Moses Choice, Treatise · Part 3 · Chapter 53
CHAP. LIII. Wherein the power and efficacy of eying the recompence of reward conſiſts.
FIrſt, there is a great deal of power in looking to this glorious recompence of reward; becauſe 1.the glory of this does ſo much darken all the glory of the things of the world that we are called to part withal, when we are called to ſuffer any thing: Now then the argument lies thus; That which darkens all the glory of the world, and makes it appear to be nothing, that muſt needs have a great deal of power to enable the heart to part with any thing in the world in the cauſe of God: thoſe who by the eye of faith are able to behold the reality and certainty of thoſe glorious things, they look upon all things below as poor, mean, ſlight, contemptible things: As we know the glory of the light of the Sun, darkens the glory of the light of a candle; the light of a candle is comfortable in the night, in the dark, but when the light of the Sun riſeth, that is nothing: So long as the men of the world are in darkneſs, the light and comfort of the creature is a great matter to them; but when God lets the glory of the things of his Kingdom appear to them, then the comfort of the creature is nothing. A Glow-worm gliſters in the dark, but when the day comes, the brightneſs and the gliſtering of the Glow-worm is not ſeen: ſo all the brightneſs and gliſtering of the creature that takes the hearts of men, is gone when God lifts up his light upon them, and ſhews them the greatneſs of his Kingdom.
And the reaſon why people are ſo hardly brought Mala vitae preſentis tanto duriùs animus ſentit, quā to penſare bonū quod ſequitur, negligit. Greg Moral. l. 10. c. 1….to ſuffer any thing for God, is becauſe they have ſuch high eſteem of theſe things; that which a man hath high eſteem of, he is loth to part withal; but when a mans heart is taken from them, as there is no longer a high eſteem of them, he is willing to part with them. As Saint Paul ſaid, I am ready not to be bound onelyonly, but alſo to dye for the name of the Lord Jeſus; his life was not dear to him, he accounted it not worth the leaſt degree of glory to God: A gracious heart, as it accounts nothing low in any duty that tends to this glorious reward, ſo it accounts nothing high to part with for the recompence of reward. It is a notable paſſage we have of Joſeph to his Father Jacob, Gen. 45. 20. Regard not your ſtuff, for the good of all the Land of Egypt is yours: It may be Joſeph thought his Father Jacob might think, I have many Goods here, and what, ſhall I leave all that I have here to go to Egypt, into a ſtrange countrey? he might think this might be ſome let to his Father; but Ioſeph calls it all ſtuff: you have a deal of ſtuff and lumber, but let it not grieve you to leave your ſtuff and lumber, all the good of the Land of Egypt is yours: So God ſays to a gracious heart, when it looks upon any thing it ſhould part withal, and it is loth to part with it, ſays God, Regard not your ſtuff, and lumber you have here; for not the good of all the Land of Egypt is yours, but all the good that is in Heaven is yours, and the good that is in the God of Heaven, and the good that is in Chriſt is all yours: That ſoul that underſtands the glory of Heaven, and the Intereſt that it hath in it, ſhall hear a voyce tell it, That all the good in Heaven, and in God, and in Chriſt, is its own; and therefore he will not regard any thing here: if we knew no better things then theſe, we would be loth to part with them; if we had never ſeen the light of the Sun, we would have accounted the Moon a glorious creature, and as a mighty Ornament to Heaven, and to the world; but when we come to ſee the glory of the Sun, that is nothing to us in compariſon. Children that are born in a dungeon, and know no better things, would be loth to part with that they have there; but when they come to know what is in the world, then all they had before is nothing to them; greater glory diminiſheth that which is leſs. So that we may apply that the Apoſtle ſpeaks concerning the compariſon of the Goſpel with the Law, to this we are ſpeaking of, 2 Cor. 3. 10. That which was made glorious, had no glory in this reſpect, by reaſon of the glory that excelleth; though there was ſome glory in the adminiſtration of the Law, yet it is no glory in compariſon of that which excelleth: So though there may be glory in the outward comforts of the world, yet there is no glory in compariſon of that glory which excelleth, in compariſon of that glory which hath been opened; and that is the firſt thing.
Secondly, as the glory of the world is darkned by 2.having reſpect to this glorious recompence of reward, ſo all the evils of the world are wonderfully leſſened: You know what the Apoſtle ſays, in Rom. 8. 18. Non ſunt condignae paſſiones ad praeteritam culpam quae remittitur, ad preſentis conſolation is gratiam quae immititur, ad futuram gloriam quae promittitur. Bern.That the ſufferings of this preſent time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that ſhall be revealed in us: As we uſe to ſay, It is not to be named the ſame day, not to be reckoned with the glory that ſhall be revealed in us: A Father upon that place hath a notable gloſs, ſays he, Sufferings are not to be compared & looked upon, in reſpect, first of the puniſhment that we have deſerved, which is paſſed by, and pardoned; and then not to be compared and reckoned with the preſent grace and comfort that Gods people have here: But then much leſs is to be compared and reckoned with the weight of glory that is to come, that is promiſed to us. And ſo in 2 Cor. 4. 17, 18. While we look at things that are eternal, not temporal, this light affliction; all is but light, and nothing in compariſon: What is it for one to have a rainy day, who is going to take poſſeſſion of a Crown? there is no man would be much ſenſible of a little cold in his head, if it were uncovered a while to have a Crown of gold put on. I have read of a fooliſh woman that was afraid her Son ſhould get cold by putting off his night-cap to have a Crown ſet upon his head; but no wiſe man would much conſider the cold he ſhould get in his head upon that ground: Great things ſwallow up ſmall things, and great joys will ſwallow up ſmall evils; there is no compariſon between the evil we ſuffer here, and the glory that is to come; What is a drop of vinegar put into an Ocean of ſweet wine? it is not ſo much as taken notice of; here when a man receives a great good, he is not affected with leſſer evils: As for example in Saul, when Saul had the Kingdom, ſome did deſpiſe him, 1 Samuel 10. 27. but Saul held his peace; he was not troubled at that, though he was a man afterward froward enough; he thought, this good of the Kingdom is enough to take away the apprehenſion of any evil in being deſpiſed; what though a company of poor people deſpiſe me, and ſpeak againſt me when as I have the Kingdom, and am anointed of God, and have this dignity put upon me? A man that knows any thing of his own worth, and that God hath beſtowed much upon him; this takes off any other evil, that appears to be in others prating of him; but now when men do not underſtand any great good in themſelves, then they account the evil of the world deſpiſing them a great evil: Many men judge of themſelves rather by the eſteem other men have of them, then by any good they know in themſelves, and no marvel though theſe men be ſo much troubled at other mens deſpiſing of them. If a Merchant have a Ship come home laden with many thouſand pounds worth of rich Commodities, though his Servant ſhould do ſomething amiſs that day, he would not be froward at it, but paſs it by, becauſe he hath ſuch great profit and good coming in; ſo the evils of the world are nothing in compariſon to that ſoul that knows the great things of the Kingdom of God to be its own.
Thirdly, there is a mighty deal of power in it; becauſe this reſpect unto the recompence of reward, does ſo much take up the faculties of the ſoul, the intention of the minde being taken up about ſo great an object, other things are not minded in compariſon; and this is the reaſon why thoſe that are in a phrenſie, are inſenſible of what you do unto them; becauſe their mindes are taken up about that which they apprehend ſo ſtrongly, as nothing elſe is minded by them; and if there was any object made known to take up the minde of man, it muſt be ſuch great things as theſe, made certain and real to the ſoul by faith. It is a property peculiar to God, that though he hath many glorious things that he exerciſes his wiſdom about, yet he does minde the leaſt thing, the leaſt creature in the world, as much as if there were nothing elſe to minde; but no creature can do ſo, no creature can minde great things with intention of minde, and yet minde inferior things with any ſtrength of intention too, but if he mindes great things with intention, other things muſt be lightly minded. An Eccleſiaſtical Hiſtorian tells us of the Chriſtians they did ſo minde the glory of God, and the glory of Heaven, as that the pains they ſuffered were as in the bodies of other men, and not in their own bodies. It is reported of Archimides, who was a great Mathematician, that when the City was taken wherein he was, and the Warlike inſtruments of death clattering about his ears, and all was in a tumult, yet he was ſo buſie about drawing his lines, that he did not know there was any danger, and heard no noiſe: If ſuch objects as theſe can take up the intention of the minde, ſo as not to minde other things, then much more ſuch an object as eternal life, and eternal glory and happineſs. And therefore that place is very obſervable, in 2 Cor. 4. 16. We faint not in our ſufferings, becauſe we look not at things that are ſeen, but at things that are not ſeen: We are ſo intenſe about Heaven, and the glory of God, that we do not give a look at things that are ſeen. So in Heb. 11. 15, 16. They were not ſo much as mindeful of that Countrey from whence they came, becauſe Pericula non reſpicit Martyr, coronas reſpicit; plagas non horret praemium numerat; non videt lictores inferuè dagellantes, ſed Angelos ſuperne acclamantes. Baſ. Hom. de Barluā Martyr.they ſought a Countrey that was better, and heavenly. It is a notable expreſſion that Baſil hath concerning the Martyrs, ſays he, They do not look at the danger they are in, but at the crown: And again he ſays, They do not look at the Officers, and Executioners that are whipping of them, but they look to the Angels that are giving acclamations, and that are encouraging of them. As a carnal heart, a man that mindes earthly things, his minde is ſo taken up about them, becauſe they are an object ſuitable to him; as when all the glory of God, and of Chriſt, and of Heaven is ſet before him, he lets it paſs without any minding; ſo a gracious heart that by faith can ſee into the reality of the glory of Heaven, and eternal life ſo taken up with them, as not to minde earthly things; and that is the third particular.
Fourthly, the reſpect unto the recompence of the reward hath a mighty power to carry on the ſoul in 4.a way of ſuffering, becauſe the ſoul by this comes to ſee how infinitely well pleaſed God is with it, and with that it undertakes for his names ſake, in ſuffering any thing in his cauſe; and this does mightily prevail with a gracious heart. If God does but give his command to do a thing, this might be enough to ſhew Gods good pleaſure in that action; but when with command God reveals ſuch infinite glorious things that he will reward that action withal, this diſcovers more of the infinite good pleaſure of God; ſo that the ſoul in this does not onelyonly ſee its own happineſs, but ſees the infinite good pleaſure of God in it; and reaſons thus, How hath God ſet his heart upon me? And what infinite good pleaſure is it that he takes, in that I poor worm ſhall ſuffer for his names ſake, when he does not onelyonly tell me it is according to his will, but he hath ſuch infinite glorious things to reward that I do, except his heart were much upon it, & taken with it, there would never ſuch great and glorious things have been for the rewarding of it; but in that theſe things are ſo revealed, and I in ſome meaſure ſee them, I cannot but think God takes infinite delight in theſe ſufferings, for his names ſake, & God forbid that any thing in the world ſhould take off my heart from that which I ſee God takes ſuch infinite pleaſure in: when a gracious heart ſhall ſee God holding forth a crown to ſet on his head in ſuffering, it ſets the ſoul on fire in ſuffering for God; if thou hadſt onelyonly given forth thy command, it had been enough to make all creatures obedient to thee; but that thou ſhouldeſt manifeſt thy ſelf thus to crown them with this glory, and to lay up theſe treaſures of the riches of thy glory for them, Who would not do and ſuffer any thing in thy cauſe, O bleſſed God!
The fifth particular, wherein the power of this argument conſiſts, is the abundance of ſweet that there is 5.in the hope of this reward, to fill the heart with joy and peace; the more joy and peace the heart is filled withal, the more certainly it is able to do great things. So Nehemiah tells the people when he would have them rejoyce, The joy of the Lord is your ſtrength, Neh. 8. 10. When as the heart is ſtrengthned with joy, it is able to do mighty things; now the hope of theſe glorious things do mightily fill the heart with joy, and ſo ſtrengthens the heart: A man that hath his body ſtrong, he can endure cold, and bear great burthens that a weak body cannot bear; and nothing ſtrengthens the heart more then this joy of the Lord, where the heart is filled with it. Veſſels that are empty will ſoon be broke with the heat of the fire, which they will not be if they be full: this hope of the glorious reward fills the heart with precious liquor, that you may ſet it by the fire, and put it into troubles, it will not break. As a Gyant refreſhed with wine, hath great ſtrength to undertake any thing, ſo the ſoul that is filled with this comfort of the hope of Heaven and glory, can go forth as a Gyant refreſhed with wine, and make nothing of thoſe things that others make great matters of. When the heart is filled with joy & hope of believing, and ſo filled with light within, whatſoever darkneſs is abroad it cares not. As Oecolampadius when he was to dye, and they ſpoke of the light without, ſays he, What is the light without? Hic ſat lucis: Clapping his hand upon his breaſt.I have light enough within; And ſo a gracious heart ſays, there is enough within to ſtrengthen me, let there be without what there will. When Alexander gave away great things, almoſt all he had, one of his Officers aked him what he would have left for himſelf, ſays he, Hope: ſo ſays a gracious heart, though all things be gone, yet it is enough to fill my heart with joy, that I have hope of the glory that is to be reveald.
A natural chearful ſpirit can be able to undergo great things, that one that is naturally timorous cannot; the Wiſe man ſaith, The Spirit of a man ſhall ſuſtain his infirmities: A man that hath a natural chearful ſpirit, is able to ſuſtain many infirmities that others cannot; As for melancholy ſpirits, every thing that comes croſs to them is ready to ſink them, and they cannot undergo. thoſe troubles which a chearful ſpirit can, becauſe they want the ſweetneſs within; What ſtrength is there then in the filling the heart with joy in believing of theſe things? As a man that hath his bones filled with marrow, and hath abundance of good blood, and freſh ſpirits in his body, he can endure to go with leſs cloathes then another, becauſe he is well lined within; ſo it is with a heart that hath a great deal of fat and marrow, joy and peace within, though ſuch a one hath not many cloathes, and outward comforts to ſtrengthen him, he will go through troubles well enough; Proverbs 14. 14. A good man is ſatisfied from himſelf: And it is enough for good men to know within themſelves that they have an enduring ſubſtance, Heb. 10. 34. A tree that hath a great deal of ſap within, can bear great weights and burthens that others cannot; and that is the fifth ground, becauſe the hope of theſe things does fill the heart with joy, and ſo ſtrengthens the heart.
A ſixth thing wherein the power of having reſpect to the recompence of reward appears, is in that it 6.hath a great deal of power to reſiſt any temptation of Satan, and to quench the fiery darts of Satan. In Epheſ. 6. where the ſpiritual armor is ſpoken of, the helmet, the armor that is for the head, and keeps that from being hurt with any ſtroke, is the hope of ſalvation, and the hope of glory; ſo that whatſoever temptations of the Devil comes, by this helmet they are kept off, that they do not ſo much as take the judgement: As we might inſtance in the ſeveral temptations that the Devil hath to keep one from ſufferings; as when he comes and ſays, Why will you undo your ſelves in ſuch a way as this? Preſently the hope of ſalvation is held up, and the ſoul anſwers, It is ſo far from undoing of me, that it is the onelyonly way to provide for my ſelf; He that will ſave his life ſhall loſe it, and he that will loſe his life for my ſake, ſhall ſave it. If the Devil comes with this temptation, Surely God does not require ſuch things of his people, to be brought into ſuch ſtraits, and ſuffer ſuch hard things: The ſoul that hath the hope of his glory, holds it up, and makes this anſwer; Why, ſeeing the Lord hath laid up ſuch glorious things hereafter, why ſhould I not think that God may require hard things for the preſent? If he comes with this temptation, Why will you go on in a ſingular way from others? A gracious heart upon this argument, anſwers, I expect choice and ſingular mercies from God, and why ſhould I think much to go on in a way that is ſingular? though others do otherwiſe, it may be they ſhal never be partakers of ſuch ſingular things. If the Devil comes and ſay, Surely God does not love you, if he did, he would not ſuffer ſuch great calamities, and ſore troubles to befal you, and if it were his cauſe, he would aſſiſt you in it: the ſoul anſwers, Hath the Lord laid up ſuch glorious things for me hereafter, and ſhall I call Gods love in question, becauſe I am deprived of theſe mean things, and undergo ſuch afflictions as theſe? certainly thoſe things that God hath laid up for me ſhall ſo uphold my heart, as that I ſhall never call in queſtion Gods love, though I ſuffer never ſo much here; and that is the ſixth particular.
Seventhly, there is a great deal of power in this argument to help on the ſoul in a way of ſuffering, 7.becauſe by looking at this recompence of reward, the ſoul comes to ſee what glorious things ſufferings do prepare for, haſten unto, and work to the encreaſe of. Firſt, what glorious things ſufferings prepare for: As it is a notable expreſſion Mr. Hawks hath in a Letter he writ to encourage Mr. Philpot, being caſt into the Biſhops Cole-houſe, ſays he, This Biſhops Cole-houſe is but to ſcour you, and make you bright, and to fit you to be ſet up upon the high ſhelf, meaning Heaven; as when you would ſet up veſſels of braſs, or iron, you firſt take cinders or aſhes and ſcour them, and by rubbing them with ſuch things, they are fit to be ſet up; ſo all ſufferings are but the means that God uſes to ſcour his people to make them bright, to ſet them up on high; God will not ſet up his ſervants duplicate page duplicate page on the high ſhelf, till firſt he hath made them bright, and he uſes this way to do it, and then they haſten to great things; the more one ſuffers, the nearer he comes to glory, and to Heaven: Let the world do the worſt it can, it can but take away your eſtates, and meat, and drink, and put you in the cold, and haſten death, and the haſtening of death is the haſtening of glory: The greateſt ſufferings of Gods people, are but as the fiery Chariots to carry Gods foreign.people home in. This was the anſwer of Baſil to the Emperors Lieutenant, when he threatned death to him, Death is a benefit to me, it will ſend me ſooner to God, to whom I live, to whom I deſire to haſten. And then they do encreaſe glory, it is but a trade of leſs things to encreaſe greater; all ſufferings are the ſeeds of glory.
Eighthly, there is a great deal of power in this to carry on the ſoul in a way of ſuffering, becauſe it does mightily enflame the ſoul with love to God, and Jeſus Chriſt; it ſeeing that the bottom and ground of all this glorious recompence of reward is in the free and eternal love of God in Jeſus Chriſt, that did work about this before the foundation of the world was laid; this does mightily enflame the heart with love to God, and therefore it wiſhes as that Martyr did, O that I had as many lives as I have hairs on my head to lay down for Chriſt. And it is ſorry that it hath no other opportunity to teſtifie its love to God, the ſoul ſays, I have but this little time to teſtifie my love to God, and I can but teſtifie little in doing: O what a happineſs is it, that that which I want of teſtifying my love in doing, I have it in teſtifying my love in ſuffering! Shall a dog that hath but a few crums or bones from his Maſter, be willing to venture his life in defence of his Maſter; and ſhall not a gracious heart, that expects not crums and bones, but Crowns, and unconceiveable glory in Heaven, be willing to venture life for God in the cauſe of God?
Ninthly, there is a great deal of power in having 9.reſpect to the recompence of reward to carry on a ſoul in ſuffering: becauſe according to the things that are apprehended, there is the like impreſſion left upon the ſpirit: As a gracious heart apprehending holy things is made holy, and apprehending ſpiritual things, is made ſpiritual, and apprehending great things, is made great, thee is a holy gracious magnanimity put into the heart: A man that is lift up on high upon a high Tower, or a high Mountain, he looks upon things below as little things: The apprehenſion of this glory lifts the ſoul on high, and puts an impreſſion of greatneſs and glory upon the heart, and ſo cauſeth an heroical ſpirit in the heart, to look upon all things below as ſmall: as the Martyrs, though they were weak ſpirits by nature, even women and children, yet apprehending ſuch great things, they had heroical magnanimious ſpirits, and looked upon their ſufferings as ſmall things, becauſe they had an impreſſion of the object they beheld left upon their ſpirits, and in ſome meaſure were made like it.
Laſtly, there is a mighty deal of power in looking 10.to the recompence of reward to help in ſufferings, becauſe it hath much power to cleanſe the heart: every one that hath this hope purgeth himſelf, 1 Iohn 3. And hence the Chriſtians in the Primitive times fering. Thoſe that write the ſtories of Egypt, report that there is no country in which there are more venemous Creatures then in Egypt; and alſo they write, there is no Country hath ſo many Antidotes to help againſt poyſon: ſo godlineſs brings with it many troubles and ſufferings, but then godlineſs hath much in it to help againſt troubles and ſufferings.
Thirdly, hence we come to ſee the reaſon why ſo many are overcome in a way of ſuffering, and do 3.yield, and ſo baſely Apoſtatize, rather then they will go on in a way of ſuffering for God: they have not an eye to look up to Heaven, and to ſee all the glory that is revealed: they do not know within themſelves that there are ſuch things, as it is ſaid of thoſe in Heb. 10. 34. They knew within themſelves what they had in Heaven; they look upon theſe things as conceits and imaginations. In Phil. 3. 18. the Apoſtle ſpeaks of ſome that were enemies to the Croſs of Chriſt, but what were they? They were men that minded earthly things: but ſays the Apoſtle, Our converſation is in Heaven. What was the reaſon that Demas forſook Paul? It was for this preſent world; he was not acquainted with the powers of the world to come, and therefore he forſook Paul, rather then he would ſuffer in the cauſe of God with Paul. Certainly, thoſe that fall off in the time of ſuffering, are ſuch as never had a taſte of the powers to come, or have loſt it: this dew of Heaven hath not faln upon their hearts to moiſten them, and therefore every ſuffering does ſcorch up the root: If the root be kept moiſt, though ſcorching heat come, it does not dry up the plant, but it is green and flouwere ſo able to ſuffer, becauſe they had their hearts ſo purged by faith, Acts 15. 9. Take a man that was ſtrong, if he have many ill humors in his body, all his ſtrength is gone, but if the Phiſitian gives him ſomething to purge out his ill humors, though hee have no Cordials given him to ſtrengthen him, yet he is ſtrong, and he is able to endure, and to do more then before: So thoſe ſpirits that are full of diſtempered humors, that are unſound, they can bear nothing, undergo no difficulty, but when there is any thing to purge the heart and make it clean, then it is able to do or ſuffer more: ſin lies rotting at the heart, and by rotting does weaken; a rotten rag hath no ſtrength to bear any thing, ſo thoſe that have old ſins lie rotting, they can bear nothing: The ſpirit of power, and of a ſound minde is put together, 2 Tim. 1. 7. now the hope of this glorious reward purges the heart, and makes it ſound, and ſo carries it on in power. Now put all theſe together, and no marvel that Moſes by having an eye to the recompence of reward could ſuffer ſo much: many are afraid of ſuffering hard things in the cauſe of Chriſt; but you ſee what will enable you to endure all. Now I ſhould apply this in many particulars.
Firſt, If there be ſuch power in this to help to 1.ſuffering, then ſurely there is power in this to help to ſervice: you that know what theſe things mean, be aſhamed to complain of any difficulty in any ſervice.
Secondly, hence we ſee cauſe much to bleſs God that reveals ſuch things to us, to carry us through 2.ſufferings; though godlineſs brings much ſuffering, yet it brings that which will ſtrengthen againſt ſufriſhing ſtill: It is the dew of Heaven, the hope of the glory of Heaven that keeps our root moiſt, and ſo we ſhall hold out in the time of ſuffering: It is given as the cauſe of the ſeed in the ſtony ground not come to perfection, Luke 8. 6. Becauſe it wanted moiſture; many froward people in Religion prove like the ſtony ground, they have not moiſture, this dew of Heaven lies not at their hearts: And the reaſon why many do not hold out, is becauſe they want the Anchor of hope: In a tempeſt if there be not an Anchor well faſtened, the ſhip will be carried upon the rocks or the ſands: Now Hope is the Anchor that muſt hold the ſoul in all affliction, if that hold, let ſtorms and winds be never ſo loud, yet the heart will be kept from being ſplit upon the rocks, and ſwallowed up in the ſands: but many have but a paper Anchor, a conceited hope, not a ſtrong hope faſtned upon the infallibility of God in his word and promiſes, and therefore they cannot hold out in the time of danger. To conclude all, we ſee what will do it, what will carry us through ſufferings.
Let us make uſe of this argument, and not look upon the greatneſs of our ſufferings, to think my ſufferings are greater then others, but rather let us look up on high to our God, and the greater things that are prepared for us. As St. Auguſtine ſpeaking to Noli attendere quam poenam habeas in flagello, ſed quem locam in teſtamē to, Auguſt. in Pſ. 102.a Chriſtian that was to ſuffer, Do not ſo much attend what puniſhment thou haſt, what ſhare thou haſt in the whip, or in correction, but what thou haſt in the Teſtament, in Gods Word, what is revealed there for tby encouragement. And labor to have the light within you, or elſe all will never do; though many things have been revealed to your eyes, and ſo you may have light outwardly; yet if you have not the inward light, this outward light will never ſtrengthen you to hold out: And labor for faith to put life in all theſe arguments that have been ſpoken of; unleſs faith come and breathe the breath of life upon them, they will all lie dead. Labor that nothing be between your eye and Heaven, and if any thing of the world, or vain reaſonings ſhall come between your eye and Heaven, labor to remove it, keep all clear, that upon the turning of your eye you may ſee beyond the vail; and be not onelyonly thinking of theſe things, and make them lively by faith, but let your converſation be much in heaven, ſending up your ſpirits to heaven, and opening your hearts to receive the influence of heaven, and then you will be able to endure what God calls you to: Who knows what God will call us to? God is ſtirring in the world, as if he intended to do ſome great things in the world, and therefore we had need of ſtrong arguments to keep our hearts cloſe to him, when many thouſand hypocrites ſhall fall. And thus we have finiſhed four things in the opening of this point: Firſt, that there is a reward for Gods people. Secondly, how far they may have reſpect to this reward. Thirdly, what the reward is. Fourthly, wherein the power of having reſpect to this reward lay to undergo any ſuffering. Now the fifth thing that remains, is, the Application of all that hath been ſaid.
And if there be ſuch a glorious reward for the people of God, then in the firſt place the offence of the croſs is taken away; let us be aſhamed ever to be hindred in the way of God, becauſe of the croſs, becauſe of any thing we ſhall ſuffer in the way of God, when as there is ſuch a glorious reward hereafter. No ſtorm of the raging Sea ſhould terrifie us, Nec illa nos inſurgentis pelagi debet terrere tempeſtas, cum ventura noſtra ſit nunquā finienda tranquillitas. Hiero ad Virg. in exilium miſſam. Non per istas tranſire anguſtias.conſidering that everlaſting calm that is a coming, ſays Jerome: Let no man ſpeak hardly of Gods ways any more. I remember I read of St. Auguſtine before his converſion, he ſaid he was convinced of the ways of God, but ſays he, I did not like to go through thoſe ſtraits: He found the ways of God difficult, and that he was like to ſuffer much, and that hindred him; and ſo it does many, they ſee ſtraits, they muſt deny themſelves, and ſuffer hard things, and upon this they are hindred; but let us never be hindred more by this, ſeeing there are ſuch great things revealed of the reward of Gods people hereafter: Why ſhould we be ſo ſhy of the way, afflictions that lead thither; is not here enough to pay for all? God will not, ſays Lactantius, have the Noluit Deus hominem ad immortalem illam beatitudinem delicato itinere pervenire, Lactant. de Officio Dei. c. 19.path that leads to this immortal bleſſedneſs, be a delicate path. Certainly, if any of you ſhould be hindred from the ways of God by any hardſhip you are like to meet withal, how will this confound you, when God ſhall come and ſay, Did not I ſhew unto you thoſe glorious things I intended for my people? and was not all that ſufficient to draw your hearts over theſe difficulties?
In the Primitive times, the offence of the croſs was taken away, after once they came to be enlightned in ſuch glorious things as theſe; in Heb. 10. 32. Call to remembrance the former days, in which after you were illuminated, you endured a great fight of afflictions; before they were not able to indure that fight of afflictions, but after they were illuminated they were; ſo howſoever you might have ſome hard thoughts of the ways of God before, yet now being illuminated, having the light of this bleſſed truth of the reward that is to come, revealed to you, be willing to endure any fight of afflictions; do not look at this ſtumbling block, look up to Heaven, and that wil keep you from ſtumbling. When men walk upon the earth, if they look upward, they may ſtumble upon ſtones & blocks; but it is otherwiſe in our walking in Religion, our looking upwards to heaven does keep us from ſtumbling: Wiſdom is on high; the way of the righteous is a high way, he is lifted above all ſtumbling blocks by looking at this recompence of reward. St. Paul when he had his thoughts about this, ſays he, Neither life, nor death, principalities, nor powers, nor any thing ſhould be able to ſeparate him from the love of God.
Secondly, if there be ſuch a glorious reward, conſider Uſe 2., that this is a mighty aggravation of the evil of ſin, that when God hath revealed himſelf ſo gracious, as to lay up ſuch glorious things for thoſe that walk in the way of obedience, for any after this yet to embrace the ways of ſin, muſt needs aggravate the horrid and deſperate wickedneſs of mans heart: There is evil enough in ſin, though we ſhould loſe nothing by it, that it is a diſobedience to God, a breach of the Law, and going againſt the minde of God; but for men to venture upon the ways of ſin, although they know they ſhall loſe ſuch an infinite good as this is, here is not onelyonly deſperate wickedneſs, but deſperate folly; it is a ſign that mans heart is deſperately ſet upon ſin, that he wil go on in ſin, though it be with the loſs of all this glory, and theſe bleſſed things. I remember Ambroſe reports of one Theotimus, that having a diſeaſe upon his body, and the Phyſitian told him, Except he did abſtain from intemperance, drunkenneſs or uncleanneſs, he was like to loſe his eyes; his heart was deſperately fet upon his ſin, that he ſaid, Farewel ſweet light then; as if he ſhould ſay, Vale lumen amicumI muſt have my pleaſure in that ſin, if I muſt loſe my eyes, then farewel eyes, farewel the light. I ſuppoſe there is none of you dare reaſon thus deſperately, when we come to you in the name of God, and ſpeak of ſome particular ſin that your conſciences tell you you are guilty of, and profeſs unto you as in the name of God, that that way you take cannot ſtand with eternal life, that you muſt eternally periſh, and loſe all that happineſs that God hath prepared for the Saints, perhaps none dare ſay, Farewel God, and Chriſt, and eternal life, and all, I muſt have my ſin: Though you do not ſay ſo directly, yet if after you have heard all this, you go on in a ſinful way, you do in effect ſay ſo; for the Scripture ſays, Know you not that no drunkard, nor whoremonger, nor covetous, nor unclean perſon, nor extortioner, and the like, ſhall enter into the Kingdom of God: You know this, it is not poſſible that any ſhould be ſo ignorant, but he knows ſuch ſhall never enter into the Kingdom of God; you going on then in ſuch a way, you do as it were ſay, Farewel God, and heaven, and farewel all that Chriſt hath purchaſed by his blood, rather then I will loſe my ſin: How will this confound you another day? how will conſcience accuſe you? when it ſhall tell you what you have heard, and what you might have had, and you have loſt all for your luſt: God ſhall ſay, I revealed to you what my ways and counſels were concerning man, that this was the great work and deſign, that I intended to make wretched man happy, to bring vile duſt into glory; and was that my great maſter-piece, that I intended nothing in your eyes, but muſt it be deſpiſed for the ſatiſfying of your luſts? Chriſt ſhall plead againſt you, Was I content to leave the boſom of my Father, and to be in the form of a ſervant, and to be made a curſe, & to loſe my precious blood, & my life, to purchaſe glory for man, and muſt this be ſlighted for your baſe luſts? How will the Spirit of God plead againſt you? What, was not I in the mouth of my Miniſters to reveal theſe glorious things, and deep things of God, that now in the Goſpel are made known, and muſt all that work of mine be neglected and ſlighted for your baſe luſts? Yea, how may all the creatures in the earth come to plead againſt you? Lord, thou didſt not make us capable of any ſuch happineſs as thou didſt the children of men, and yet we did honor and ſerve thee in our order, but thou madeſt this creature capable of eternal happineſs, and yet all is deſpiſed for the ſatisfying of their baſe luſts. Yea, how may the Devils come and plead againſt thee? Lord, when we were once fallen, thou wouldſt never enter into covenant with us, to give us any hope of any mercy at all, much leſs hope to receive any ſuch great things; there was hope for theſe wretched creatures to be eternally happy, and yet they neglected all for their luſts, & therefore ſhal their puniſhment be no more then ours? ſhall their fire be no hotter then ours?
Theſe things that I have delivered, though they be comfortable to the people of God, they will be terrible things to the wicked, and will be a dreadful aggravation to ſin, as Heb. 10. 29. Of how much ſorer puniſhment do you think thoſe worthy of, that in neglect of theſe things do even tread under foot the blood of the Son of God, as cap. 2, 3. How ſhall we eſcape, if we neglect ſo great ſalvation? If the ſalvation that we ſpeak of were not great ſalvation, it would not deſerve ſuch great puniſhment for the neglect of it: See how great the mercy of God is in revealing ſuch great ſalvation, ſo great ſhall the puniſhment be of thoſe that neglect ſuch great ſalvation: We uſe to ſay to ſome that will be bold to venture upon ſuch ways as others will not, They may ſay and do what they will, they have nothing to loſe, but if a man have any thing to loſe he is more wary; it is true, if we had nothing to loſe, it were not ſo much for us to go on boldly and careleſly in our way, but know we are capable of abundance of glory, that we are in danger to loſe if we go on careleſly: Conſider what you are like to loſe, and let that raiſe your heart againſt the ways of ſin, nothing can make it up. For one to do any thing that ſhall prejudice the right to a Crown, this is counted a great offence, and is not paſt by without blood: Sin ſeeks to deprive us of a Crown, of Heaven, of immortality; O the miſchief that is in ſin! let our hearts riſe againſt it with hatred to death: when any temptation comes, let us uſe this argument as a help to anſwer temptation, O in this temptation there is that will deprive me of all my hope of heaven, & of glory, and of my crown, and of all my good, if I take not heed; and therefore now ſhal I ſin? will any ſin do you that good as will countervail the cutting you off the hope of all this glory? will it make you amends for this evil?
If a man might have a whole world given him for to loſe his eyes, no wiſe man would loſe the benefit of his fight for the whole world; wilt thou venture the loſs of the ſight of God, and of Chriſt, and of all communion to be had with them for a luſt, and for a baſe pleaſure? what worth is in it to make thee ſo venturous? When a temptation to ſin comes, make uſe of this argument, as Saul did to his men, What, can the ſon of Jeſſe give you vineyards, and oliveyards? So you may ſay to every temptation, to the ways of ſin, What, can my ſin give me Heaven, and glory, and immortality? can my ſin reward me as God will reward me if I walk in his way? If a Chapman ſhould come to you who are Merchants, and offer you for a commodity twenty times leſs then it is worth, your hearts will riſe againſt him, in diſdain and contempt of him: Now when ſin comes to offer any pleaſure or content to the fleſh, let your hearts riſe in diſdain againſt it, it offers you infinitely to your loſs, baſe momentary pleaſure for Heaven, and all the glory that hath been opened to you. As one ſaid when a Harlot askt a great price for pleaſure with her one night, I will not buy repentance Non tanti emam Poenitere.at ſuch a rate: And ſo when ſin comes, ſay, I will not buy pleaſure at ſuch a rate. It was an aggravation of the ſin of Iſrael, that they would return into Egypt, becauſe the Land of Canaan was ſo good a Land; So it argues baſe hearts in people to deſpiſe all that is in Heaven, and the glory of it for to turn to Egypt, to ſome baſe luſt.
Thirdly, if there be ſuch a glorious reward for the Saints, this rebukes all baſe worldly droſſie ſpirits Uſe 3., that ſeek for no higher good then meerly to enjoy the uſe and comforts of the creature, and content to their fleſh for a while: How many are there in the world that would bleſs themſelves in theſe things? Might I have but ſuch an eſtate, and ſuch content in the world, it were enough, they ſhould think themſelves happy. As that Duke of Burbone in France, if he might have his Palace in Paris, he would not change it for Paradiſe. A company of baſe droſſie ſpirits that could be content to have the things of this world for their portion, it argues you have low thoughts of an immortal ſoul; you know not what an immortal ſoul is capable of, who can think your ſelves ſatisfied in any creature. You have but low thoughts of God; are there no richer treaſures in God then onelyonly a few outward delights, meat, and drink, and ſports here? Hath God nothing elſe to communicate to the creature? what mean thoughts haſt thou of Chriſt, and of all the purchaſe of the blood of Chriſt? What, hath Chriſt come and laid down his blood to purchaſe nothing but this, to have content in the creature? Certainly the God of this world hath blinded thine eyes, that thou ſhouldſt not ſee into the glorious things of eternal life that are in the Goſpel, and in the Word: How many would frame to themſelves a kinde of Heaven here, an imaginary Heaven? As I have read of a King of Perſia, that he would have an imaginary Heaven, and therefore he made a brave Palace, and in the top he made the heavens, and painted Sun, Moon and Stars, and underneath Clouds, that with Art moved up and down, and diſtilled rain, and made thunder, and he had a brave Throne gliſtering above thoſe clouds, this might be ſufficient for a Heathen; and yet how many Chriſtians are guilty of this, to imagine Heaven to themſelves? If they had but this and this, that were Heaven. Certainly thou wilt finde the loſs of theſe things a hell, if there were no pain; but know, thou canſt not loſe Heaven, but thou muſt of neceſſity be plunged into hell; you cannot loſe all this glory, but you muſt of neceſſity be under that miſery which is contrary to this glory; whoſoever loſes the one, though that be ill enough, he muſt be under the miſery of the other.
And know, whatſoever thy heart is ſet upon in this world, if it be not in order to this reward, it is curſed to thee, for the bleſſing of all comfort does conſiſt in order to this laſt end. O that men were throughly principled in this one principle, namely, That the The good of all things here conſiſts in ſubordination to the ſupreme good herciſter.good of all things in the world, conſiſts in the ſubordination they have unto the higheſt and laſt end for which they were made: Now whatſoever a man hath, if there be not a ſubordination of it unto the laſt end, it is all curſed: O know thy folly, that haſt ſought to ſatisfie thy ſelf in the things of the world! Know thy folly, that thou haſt in this, like a Swine ſought to take contentment in ſwill and husks, when as you hear there is bread enough in your Fathers houſe. Mark what the Pſalmiſt ſays in Pſal. 4. 3. How long will you turn my glory into ſhame? how long will you love vanity and ſeek after lyes? By your loving vanity, and ſeeking after lyes, you turn the glory of God into ſhame; ſo all carnal hearts that ſeek for their portion in this world, put a ſhame upon all that glory that God hath opened to you in this recompence of reward: O be not guilty of this, when as you have heard of theſe glorious things in the recompence of reward, do not you caſt ſhame and filth upon them, as if they were all imaginations. Know thoſe things that you eſteem to be real and ſubſtantial, are vanities and imaginations, and all ſubſtances and realities are in this recompence of reward.
Fourthly, if there be ſuch a glorious recompence of reward for the Saints, thoſe alſo are to be rebuked Uſe 4.who ſeem to go on in thoſe ways that might bring this reward, and yet through the wickedneſs of their hearts do deprive themſelves of this reward, and theſe are hypocrites. There are three ſorts of theſe:
Firſt, ſuch as though they go on in the hearts ſame ways that Gods people go in, yet there are ſo baſe and vile therein, as they ſeek no greater things in them then their own baſe ends, and ſo loſe all.
Secondly, ſuch as go on in the ways that tend to this reward, and yet periſh at laſt for ſome one baſe luſt.
Thirdly, ſuch as go on in thoſe ways, and are in a good forwardneſs, and yet prove to be Apoſtates, and ſo loſe all their labor, and all their reward.
Firſt, ſuch as go on in the ways that lead to this 1.reward, the ways of Religion and godlineſs, they do the ſame things that Gods people do for this reward, but onelyonly this, their ends are different; they pray as much, hear as much, and receive Sacraments, make a great profeſſion in Religion, and their hearts ſeem to be mightily up in duty; yea, perhaps they ſuffer much in the ways of God, and are reſolute in the ways of godlineſs, and yet loſe all in the concluſion upon this ground, becauſe though they be in the ways that lead to this reward, yet their ends are ſo baſe and low, they do not look at the glorious reward in theſe actions, but look at ſome under thing; as to give content to men, and applauſe of men; and to be accounted ſome body in the place where they live, and to gain ſome outward reſpect from ſuch and ſuch, and this is the higheſt pitch their hearts riſe unto in the duties of Religion: If ever there were any ſottiſh deſperate deluſion of heart, this is it, to undertake to do that which others do, that come to enjoy all this glorious reward; and though you do as much as they, and take as much pains as they, yet you in the concluſion miſs of all, and loſe all upon your baſe ends: you follow Chriſt as others do, but a gracious heart follows Chriſt for Chriſt, but you follow him only that A gracious heart follows Chriſt, for Chriſt.your own mindes and wills may be ſatisfied, it may be you know not how to live: and this is that you aym at in following Chriſt, and in prayer, and in ſpeaking of good things, all that you aym at, is that you may be accounted thoſe that have parts and gifts; and in giving of alms, you onelyonly look upon ſome low and baſe ends which you ſhall attain, and this is like to be all your reward, ſo ſays Chriſt, Wo to you hypocrites, you have your reward: And wo indeed when this ſhall be ſaid, You are forward in Religion, to gain to your ſelves ſuch baſe things, you ſhall have them, ſays God, and this is all the reward you ſhall have. O be aſhamed and confounded in your own hearts, that you ſhould perform the duties of Religion, and take ſuch pains in the ways of God, that do lead to ſuch glorious things, and yet your ends are ſo low; by having ſuch low ends in religious duties, you make Earth your throne, and Heaven your footſtool, whereas God ſays, Heaven is my Throne, and Earth is my footstool; Why ſhould you be ſo croſs to God in the fooliſh ways of your vile hearts?
Some there are that perform theſe duties to ſatisfie natural conſcience, and ſo they may be unſound, and Natural conſcience a ſpur to duty.their conſciences not accuſe them; but theſe hypocrites are the baſeſt that can be, their conſciences cannot but accuſe them, that they undertake the ways of Religion, to employ them for no more then for the attaining ſuch low ends. Yea, many that are now in Heaven, and have this glorious reward, did not finde ſo much difficulty in the ways of Religion as many Hypocrites do. There are three Reaſons for it.
Firſt, that they do is by their own ſtrength, and 1.when one comes to perform the duties of Religion by his own ſtrength, they are hard to him; a gracious heart hath ſtrength from Heaven, and from Chriſt; now when a man hath received ſtrength, he can do that with eaſe that was difficult before: A man that hath a baſe unclean heart, the ways of Religion muſt be tedious to ſuch a one; as a mans body being corrupted, whatſoever he does is tedious to him, if he were ſound it would not be ſo tedious; and ſo the ways of Religion are tedious to an hypocrite, becauſe he does all in his own ſtrength, and his ſoul is corrupted.
Beſides, the ways of Religion are not ſuitable to his principles, but he is fain to force himſelf to them, 2.and all forced things are tedious; but a gracious heart goes on in the ways of Religion as ſuitable to his principles.
Beſides, an Hypocrite hath not thoſe comforts as 3.thoſe that are gracious have in their ways, they have the aſſurance of Gods acceptance, and the light of God ſhining upon them, which Hypocrites have not; ſo that the ways of God are more difficult to Hypocrites, then to the godly; and yet they get nothing by them but ſome baſe ends, and the godly that do not endure ſo much difficulty, get Heaven, and immortality, and a Crown of glory, and all becauſe their ends are different: O be ſure your ends be right, you ſee what vaſt difference mens ends may make!
As if two ſhould go to ſea, it may be they go out both together, and one endures as much tempeſt and ſtorm as the other, and they are at the like charge; perhaps yet the one comes home richly laden, and the other brings nothing but Cockle ſhells, and a little gravel; when he that brought home the Cockle ſhells and the gravel, ſhall ſee the difference between him and the other, when as they were at like charge, and endured the ſame difficulty, how will he be aſhamed? This is the difference between a gracious heart and an hypocrite, both go out in Religion, the one makes as much ſtir as the other, and ſuffers as much diſgrace and contempt as the other; the one enjoys all the riches of the Kingdom of God; the other, what does all his profeſſion come to? he gains a little reſpect from ſome, that this body or that body ſays, He is a man of good parts, and here is all. O miſerable voyage that ſuch as theſe are have made, when all their profeſſion comes but to this! Yea, it may be they do not ſo much as gain reſpect from thoſe that are wiſe and judicious, but onelyonly from a company of pratlers, that will ſpeak well of you when you pleaſe them, and when you do not pleaſe them, they will ſpeak as ill of you: like a great blaze that a little fire will make in ſtraw for the preſent, and when it is paſt, you ſee nothing but a few black aſhes; ſo many Profeſſors make a great blaze, and a great noiſe and ſhew, and all that it comes to, is, that they get a little eſteem in the world; or, like Kites they will flutter up a little, but their eye is upon the carrion; ſo many ſeem to be above in the ayr in the profeſſion of Religion, and yet their eyes are upon the carrion, they make things below their aym.
What diſhonor is this unto the ways of godlineſs? thoſe ways that are the moſt precious things in the world, all the world is nothing to the profeſſion of godlineſs; and thoſe ways that God hath appointed to lead to ſuch glorious things as theſe are, how are they vilified and abaſed? you do not onelyonly vilifie your ſelves, but you vilifie Gods ways, when as they tend to ſuch a glorious end, you put them under your baſe ends: If a man were a Nobleman by birth, what greater diſhonor could be done to him, then to make him ſerviceable to a drudge? So the ways of God that are ſo glorious, to make them ſerviceable to your baſe ends, what diſhonor is put upon the ways of God in this? Certainly God cannot take it well at your hands; to make the meaneſt creature of God, our own civil actions ſerviceable to our luſts, is a great ſin; but to make Prayer, and the Word, and the Sacraments, and the ways of godlineſs to be ſerviceable to our luſts, this is moſt horrible impiety. Again, how do you pollute that which is holy? The way of God is a holy thing, and take heed of polluting of it, by having ſuch low ends in it. Again, conſider how you do take the name of God in vain; the name of God is in the ways of Religion, and for you to have no higher ends in Religion, but ſuch baſe ones, you take Gods name in vain, and God will not hold you guiltleſs.
Theſe two men, a gracious heart, and a hypocrite, may be compared to two men that follow the King; one that follows the King for ſome Dukedom, and place of Office, to obtain ſome great thing from the King; and a begger that knows not the King, but runs after him for an alms, and if he may have ſix pence or a ſhilling, he goes away quieted: So in the ways of Religion, both ſeem to follow God, a gracious heart follows God, and knows what God is, he knows that God is a bleſſed God, a glorious God, and that there are wonderful great and glorious things to be communicated from God to the ſouls of his people, and therefore he follows God for great things, for heaven, and eternity, and glory, and immortality; an hypocrite, he knows little of God, and he follows God that he may have a little credit and content for a while, and he looks no higher: O baſe ignoble ſpirits, that have no higher thoughts in the ways of God! though we muſt take heed of high thoughts of our ſelves, yet in the ways of God we muſt lift up our ſelves, and have high thoughts, and high ayms. O what difference is there between an hypocrite and a true gracious heart! A gracious heart hath high ends for God in the meaneſt actions, in eating, and drinking, and an hypocrite hath low ends in his higheſt actions, in the moſt ſolemn duties of divine worſhip.
Secondly, thoſe hypocrites are to be rebuked 2.that go on fairly in the profeſſion of Religion, and make conſcience of ſecret ſins, and not onelyonly in ſhews, but really are eſcaped many pollutions of the world, and yet at laſt loſe all for cleaving to ſome one ſin: but there is a great deal of difference between a real eſcaping, and true ſanctifying eſcaping; many may really forſake many pollutions, and many ſins, and yet at laſt loſe all this reward for cloſing with ſome ſecret ſin. O take heed leſt this be any of your portions, you have been vile, and you have reformed your ways in many things, and are not guilty of ſuch and ſuch ſins as you were before; but look to your ſelves that you do not loſe all this reward for ſome one ſin at laſt: let them do what they will in profeſſion, if their hearts do not come off from every ſin, it is all nothing; not but that there may be ſome remainders of ſin, and yet the heart be taken off from every ſin; but if there be any ſecret cloſing with any ſin, all your profeſſion, and the leaving of all the other is to no purpoſe, it will never bring you to this reward: As ſuppoſe a wife ſhould be very ſerviceable to her husband in many things, and forſake many lovers, yet if ſhe entertain but any one lover beſides her husband, her husband does not care for all her ſervice and reſpect; and ſo it is with thoſe that make profeſſion: Look that there be no one ſecret ſin lodge in your hearts, if there be you will loſe all. It was a vexation to Lyſimachus a King, that his ſtaying to drink one draught of water, loſt him his Kingdom: And ſo it will be a vexation to any that have gone on in the ways of godlineſs, that he hath loſt Heaven for one ſin.
It was a grievous affliction upon Moſes, that he came towards Canaan within the ſight of it, and yet for one ſin, not ſanctifying Gods name at the water of Meribah, he was deprived of it, it went to his heart; and ſo it will be a grievous thing when you ſhall come towards Heaven, and for one ſin, not ſanctifying Gods name as you ought, you ſhall be deprived of heavenly Canaan. Many Prodigals have an inheritance, and at one caſt of the Dice loſe it; to loſe this Inheritance at one caſt, is a grievous thing. A man may ſcape many wounds, and ſhots in the Wars, and yet may be killed at laſt with the wound of a Pen-knife, or the wound of a pin or needle: ſo many that have eſcaped many groſs ſins, may by ſome little ſecret luſt be deprived of the glory of heaven. You that are going on in this way, that tend to the reward, take heed you do not loſe all for ſome one ſin.
Thirdly, thoſe that apoſtatize are to be rebuked; 3.Apoſtates go far, and loſe all this reward, becauſe they do not endure to the end, but go back and decline: You were once in a bleſſed way, and had a bleſſed gale, and you were going on apace to heaven, and now you are turned back again; O what have you done! it may be you were near your end, as Chriſt ſaid to the yong man, He is not far from the Kingdom of Heaven: as the Iſraelites were within a few days journey of Canaan, and yet loſt it; ſo many, though they be near in their profeſſion, and have had as it were the taſte of heaven, yet turning back again, they loſe all. As if a man were going a rich Voyage, and juſt as he was entring into the Haven, there ſhould come a guſt of wind and blow him home again, how does it grieve him? I was juſt at the Haven, and if I had entred I had been enriched for ever: So many have gone on in the profeſſion of Religion, if they had continued, who knows but that they might have had all this reward? but for want of continuance they have loſt all, and they are come ſhort of the glory of God. We may ſay to them, as the Angel ſaid to Hagar; Hagar, from whence comeſt thou, and whither goeſt thou? So it may be ſaid to an Apoſtata, Poor creature, from whence comeſt thou, and whither goeſt thou? Thou comeſt from heaven and eternal life, and thou art going to hell and eternal death. You know how earneſt the Apoſtle was with the Galatians, when they had once received the faith, and drew back again, ſays he, Who hath bewitched you? Was there ever ſuch wickedneſs like this? to receive that faith that brings ſuch happineſs, and after you have received it to turn back again; Who hath bewitched you? And this is the fourth Uſe.
Fifthly, if there be ſuch a glorious recompence of reward for the people of God; this ſhould then encourage Uſe 5.ſuch as are looking towards, and ſuch as are walking in the ways of God.
Firſt, it may encourage to begin betimes in Gods 1.ways: It is your wiſdom to begin to work at the firſt hour, ſeeing God will reward ſo richly. If you were to work for another, and you knew he would give you a great ſum of money for every hour you wrought, you would be ſure to be betimes at work that day: You that are yong, you are deferring, and putting off your repentance; what a ſottiſh deluſion is this? What do you loſe, you loſe a great deal of the reward you might have: Therefore you little ones, as ſoon you come to know any thing of the ways of God, embrace them, for you ſhall be rewarded abundantly for every minute of an hour: Therefore the loſing the time of youth, yea, the loſing of any opportunity of doing any gracious action, is an eternal loſs: for if God reward every one according to his works, then the loſs of an opportunity to do a good work, is an eternal loſs; they that have neglected opportunities, let them conſider what they have loſt, and you that have your time before you, begin betimes; if a man were working, and knew not when he ſhould be paid, or how he ſhould get his wages, he would come late to work, and would be negligent, but God would not have you come into his vineyard upon thoſe terms, but promiſes he will reward you, and therefore begin betimes.
Secondly, here is an incouragement to Gods 2.people to be ſtrict, if we look for ſuch a glorious reward, we had need be accurate; many cry out, What need men be ſo ſtrict? Indeed if they had no higher ends then your baſe ends, you might ſay ſo; a baſe hypocrite what need he be ſo ſtrict? but for a gracious heart, that hath ſuch high, and noble, and glorious ends as theſe are in his work, as a crown, and glory, and the like, he had need be ſtrict and preciſe. In ordinary pieces of work, by which workmen do not expect much, they are not ſo ſtrict and exact; but if a man be about ſome curious work, that he expects ſome great matter for, then he will be very ſtrict: and ſo becauſe Gods people do expect ſuch great matters for Religion, no wonder that they are ſo ſtrict and preciſe.
Thirdly, if there be ſuch a glorious reward, here is an encouragement to be very fervent and zealous 3.in the ways of God, becauſe they ſerve ſuch a God, and ſhall have ſuch reward, ſays the Apoſtle, in Rom. 12. 11. Be fervent in ſpirit, ſerving the Lord; as if he ſhould ſay, Do you know whom you ſerve? You ſerve the Lord, the high, and mighty, and glorious, and infinite God; and therefore you had need be fervent in ſpirit; do that you do with all your might and power, for it is for that God that will do ſuch great things for you. As David when he danced before the Ark, he did it with all his might: Michol not knowing his meaning, ſcorned him in her heart; but ſays he, It was before the Lord that choſe me before your Fathers houſe, that hath beſtowed ſuch mercies upon me, and will beſtow more mercies, and if this be to be vile, I will be more vile. Carnal hearts cannot endure earneſtneſs, and fervency in Gods ſervice; as the wilde beaſts cannot endure fire, ſo beaſtly carnal ſpirits cannot endure fire, fervency, and zeal in Gods ways; but ſuppoſe they ſhould oppoſe you for fervency in Gods ways, you might anſwer them, If this be to be vile, I will be more vile; It is for that God that hath done great things for me, and that I hope to receive great things from hereafter eternally.
Fourthly, if there be ſuch a glorious reward, be 4.encouraged to be abundant in Gods ſervice; this is the Argument of the Apoſtle, in 1 Cor. 15. 58. Be ye ſtedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, foraſmuch as you know your labor is not in vain in the Lord. By that which hath been ſaid, you may know your labor is not in vain with the Lord; be abundant in ſervice, there ſhall not be one tear, nor one ſigh, nor one prayer loſt; many ſay, Why do you ſo much, will not leſs ſerve? The godly do not onelyonly aym at the reward, that will require abundance, but they would have the heigth of the reward, and therefore they think they never have done enough. It is an expreſſion of Auſtin, If a man ſhould ſerve the Lord a thouſand years, it would not deſerve an hour of the reward in Heaven, much leſs an eternity: Though it is true, the grace of the Lord is glorious, and he does accept of his grace, as the moſt glorious thing in the world, yet conſidering what our actions are, how much corruption is mingled with them, it would not deſerve a moment in Heaven, and therefore we had need do as much as we can. 2 Peter 3. 11. Seeing then that all theſe things ſhall be diſſolved, what maner of perſons ought ye to be in all maner of holy converſation and godlineſs? We ſhould be aſhamed and confounded in our thoughts that we can do no more; and if there ſhould be ſhame in Heaven, when the Saints ſhall ſee and enjoy ſo much there, would they not be aſhamed that they have done no more for that God ſo glorious in his bounty & goodneſs here?
Fifthly, if there be ſuch a glorious recompence of reward, then let us labor to be faithful with God, becauſe 5.we have ſuch a good Maſter, that is ſo good and gracious to us. Princes make account they engage the hearts of their ſubjects that are about them, to be faithful with them by their great rewards, and by keeping of them in expectation of great things: The great things that God hath prepared for us, do lay more engagements upon our hearts to be faithful with him: Let us not be falſe to ſuch a God as this is; God expects we ſhould be faithful upon this ground, Iſaiah 63. 7, 8. There are large expreſſions of the goodneſs of the Lord unto his people; and what follows, Surely they are my people, children that will not lye: As if he ſhould ſay, Theſe are a people that I expect ſhould be ſatisfied with me. In Pſal. 36. 5. there God joyns his mercy and his faithfulneſs both together: As Gods mercies and faithfulneſs are joyned together, ſo let the hope of Gods mercies to us, and our faithfulneſs unto God, be joyned together. It was an argument of God unto Abraham, I am God All-ſufficient, and I am your exceeding great reward, walk before me, and be upright: As if he ſhould ſay, You need not go and ſhark unto any other creature, you have reward enough in me, therefore walk before me, and be upright: So by all that which God hath revealed unto you concerning this glorious reward of his people, God ſays, You need not go and ſeek any thing elſe, you need not be ſharking up and down after the creature, Is there not enough in me to ſatisfie any creature living? The ground why any depart from God in a way of unfaithfulneſs, is becauſe they have diſtruſtful thoughts, and think there is not enough to be had in God, but they had need ſhift for themſelves another way: If we underſtand this glorious reward, and our hearts cloſe with it, this temptation could not have power to draw our hearts from it: Therefore God is ſo plentiful in the manifeſtation of his goodneſs, becauſe his people ſhould not have any ſhifting thoughts; there is enough in God, and in the treaſures of his grace to make up all.
Now by that which hath been ſaid, be encouraged to go on in thoſe ways in which you have no preſent encouragement; there are many ways in which you have no encouragement from God or men; you pray, and hear, and perform duties, and do not finde God come in that way, let the reward that is to come be enough to encourage you. You do many good things, and men are ungrateful, and will not requite them; well, let this quiet you, There is a glorious reward to come. I remember a ſpeech of Luther, That ſervitude to men, though it be to ungrateful men, does pleaſe God, and God, ſays he, wil abundantly reward you for it, and that ſhould be more ſweet to us then all the treaſures in the world. In Iſa. 49. 4. ſays the Prophet, I have labored in vain, I have ſpent my ſtrength for nought and in vain; yet truly my judgement is with the Lord, and my work with my God. It is a ſpeech of Latimer, ſpeaking of Miniſters that would leave their flock becauſe they did no good; ſays he, It is very naughtily done, we muſt look to that which God commands us, and leave the iſſue to God: Chriſt ſaith, Follow me, me, me, (three times he hath it) and not your own luſts; let us do our own work, and leave the reward with God: Though it be a ſweet encouragement for the Miniſters of God to ſee ſomething of their labor, yet if they do not, it is enough to make them go on in a way of obedience for the preſent, becauſe God commands it though there were no reward, but when we do obey God, and pleaſe God for the preſent, and it ſhall be rewarded ſo gloriouſly hereafter, let not this be any excuſe, We can do no good: if you be convinced of a duty, whether there be good or no good come of it, whether there be preſent encouragement or not, it is enough that it ſhall be gloriouſly rewarded hereafter.
Sixthly, if there be ſuch a glorious reward, ſuch 6.bleſſed things as theſe reſerved for the people of God: hence then let us dwell a little in admiring at the goodneſs of God, at the infinite treaſures of the riches of the glory of the grace of God towards the children of men: Certainly, Brethren, great are the thoughts of God towards mankinde, wonderful are his ways to this poor creature of his: What is man, ſays the Pſalmiſt, nay, what is man indeed? when as we conſider what God hath done for him. In Rom. 8. 31. after the Apoſtle had ſpoke of glorification, and of the bleſſed eſtate of Gods people hereafter, ſays the Apoſtle, What ſhall we ſay to theſe things? So ſeeing theſe things are ſo that are revealed, What ſhall we ſay to theſe things? O the heighth, and length, and depth, and breadth of the loving kindeneſs of the Lord! how unſearchable are his judgements! ſhall we ſay, How unſearchable are his mercies? and his mercies paſt finding out. O how great is thy goodneſs which thou haſt laid up for them that fear thee, which thou haſt wrought before the ſons of men! Pſal. 31. 19. If ever God wrought about any thing, it was about the communication of his goodneſs to mankinde; yea, how great is it before the ſons of men, before us that have but a little made known to us? How great is it before Angels then, and before God himſelf? In Pſal. 113. 6. it is ſaid, God humbleth to behold things that are done in heaven: It is much that God ſhould vouchſafe to behold any thing in heaven; but now that God ſhould vouchſafe to behold ſuch a poor wretched creature as man is here upon earth, and not to behold him onelyonly, but to work thus gloriouſly for him, and that from all eternity, to make it his great work to communicate himſelf to man; O how does God humble himſelf here, and how is his mercy and goodneſs to be admired and adored by the ſons of men! God is to be praiſed for the leaſt of his mercies here, but he is to be admired in the glory of his rich grace in heaven. We read Pſal. 136. God is praiſed twenty five times for his mercies, but the concluſion of all is, Praiſe the God of Heaven, for his mercies endure for ever; his mercies, as he is the God of heaven, they are the glorious mercies indeed. When the Scripture would ſet forth the excellency of a thing, it expreſſeth it by heaven, as the excellency of Chriſt, He is the Lord from heaven, 1 Cor. 15. 47. The excellency of God, the God of heaven, Jonah 1. 9. It is made the top of Chriſts glory, that he is made higher then the heavens, Heb. 7. 26. When Chriſt would ſhew the excellency of the bread of life, he ſays, It is bread from heaven; the excellency of ſpiritual bleſſings is ſet out in this, that they are bleſſings in heavenly places, Eph. 1. Becauſe gold is the moſt precious mettal, therefore we lay it over other things, not onelyonly wood and cloth, but ſilver it ſelf: ſo becauſe heaven is ſo excellent, the Lord gilds as it were his choiceſt bleſſings with this adjunct, and all to ſhew the wonderful excellency there is in heaven it ſelf.
Brethren, God hath therefore revealed theſe things to us, to that end that the glory of his grace might be great in the world: God would have us have high, and honorable, and glorious thoughts of his goodneſs; God would have the high praiſes of his grace to be in the hearts and in the mouthes of his Saints; it is a great evil to have low and mean apprehenſions of the glorious grace of God to mankinde; you do not know what diſhonor you bring to God in it: If your hearts be not raiſed on high, and enlarged in the thoughts of the free and glorious grace of God to mankinde, it is an exceeding diſhonor to him. To ſee the riches of Gods glorious grace to the children of men, it is a mighty work of faith, and ſuch a work as the ſoul is enabled to do onelyonly by a mighty and glorious work of the holy Ghoſt in it; indeed there is in the world a baſe, and poor, and mean apprehenſion of the grace of God in Chriſt, ſuch as does not work at all to raiſe, and enlarge, and glorifie the heart of a man, but the true ſight of the riches of Gods glorious grace, it hath a mighty power to raiſe, and enlarge, and glorifie the hearts of the children of men while they are here; as mark the expreſſions of the Apoſtle in his Prayer for the Epheſians, 1 Epheſ. 17. 18. That the God of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, the Father of glory, may give unto you the Spirit of wiſdom and revelation in the knowledge of him; The eyes of your underſtanding being enlightned, that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints: not the inheritance of the Saints, but the inheritance in the Saints, and the glory of the inheritance, and the riches of the glory, and they muſt not onelyonly have underſtanding to know this, but the eyes of their underſtanding muſt be enlightened, and this muſt come from the knowledge of Chriſt, from the Spirit of wiſdom and Revelation, and from the Father of glory, the God of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. The ſight of the excellency and riches of Gods grace here, it is that that is the work of God ſhining into the heart, 2 Cor. 4. 6. For God who commanded the light to ſhine out of darkneſs, hath ſhined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jeſus Chriſt: The unſearchable truths of the Goſpel are in that which hath been revealed ſo far as we are able to wade into them. The ſight of Gods rich glory, is that which the Princes of the world have not known, it is that which requires a work of the Spirit of God, Of that Spirit which ſearcheth 1 Cor. 2. 10.the deep things of God.
O brethren, if you had a true ſpiritual ſight of the richneſs of the goodneſs of God in the way of his communication of happineſs and glory to the children of men, then you ſee into the great deſign of God, into the deep counſels of his wiſdom, then God hath laid open his heart unto you, God hath brought you into the treaſures of his riches, and given you a view of them; the very ſecrets of Gods ſoul are imparted to you, and bleſſed are your eyes that have ſeen theſe things: if the ſight of Gods glory in his grace towards mankinde be ſeen in true beauty and height, and glory indeed, there is no fear that they ſhould do hurt to any ſoul; it is true, the apprehenſion of the grace of God in a natural way, is the cauſe of ſecurity or preſumption in many, but there was never any in the world that was furthered in a way of ſecurity and preſumption upon the ſpiritual ſight and view they have had of the heighth and depth of the riches of the glory of the grace of God in the face of Jeſus Chriſt: That ſight of Gods grace that is the cauſe of ſecurity in people, is that which is grounded meerly upon a natural light, which hath no efficacy to raiſe, and enlarge, and to purge the heart: But this true ſpiritual ſight of Gods grace, it hath a mighty efficacy, and nothing more, to raiſe, and enlarge, and purge the heart. In 2 Corinth. 3. 18. ſays the Apoſtle, We beholding the glory of the Lord as in a mirror: What then, are we ſecure and preſumptuous upon this? No, We are changed into the ſame image from glory to glory. What was that glory that the Apoſtle did behold? the glory of God in the mirror of the Goſpel, the glory of God in the riches of his grace towards the Saints: Now ſays he, While we behold, as in a mirror, this glory of God, this is the fruit of it, We are changed from glory to glory. People talk of Gods mercy, but how few ever had a ſpiritual ſight of Gods mercy? they would have Miniſters preach much of Gods mercy, but if people had eyes to behold it in the glory of it, how would it change their hearts? wherefore then, I beſeech you, labor to have more then a natural ſight of Gods mercy and goodneſs towards mankinde. A man by a low apprehenſion of Gods mercy and goodneſs may think thus: So long as I ſerve God, it ſhall be well with me, God will bleſs me, and be merciful to me; but that ſpiritual and ſupernatural ſight of the riches of the glory of Gods mercy, is this, for a ſoul though it ſees it ſelf a baſe vile wretched worm, a lump of filth, and ſees it ſelf ſtanding guilty before the Lord, and God ſeems to look with an angry face upon it, and conſcience within it accuſes it, and the threats of the fiery Law come out againſt it; yet for a ſoul to be able to look into the deep bowels of Gods infinite compaſſion that are in Chriſt, and in them to look upon it ſelf for all this as an heir of glory and eternal life, ſo as to have the ſoul raiſed, and enlarged, and devoted to the magnifying, praiſing and adoring the riches of Gods grace, and to venture all upon this, this is more then a natural ſight of Gods grace, and of his mercy towards mankinde.
You will ſay, We could admire Gods grace and Object.mercy towards mankinde, and praiſe him, and bleſs him for it, and our hearts would be enlarged, If we were ſure theſe things did belong to us, and that we had any intereſt in them; there is enough in them to enlarge and raiſe our hearts, but this is that which hinders, We do not know that we have an intereſt therein.
To that I anſwer, That this very work of God it Anſ.ſelf, that gives this ſight of his grace to raiſe up the heart to cloſe with it, and to make the ſoul venture all upon it, that does bring the ſoul to devote it ſelf to the praiſe and honor of it; this very work of it ſelf does intereſt your ſouls in it, therefore do not ſay, If I were intereſted in theſe things, then I could praiſe and magnifie God for them: If you can do this, you are intereſted in them, for this is an immediate work of faith, and it is from a divine principle to be able to do this, and therefore though you know no good at all in your ſelves before, and you had no arguments to encourage you before, and you had no preparation in your own apprehenſions before, yet if you have but this work of grace, it does intereſt your ſouls in all that which hath been revealed concerning the recompence of reward of the Saints of God.
But may we not preſume to think that ſuch great Object.things belong to us?
To that I anſwer, Where ever preſumption is, Anſ.it is built upon a natural ſight of Gods grace, and that is a poor low flat dead thing, that hath no ſuch efficacy to raiſe the heart to ſuch a glorious work as this is, and therefore if the heart be raiſed to ſuch a glorious work as this, by the appprehenſion of the riches of the grace and goodneſs of God towards mankinde, that is not preſumption: And this is the ſixth Uſe.