12. There is nothing else but this king- dom of heaven we can make sure of; we cannot make sure of life. Quis scit an adjici- ant hodicrnce crastina vifce tenipora dii svperi ? Hon. When our breath goes out, we know not whether we shall draw it in again I How many are taken away suddenly ? We cannot make riches sure, it is uncertain whether we shall get them ; the world is like a lottery, every one is not sure to draw a prize ; or, if we get riches, we are not sure to keep them, Prov. xxiii. 5., " Riches certainly make themselves wings and lly away.' Experience seals to the truth of this. Many who have had plentiful estates, yet, by fire, or losses at sea, they have been squeezed as spunges, and all their estates exhausted : but if men should keep their estates a while, yet death strips them of all When death's gun goes off, away flies thfr estate, 1 Tim. vi. 7., " It is certain we can carry nothing" out of the world : so that there is no making sure of any thing here below, but we may make sure of the king- dom of heaven, Prov. xi. 1 8., " To him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure re- ward." He who hath grace is sure of Iiea- ven, for he hath heaven begun in him. A believer hath an evidence of heaven. Hob. xi. 1., " Faith is the evidence of things not seen." He hath an earnist of glory, 2 (or. i. 22., " Who hath ait>o given the earnest of
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the Spirit." An oanicst is part of tlie wliolc sum. He liatli a sure hope, llel). vi. IJ)., " Which hope we have as an anchor." This anchor is cast upon God's ju'oniise, Tit. i. 2., " In hope of eternal life, whicli (jod that cannot lie promised." So that here is great encouragement to take pains for heaven, we may make sure of this kingdom.
13. Tiie kingdom of heaven cannot he ohtained without labour. Nun est ad asfra niolis, e tern's via. A boat may as well get to land without oars, as we to heaven with- out labour. We cannot have the world without labour, and do we think to have heaven ? If a man digs for gravel, much more for gold, Phil. iii. 14., " I press to- ward the mark." Heaven's gate is not like that iron gate which opened to Peter of its own accord, Acts. xii. 10. Heaven is not like those ripe figs which " fall into the mouth of the eater," Nab. iii. 12. No, there must be taking pains. Two things are re- quisite for a Christian, — a watchful eye, and a working hand. We must, as Hannibal, force a way to the heavenly kingdom through difficulties. We must win the garland of glory by labour, before we wear it with tri- umph. God hath enacted this law, that no man shall eat of the trte of paradise, but in the sweat of his brow : how then dare any censure Chi'istian diligence ? how dare they say you take more pains for heaven than needs ? God saith, ' Strive as in an agony, — fight the good ' fight of faith ;' and they say, " you arc too strict :" but who shall we believe? An holy God that bids us strive, or a profane atiieist that saith we strive too much ?
14. Much of our time being already misspent, we IijkI need work the harder for the kingdom of heaven ; he who hath lost his time at school, and often played truant, had need ply it the harder, that he may gain a stock of learning; he who hath slept and loitered in the beginning of his journey, had need ride the faster in the evening, hst he fall short of the place he is travelling to. Some here present are in their youth, others in the flower of their age, others liavc grey hairs, the almond-tree blossoms, and ])er- haps they have been very regardless of their Bouls and heaven. Time spent unprofita- bly is not time lived, but time lost ; if there