a wild-goose chase after that whicli Imth decfivecl them at last. But now for heaven and the things of heaven, there is such a clear and certain rule laid down, that if we will but take the counsel of the word, we can neither mistake the way, nor in that way miscaiTy of the end. ' As many as walk by this i"ule, peace be upon them, and the whole Israel of God.' There are some indeed who run, and yet obtain not this prize, that seek and find not, knock and hud tlie door shut upon them ; but it is, because they do it either not in the right manner, or in the right season. Some would have heaven ; but, if God save them, he must save their sins also, for they do not mean to part with them ; and how heaven can hold God and such company together, judge you : as they come in at one door, Christ and all those holy spirits with him would run out at the other. Ungrateful wretches ! that will not come to this glorious feast, unless they may bring that with them which would disturb the joy of that bliss- ful state, and offend all the guests that sit at the table with them ; yea, drive God out of his own mansion-house. A second sort would have heaven, but, like him in Ruth, iv. 2 — 4, who had a mind to his kinsman Ellmclech's land, and would have paid for the piu'chase, but he liked not to have it by marrying Rnth, and so missed of it. Some seem very forward to have heaven and salvation, if their own righteousness could procure the same ; all the good they do, and duties they perform, they lay up for this purchase, but at last perish, because they close not with Christ, and take not heaven in his right. ' A third sort are content to have it by Christ, but their desires are so impotent and listless, that they put them upon no vigoi'ous use of means to obtain him, and so, like the sluggard, they starve, beca\ise they will not pull their hands out of their bosom of sloth to reach their food that is before them ; for the world they have metal enough, and too much ; they trudge far and near for that, and when they have ran themselves out of breath, can stand and ' pant after the dust of the earth,' as the prophet phraseth it, Amos ii. 7. But for Christ, and obtaining interest in him, O how key-cold are they ! There is a kind of cramp invades all the powers of their souls when they should pray, hear, examine their hearts, draw out their aflections in hungerings and thirstings after his grace and Spirit. It is strange to see how they even now went full swoop to the world, are suddenly becalmed, not a breath of wind stirring to any purpose in their souls after these things : and is it any wonder that Christ and heaven shoidd be denied to them that have no more mind to them? Lastly, Some have zeal enough to have Christ and heaven, but it is when the master of the house is risen, and hath shut to the door ; and truly then they may stand long enough rapping before any^ come to let them in. There is no gospel preached in another world; but as for thee, poor soul, who art persuaded to renounce thy lusts, throw away the conceit of thy own righteousness, that thou mayest run with more speed to Christ; and art so possessed with the excellency of Christ, thy own present need of him, and salvation by him, that thou pantest after him more than life itself; — in God's name go on and speed, be of good comfort; he calls tliee by name to come unto him, that thou mayest have rest for thy soul. There id an office in the word where thou mayest have thy soul and its external happiness insured to thee. Those tiiat come to him, as he will himself in no wise cast away, so not suffer any other to pluck them away. ' This day,' said Christ to Zaccheus, ' salvation is come to thy house,' Luke xix. 9. Salvation conies to thee, poor soid, that openest thy heart to receive Christ ; tiiou hast eternal life already, as siu-e as if thou wast "a glorified saint now walking in that heavenly city. O sirs, if there were a free trade proclaimed to the Indies, enough gold for all that went, and a certainty of making a safe voyage, who would stay at home ? But alas, this can never be had : alfthis, and infinitely more, may be said for heaven ; and yet how few leave their uncertain hopes of the woidd to trade for it? What account can be given for this, but the desperate atheism of men's hearts ? They are not yet fully persuaded whether the Scripture speaks true or not, whether they may rely upon the discovery that God makes in his word of this new-found land, and those mines of spirituals there to be had, as certain. God open the eyes of the unbelieving world, as he did the prophet's servants, that they may see these things to be realities, not fictions; it is faith only that gives a being to these things in our hearts. By faith Moses saw him that was invisible.
Tha-dly^ Earthly things, when we have them, we are not sure of them ; like
IN IIEAVEXLY THINGS. 161