which softens and sanctifies the heart ; tlie word preached is called the ' ministry of the Spirit,' 2 Cor. iii. 8., because the Spirit of God makes use of this engine to convert souls. If the word preached doth not work upon men, nothing will ; not judgments, nor miracles ; no, nor though one should arise from the dead, Luke xvi. 31. If a glorified saint should come out of heaven, and assume a body, and tell you of all the glory of heaven, and the joys of the blessed, and j>crsu.ide you to believe, — if the preach- ing of the word will not bring you to hea- ven, neither would his rhetoric do it who rose from the dead. In heaven there will be no need of ordinances, but there is while we live here ; the lamp needs oil, but the star needs none. While the saints have their lamp of grace burning here, they need the oil of ordinances to be continually drop- ping upon them ; but there will be no need of this oil when they are stars in heaven. If you intend to get to heaven, be swift to hear ; for faith comes by hearing, Rom. x. 14. 17. Peter let down the net of his mi- nistry, and at one draught catched three thousand souls. If you would have hea- ven's door opened to you, wait at the posts of wisdom's door.
17. If you would arrive at heaven, have this kingdom ever in your eye. Our bless- ed Lord looked at the joy that was set be- fore him ; and Moses " had respect to the recompense of reward," Heb. xi. 26. Let the kingdom be much in our thoughts ; me- ditation is the means to help us to heaven.
Quest. IIow doth it help ?
Ans. 1. As it is a means to prevent sin. No sword like this to cut asunder the sinews of temptation ; it is almost impossible to sin presumptuously with the lively t]»<tiights and hopes of heaven ; it was when Moses was out of sight that Israel set uj) a calf, and worshipped it : so it is when the king- dom of heaven is out of sight, I mean, out of meu's thoughts, that they set up their lusts, and idolize them. The meditation of heaven banisheth sin ; he who thinks of the weight of glory,throws away the weight of sin.
A. 2. To meditate on the kingdc»m of hea- ven, would excite and quicken obedience. We should think we could never pray e- nough, never love God enough, who hath
OF THE SECOND PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER.
469
prpparcd such a kingdom for us. Immema I gon is meant the lieathenish empire ; now (jhria calcar habet St. Paul had lieaven in | when liis tail cast so many to the earth, it his eye, he was once caught up thither; and how active was he for (iod ! 1 Cor. xvi. 10. This would oil the wheels of ohedienco.
A. 3. It would make us strive after holi- ness, hecausc none but such are admitted into this kingdom, only the pure in heart shall see God, Mat. v. 8. Holiness is the language of heaven ; it is the only coin will p;!ss current in heaven ; this considered, would make us " cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting liohiiess in the fear of God," 2 Cor. vii. 1. — Thus you see how the meditation of heaven would 1)0 a means to bring us thither.
18. The last means for obtaining the hea- venly kingdom is ])orseverauce in holiness. Rev. ii. 10., " Be thou faithful unto death," and thou shalt receive the crown of life. In Christians, nun iuitia scd Jines laudantur.
illEROM.
l.s/. Is there such a thing as persevering?
2d. How doth a Christian come to perse- vere ?
3f/. What Jirc the encouragements?
4//<. What the helps ?
\st. Is there such a thing as persevering till we come to heaven ? The Arniinians deny it ; and truly that Jiny one holds out to the kingdom, is a wonder, if you consider,
1. Wiiat a world of corruption is mingled with grace ; grace is apt to be stifled, as the coal to be choked with its own ashes ; grace is oft like a spark in the sea, it is a wonder it is not quenched ; it is a wonder sin doth not do to grace, as sometimes the nurse to the child, overlay it that it die, so that this infant of grace is smothered.
2. The implacable malice of Satan ; he envies that we should have a kingdom, when he himself is cast out ; it cuts him to the heart to see a piece of dust and clay be made a bright star in glory, and he himself an angel of darkness ; lie will Acheronta mo- vere, — move all the powers of hell, — to hin- der us from the kingdom ; he spits his ve- nom, shoots his fiery darts, raiseth a storm of persecution, yesi, and ])revails against some. Rev. xii. 3, 4., " Tliere aj)peared a great red dragon, and his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth." By the red dra-
is a wonder that any of the stars keep fixed in their orb.