good air, and a pleasant prospect ; there is the best air, which is perfumed with the o- dours of Christ's ointments ; and a most pleasant prospect of the bright morning-star. (4.) The j)alace is rich and sumptuous; it bath gates of ])earl, Rev. xxi. 21. It is en- riched witli white robes and crowns of glo- ry ; and this palace never falls to decay, and the dwellers in it never die, Rev. xxii. 5., " They shall reign for ever and ever."
2. A royal feast. It is called, " the mar- riage-supper of the Lamb," Rev. xix. 9., which Bullinger and Gregory the Great, un- derstand of tbe magnificent supper prepared in the kingdom of heaven. A glorious feast it will be, in respect of tbe founder, God, — the glorified saints shall feast their eyes with God's beauty, and their hearts with bis love; a delicious feast it will be, in res- pect of the festivity and holy mirth, — what joy when there sliall be tbe anthems and triumphs of glorified spirits ? When saints and angels shall twist together in an insepa- rable union of love, and lie in each others sweet embraces ; a royal banquet it shall be, where there is no surfeit, because con- tinually a fresh course is served in. The serious consideration what a kingdom hea- ven is, would be a means to quicken our endeavours in the pursuit after it. What causeth men to make voyages to the Indies, but the consideration of tbe gold and spices which are to be had there ? Did we survey and contemj)late the glory of heaven, wo would soon take a voyage, and never leave till we bad arrived at the celestial kingdom. 2d. Consideration. How it will trouble you, if you should perish, to think you came short of beaven for want of a little more pains ! The prophet Elisha bid the king of Israel smite the ground six times, and he smote but thrice, and stayed, 2 Kings xiii. 19.; and he lost many victories by it; so, when a man shall think thus, " I did some- thing in religion, but did not do enough ; I prayed but it was coldly ; I did not ])ut coals to the incense ; I heard tbe word, but
is sweet. Hell is a dark dungeon, but tbe \ did not meditate on it; I did not chew the
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cud ; I smote but thrice, and I should liave smitten six times ; had I taken a little more pains, I had been Imppy, but I have lost the kingdom of lieaven by short-shooting," - — the consideration, how terrible the thoughts of this will be, that we should lose ncavcn for want of a little more pains, will be a means to spur on our sluggish hearts, and make us more diligent to get the kingdom.
3. The third means for obtaining this kingdom, is to keep up daily prayer, Ps. cix. 4., " I give myself to prayer." Prayer in- flames the affections, and oils the wheels of endeavour ; prayer prevails with God, it un- locks his bowels, and then he unlocks heaven; all that have got to heaven, have crept thi- ther upon their knees ; the saints now in heaven, have been men of prayer; Daniel prayed three times a day, Jacob wrestled with God in prayer, and as a prince prevail- ed ; this prayer must be fervent, else it is thurlbulum sine prunis, as Luther, a golden censer A\ithout fire. O follow God with prayers and tears ! Say as Jacob to the an- gel, Gen. xxxii. 26., " I will not let thee go except thou bless me." Prayer vincit in- vincibikm, Luther ; it conquers the Omni- potent. Elijah by prayer, opened heaven ; by ardent and constant prayer, heaven is at last opened to us.
4. If you would obtain the heavenly king- dom, get a love to heaven. Love puts a man upon the usp of all means to enjoy the thing loved. He that loves the world, how active is lie ? He will break his sleep and peace for it. He that loves honour, what ha/ards will he run? He will swim to the throne in blood. Jacob loved Rachel, and what would not he do, though it were serv- ing a two seven-years a]»prenticeship for ob- taining her ? Love carries a man out vio lently to the object loved. Love is like wings to the bird, like sails to the shij) ; it cai'ries a Christian full sail to heaven ; hea- ven is a place of rest and joy, it is paradise, and will you not love it .'' Love heaven, and you cannot miss it ; love breaks through all opposition, it takes heaven by storm ; love, though it labour, is never weary; it is like the rod of myrtle in the travellei's hand, which makes him fresh and lively in his travel, and keeps him from being weary.