will they venture thus for earthly promo- tions, and shall not we strive more for an heavenly kingdom ? This is " a kingdom which cannot be moved," Heb. xii. 28., a kingdom where there is unparalleled beauty, unstained honour, unmixed joy ; a kingdom where there shall be nothing present which we could wish were removed, nor nothing absent which we could wish were cnjoycfL Sure if there be any spark of grace, or true generosity in our breasts, we will not suffer ourselves to be out-striven by others ; we will not let them take more pains for earth- ly honours, than we do for that excellent glory which will crown all our desires !
20. How much pains do some men take to go to hell, and shall not we take more pains to go to heaven ? Jer. ix. 5., " They weary themselves to commit inicjuity." Sin- ners hackney themselves out in the devil's service : what pains do some men take to satisfy their unclean lusts ! They waste their estates, — wear the shameful marks of their sin about them, — they will visit the harlot's house, though it stands the next door to hell, Prov. vii. 27., " Her house is the way to hell." What pains do others take in persecuting ! Holiness is the white they shoot at. It is said of Antiochus Epi- phanes, he undertook more tedious jour- neys, and went upon greater hazards, to vex and oppose the Jews, than any of his predecessors had done in getting of victo- ries. The devil blows the horn, and meu ride post to hell, as if they feared hell would be full ere they would get thither. When Satan had entered into Judas, how active was Judas ! He goes to the high priests, from them to the band of soldiers, and with them back again to the garden, and never left till he had betrayed Christ. How in- dustrious were the idolatrous Jews ! So fiercely were they bent upon their sin, that tiiey would sacrifice their sons and daugh- ters to their idol-gods, Jer. xxxii. .35. Do men take all this pains for hell, and shall not we take pains for the kingdom of hea- ven ? The wicked have nothing to encou- rage them in their sins, they have all the threatenings of God as a flaming sword a- gainst them. O let it never be said, that the devil's servants are more active than Christ's; that they serve him better who
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rewards them only with fire and brimstone, than we do God, who rewards us with a kingdom !
21. The labour we take for heaven, is a labour full of pleasure, Prov. iii. 17. A man sweats at his recreation, tires himself witli hunting, but there is a delight he takes in it, which sweetens it, Rom. vii. 22., " I delight in the law of God after the inward man," (Gr.) I take pleasure. Not only is the kingdom of heaven delightful, but the way thither ; what a delight hath a gracious soul in prayer ! Isa. Ivi. 7., " I will make them joyful in my house of prayer." While a Christian weeps, there is joy drops with tears ; while he is musing on God, he hath such illapses of the Spirit, and, as it were, such transfigurations of soul, that he thinks himself half in heaven, Ps. Ixiii. 5, 6., " My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips, when I remember thee upon my bed," &c. A Christian's work for heaven is like a bridegroom's work on the morning of the marriage-day, he puts on his vesture and wedding-robes, in which he shall be married to his bride ; so, in all the duties of religion, we are putting on those wedding robes, in which we shall be married to Christ in glory. O what solace and inward peace is there in close walking with God ! Isa. xxxii. 17., " The work of righteousness shall be pnace." Serving of God is like gather- ing of spices or flowers, wherein there is some labour, but the labour is recompensed Avith delight. Working for heaven is like digging in a gold mine ; the digging is la- bour, but getting the gold is pleasure. O then let us bestir ourselves for the kingdom of heaven ; it is a labour full of pleasure ! A Christian would not part with his joy for the most delicious music ; he would not ex- change his anchor of hope for a crown of gold. Well might David say, In kcej)ing (liy precepts " there is great reward," Ps. xix. 1 ]., not only after keeping thy i)recepts, but in keeping them ; a Christian liuth both the spring-flowers and the crop ; inward de- light in serving God, there is the spring- flowers ; in the kingdom of glory at last, there is the full crop.
22. How industrious have the saints in former a^jes been ! They thought they could