4. Branch. It reproves such as were once great zealots in religion, and did seem to be touched with a coal from God's altar, but since they have cooled in their devotion, and have left off the pursuing the celestial king- dom, IIos. viii. 3., " Israel hath cast off the thing that is good ;" there is no face of re- ligion to be seen, they have left off the house of prayer, and gone to play-houses ; they have left off pursuing the heavenly kingdom. Quest. Whence is this ? Alls. I. For want of a supernatural prin- ciple of grace. That branch must needs die which hath no root to grow upon. That which moves from a principle of life lasts as the beating of the pulse ; but that which moves only from an artificial spring, whcu the spring is down, the motion ceaseth. The hypocrite's religion is artificial, not vi- tal, he acts from the outward spring of ap- plause or gain, and if that spring be down, his motion toward heaven cejiseth.
A. 2. From unbelief, Ileb. iii. 12., " An evil heart of unbelief, departing from tho living God," Ps. Ixxviii. 22., " They believ- ed not in God," vcr 41., " Tlrey turned back." Sinners have hard thoughts of God,
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iliey tliitik tliey may pray and hear, yet ne- ver the better. Mat. iii. 14. They question ivlietlier God will give them the kingdom at last ; then tliey turn back, and throw a- way Christ's colours ; they distrust God's love, no wonder then they desert his ser- vice : infidelity is the root, of apostacy.
A. 3. Men leave off pursuing the hea- venly kingdom ; it is from some secret lust novirished in the soul, perhaps a wanton or a covetous lust. Demas for love of the world forsook his religion, and afterwards turned priest in an idol-temple. One of Christ's own apostles was caught wUli a Bilver bait. Covetousness will make n.on betray a good cause, and make shipwreck of a good conscience. If there be any lust tinmortified in the soul, it will bring forth the bitter fruit either of scandal or apostacy. A. 4. Men leave off pursuing the king- dom of heaven out of timorousness ; if they persist in religion, they may lose their plac- es of profit, perhaps their lives. The rea- son (saith Aristotle) why the camelion turns into so many colours, is through excessive fear. When carnal fear prevails, it makes men change their religion, as fast as tlie ca- melion doth its colours. Many of the Jews who were great followers of Christ, when
find Christ the pearl of price in an earthly heart. Wojild we go to the kingdom of heaven? Are we heavenly?
1. Are we heavenly in our contempla- tions ? Do our thoughts run upon this king- dom ? Do we get sometimes upon Mount Pisgah, and take a prospect of glory ? Thoughts are as travellers : most of Da- vid's tlwughts travelled heaven's road, Ps. cxxxix. 17., are our minds heavenlized ? Ps. xlviii. 12., " Walk about Zion, tell the towers thereof, mark ye well her bulwarks." Do we walk into the heavenly mount, and sec what a glorious situation it is ? Do we tell the towers of that kingdom ? While a Chris- tian fixeth his thoughts on God and glory, ive doth as it were tread upon the borders of the heavenly kingdom, and peep Avithin the vail : as Moses, who had a sight of Ca- naan, tliough he did not enter into it, so the heavenly Christian hath a sight of heaven, though he be not yet entered into it.
2. Ave we heavenly in our affections ? Do we set our affections on the kingdom of heaven ? Col. iii. 2. If we are heavenly, we despise all things below in comparison of the kingdom of God ; we look upon the world but as a lieautiful prison, and we cannot be much in love witli our fetters.
they saw the swords and staves, deserted though they are made of gold ; our heart is lam. Wliat Solomon saith of the sluggard, in heaven. A stranger may l)e in a forciffn
is as true of the coward, he saith, ' there is a lion without,' Prov. xxii. 13. He sees dangers before him ; he would go on in the way to the kingdom of heaven, but there is a lion in the way. This is dismal, Ileb. x. 38., " If any man draw back, (in the Greek, if he steals as a soldier from his colours) my soul shall have no pleasure in him."
Use Sd. Of trial. Let us examine whether we shall go to this kingdom when we die : heaven is called ' a kingdom prepared, Mat. xxv.
Quest. How shall we know this kingdom is prepared for us ?
Ans. If we are prepared for the kingdom. Quest. How may that he hnoivn ? Ans. By being heavenly persons; an earthly heart is no more fit for heaven, than a clod of dust is fit to be a star ; there is nothing of Christ or grace in such an heart. It were a miracle to find a pearl in a gold mine, and it as great a miracle to