him, but with the Wise men, present him with gifts, gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Be not like the sons of Belial, who brought their King no presents. But, says the Christian, I am poor, and can do little for Christ. Can you not make a deed of gift, and bestow your love upon Christ? In the Law, he that could not bring a lamb for an offering, if he brought but two turtle-doves, it was sufficient. The woman in the Gospel that threw in but her two mites, yet it was accepted. God is not angry with any man because he has but one Talent, but because he does not trade it.

2. Suffer for Christ, be willing to sell all, nay, to lose all for Christ: we may be losers for him, we shall never be losers by him; if he calls us for our blood, let us not deny it; we have no such blood to shed for Christ as he has shed for us. It was Luther's saying, That in the cause of God he was content, totius mundi odium and impetum sustinere; to endure the odium and fury of the whole world. Basil affirms of the primitive saints, they had so much courage in their sufferings, that many of the heathens seeing their heroic zeal, turned Christians; they snatched up torments as so many crowns. Oh think nothing too dear for Christ. We that look for things to come, should be willing to part with things present for Christ.

9. Lastly, if all things to come are ours, be content to wait for these great Privileges: it is not incongruous to long for Christ's appearing, and yet to wait for it: you see the glory a believer shall be invested with; but though the Lord gives a great portion, he may set a long day for the payment. David had the promise of a crown, but it was long before he came to wear it. God will not deny, yet he may delay his promise, to teach us to wait: it's but a short-spirited faith that cannot wait. The husbandman waits for the seed: there is a seed of glory sown in a believer's heart, wait till it spring up into a harvest. Truly, it is a hard thing to wait for these things to come; so many discouragements from without, so many distempers from within, that the Christian is willing to be at home: therefore we need patience (Hebrews 10:36). For you have need of patience. But how shall we get it? Nourish faith; verse 35. Cast not away your confidence. Patience is nothing else but faith spun out; if you would lengthen patience, be sure to strengthen faith.

There's a great deal of reason why a believer should be content to wait for Heaven. 1. God is faithful who promises: God's Word is security enough to venture upon, his bond is as good as ready money: all the world hangs upon the word of his power — and cannot our faith hang upon the word of his promise? We have his hand and seal, indeed, his oath. 2. While we are waiting, God is tuning and fitting us for glory; giving thanks to the Father who has made us meet for the inheritance (Colossians 1:12). We must be made meet. Perhaps our hearts are not humble enough, not patient enough; our faith is but in its swaddling bands, we should be content to wait a while, till we have gotten such a vigorous faith as will carry us full-sail to Heaven. As there is a fitting of vessels for hell (Romans 9:22), so there is a ripening and a preparing of the vessels of mercy, verse 23. A Christian should be willing to wait for glory till he be fit to take his degree. 3. While we are waiting, our glory is increasing; while we are laying out for God, he is laying up for us (2 Timothy 4:8). If we suffer for God, the heavier our cross, the heavier shall be our crown. Would a Christian be in the meridian of glory, would he have his robes shine bright, let him stay here and do service; God will reward us, though not for our works, yet according to our works: the longer we stay for the principal, the greater will the interest be. 4. Wait for these things to come out of ingenuity: the longer a Christian lives, the more glory he may bring to God. Faith is an ingenuous grace, as it has one eye at the reward, so it has another eye at duty — the time of life is the only time we have to work for God. Heaven is a place of receiving, this of doing. Hence the Apostle being inflamed with divine love, though he could with all his heart be with Christ, yet he was content to live a while longer, that he might build up souls, and make the crown flourish upon the head of Christ (Philippians 1:24). It's self-love that says, Who will show us any good? Divine love says, How may I do good? The prodigal son could say, Father, give me my portion; he thought more of his portion than his duty. A gracious spirit is content to stay out of Heaven a while, that he may be a means to bring others there. He whose heart has been divinely touched with the love of God, his care is not so much for receiving the talents of gold, as for improving the talents of grace. Oh wait a while, learn of the saints of old, they waited: if we cannot wait now, what would we have done in the times of the long-lived Patriarchs? Look upon worldly men, they wait for preferment; shall they wait for earth, and cannot we wait for Heaven? If a man has the reversion of a Lordship or Manor when such a lease is out, will he not wait for it? We have the reversion of Heaven when the lease of life is run out, and shall we not wait? Look upon wicked men, they wait for an opportunity to sin; the adulterer waits for the twilight; sinners lie in wait for their own blood (Proverbs 1:18). Shall men wait for their damnation and shall not we be content to wait for our salvation? Wait without murmuring, wait without fainting; the things we expect are infinitely more than we can hope for. And let me add one caution; wait on the Lord, and keep his ways (Psalm 37:34). While we are waiting, let us take heed of wavering. Go not a step out of God's way, though a lion be in the way, avoid not duty to meet with safety: keep God's highway, the good old way (Jeremiah 6:16), the way which is paved with holiness (Isaiah 35:8), and a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the way of holiness: avoid crooked paths, take heed of turning to the left hand, lest you be set on the left hand. Sin does cross our hopes, it barricades up our way; a man may as well expect to find Heaven in hell, as in a sinful way.

My last use is to such as have only things present, that they would labor for things to come. You have seen the blessed condition of a man in Christ, never rest till this be yours: alas, what are the great possessions of the earth? The world has vanity written upon the frontispiece; there's a transience and a deficiency in these things. What is honor but a rattle to still men's ambition? It is like the meteor which lives in the air, so does this in the breath of other men: it's like a gale of wind which carries the ship; sometimes this wind is down, a man has lost his honor, and lives to see himself entombed: [reconstructed: sometimes] this wind is too high: how many have been blown to hell while they have been sailing with the wind of popular applause! Honor is but magnum nihil, a glorious fancy (Acts 25:23). It does not make a man really the better, but often the worse: a man swelled with honor (wanting grace) is like a dropsical man whose bigness is his disease.

And for riches (the silver goddess which men [reconstructed: adore],) what are they? 1. They are vain: I gathered me silver and gold and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces (Ecclesiastes 2:8), and behold, all was vanity, verse 11. That must needs be vain which cannot fill the heart. Covetousness is a dry drunkenness; the more men have, the more they thirst; like the fire, the more fuel is thrown into it, the more it is inflamed.

2. They are uncertain (1 Timothy 6:17); they are ever upon the wing: Outward comforts, as one says, are Dei ludibria, quae sursum ac deorsum suo coelo feruntur, like tennis balls, which are bandied up and down from one to another. 3. They are vexing: It was a fruit of the curse (Genesis 3:18): Thorns and thistles shall the earth bring forth: The comforts of this life have more or less of the thorn in them: They are sweet-briar: Riches may well be called thorns, they pierce both head and heart, the one with care of getting, the other with grief in parting with them. 4. They are dangerous, they often turn to the hurt of the owner (Ecclesiastes 5:13); they are dulce venenum; a sweet poison; how many have pulled down their souls to build up an estate! A ship may be so loaded with gold and silver that it sinks; a gift blinds the eye, the same may be said of riches, the golden dust of the world puts out the eye of the soul, that men neither know God nor themselves: Judas (as Tertullian thinks) was pretty honest till he carried the bag. It's hard to be in office, and not put conscience out of office; oh what are these present things in comparison of things to come! Christ who had all riches, scorned these earthly riches — he was born poor, the manger was his cradle, the cobwebs his curtains: he lived poor, he had nowhere to lay his head; he died poor; for as Augustine observes, when Christ died, he made no will, he had no crown lands, only his coat was left, and that the soldiers parted among them; and his funeral was suitable, for as he was born in another man's house, so he was buried in another man's tomb. To show how he did contemn earthly dignities and possessions. His Kingdom was not of this world: Suppose an hour of adversity come, can these present things quiet the mind in trouble? Riches are called thick clay, which will sooner break the back, than lighten the heart: When pangs of conscience and pangs of death come, and no hope of things to come, what peace can the world give at such a time? Surely it can yield no more comfort than a silken stocking to a man whose leg is out of joint; a fresh color delights the eye, but if the eye be sore, this color will not heal it; Riches avail not in the day of wrath. You cannot hold your wedge of gold as a screen to keep off the fire of God's justice: Let this sound a retreat to call us off from the immoderate pursuit of present things, to labor for things to come; what are these nether springs to the upper springs? As Abraham said, Lord, what will you give me, seeing I go childless? So say, Lord, what will you give me, seeing I go Christless? Luther did solemnly protest, God should not put him off with these things: Valde protestatus sum me nolle sic satiari ab eo: Oh labor for those blessings in heavenly places. Things present are pleasing, but not permanent; be not content with a few gifts: Abraham gave to the sons of the concubines gifts, and sent them away; but to Isaac, Abraham gave all that he had. Reprobates may have a few jewels and ear-rings which God scatters with an indifferent hand, these with the sons of the concubines are put off with gifts, but labor for the portion, that portion which the saints and angels are spending upon, and can never spend: get by faith into Christ, and then all is yours; so says the Apostle, All things are yours, and you are Christ's.