livery, renounce religion. Here was a ten- tation handed over to him by his wife ; the woman was made of the rib, the devil turn- ed this rib into an arrow, and would have shot Job to the heart, but his faith quench- ed this fiery dart. Beware of carnal rela- tions : we read that some of Christ's kindred laid hold on him, and would have hindered him when he was going to preach, Mark iii. 21., " They said, he is beside himself." Our kindred sometimes would stand in our way to heaven, and, judging all zeal rash- ness, would hinder us from being saved. Such carnal relations Spira had ; for, advis- ing with them whether he should remain constant in his orthodox opinion, they per- suaded him to recant ; and so, abjuring his former faith, he fell into horror and despon- dency of mind. Galeacius, marquis of Vi- co, found his c.irnal relations a great block in his way ; and what ado had he to break through their tentations ? Take heed of a snare in your bosom. It is a braA'e saying of Jerom, Si mater mihi libera ostcndat, ^c. " If my parent should persuade me to deny Christ, — if my mother should shew me her breast that gave me suck, — if my wife should go to charm me with her embraces, — I would forsake all, and fly to Clu-ist."
A. 16. If you would not fall short of the kingdom of heaven, take heed of falling off; beware of apostacy ; he misseth of the prize, who doth not hold out in the race; he who makes shipwreck of the faith, can- not come to the haven of glory. We live in the fall of the leaf; men fall from that goodness they seemed to have, — some are turned to error, others to vice, — some to drinking and dicing, and others to whoring, — the very mantle of their profession is fal- len off: It is dreadful for men to fall off from hopeful beginnings ! The apostate (saith Tertullian) seems to put God and Satan in the balance, and having weighed both their services, prefers the devil's ser- vice, and proclaims him to be the best mas- ter ; in which respect, the apostate is said to put Christ to open shame, Heb. vi. 6. This is sad at last, Heb. x. 38. If you would not miss of the glory, take heed of a])ostacy; those who fall away, must needs fall short of the kingdom.
I. If we would not come short of this
OF THE SECOND PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER.
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heavenly kin<T:(lom, let us be much in the palace above is bospanfrlcd with ligbt, Col. exercise of self-denial, Mat. xvi. 21., "If i. 12. Such illustrious bcuins of glory sbinc any man will come after me, let bim deny from God, as shed a brightness and splen- himself." He who would go to beaven \ dour upon tbe empyrean beaven. (3.) Tbis must deny self-rigbteousness. Caremlum palace of tbe kingdom is well situated for a
€fit a propria jualitia : Pliil. 3. 9,, " Tbat I may be found in bim, not baring my own righteousness." Tbe spider weaves a web out of her own bowels ; an hypocrite would 6])in a ^v'eb of salvation out of his own righ- teousness, we must deny our civility in point of justification. Civility is a good staff to walk with among men, but it is a bad ladder to climb up to beaven. We must deny our holy things in point of jus- tification. Alas, how arc our duties che- quered with sin ! Put gold in the fire, and there comes out dross ; our most golden serAnccs are mixed with unbelief. Deny self-righteousness ; use duty, but trust to Christ ; Noah's dove made use of her wings to fly, but trusted to tbe ark for safety ! Let duties have your diligence, but not your confidence. Self-denial is via ad rennum : there is no getting into beaven, but through tbis strait gate of self-denial.
2. The second means for the obtaining of the kingdom, is serious consideration ; most men fall short of beaven, for want of con- sideration.
1st. Consideration. We should often consider what a kingdom heaven is ; it is called regmim paratum, — a " kingdom pre- pared," Mat. XXV. 31,, which implies some- thing tbat is rare and excellent. God hath prepared in his kingdom " such things as eye hath not seen nor ear beard," 1 Cor. ii. 9. Heaven is beyond all hyperbole. In particular, in tbis celestial kingdom are two tilings. 1. A stately palace. 2. A royal feast.
1. A stately palace. (1.) It is large, and hath several stories; for the dimensions of it, it is twelve thousand furlongs. Rev. xxi. 15. Or, as it is in some Greek copies:, twelve times twelve thousand furlongs, a fi- nite number put for an infinite; no arith- metician can immber these furlongs; though there be an innumerable company of saints and angels in heaven, yet there is infinitely enough of room to receive them. (2.) Tbe palace of this kingdom is lucid and trans- parent; it 5s adorned with light, the light