VeR. 34.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV, 55
he hath prepared for its. How eminent should we be in the labours of holiness, to whom this estate was so peculiarly designed ! Partly in self-denial ; men venture all in this vessel of hope. Belf-denial is seen in refusing and resisting temptations of honour and profit. Sin maketh many promises, and so prevaileth by a carnal hope. Balaam was enticed by proffers of riches to curse God's people ; Babylon's fornications are presented in a golden cup. Now faith and hope sets promise against promise, heaven against earth, the pleasures at God's right hand against carnal delights ; as the kingdoms of the world are nothing to this glorious kingdom. Partly in charity ; laying up trea- sure in heaven : Luke xii. 33, ' Being rich in good works,' 1 Tim. vi. 18. I call this self-denial, because it is a loss for the present, Eccles. ii. So in hazarding interests : christians' blessings are future, their crosses are present, Kom. viii. 18 ; 2 Cor. iv. 12.
Thus you see there are some who are carried on by the hopes of heaven to make serious preparation ; others are wholly wedded and addicted to present things. The world, morally and spiritually con- sidered, is divided into two ranks ; the one of the devil, the other of God. Some seek their rest and happiness on earth, others eternal felicity in heaven. By nature all are of this earthly society, in the kingdom of darkness, and strangers to the commonwealth and city of God ; but when grace hath wrought in them the belief of this coming of Christ, and the hope of this blessed estate is rooted in us, we are always purging out of fleshly lusts, and weaning our hearts from the world, exercising ourselves to godliness, and denying our worldly interests.
4, This hope must moderate our fears, sorrows, and cares, so as no temporal thing should unreasonably affect us : Luke xii. 32, ' Fear not, little flock.' The fear is allayed ; the world cannot take away anything from us so good as Christ will give unto us. If our earthly estate be sequestered, or anyway taken from us, we have a better estate in heaven, Heb. x. 34. If we be reproached and disgraced in this world, yet we shall be kings and priests, and for ever be honoured in heaven. If banished and driven from place to place, so that we can find no rest nor safet}', but are wearied out with our removals, let us consider we have a place of eternal abode in heaven, a kingdom that cannot be shaken, of which none can dispossess us. Our sufferings may be many, long, and grievous, but then all will be at an end when Christ shall place us at his right hand : Heb. vi. 19, ' Which hope have we as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil.^ We have a sure anchor in the stormy gusts jf temptations : 1 Thes. v. 8, ' Let us put on the breastplate of faith vind love, and for an helmet the hope of salvation ;' and Eph. vi. 17, -And take the helmet of salvation.' Hope is our helmet in the dreadful day of battle. As long as we can lift up our heads and look to heaven, we should patiently bear all calamities. We shall at last hear this blessed voice, ' Come, ye blessed of my Father ; inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.'
56 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [Ser. XXI.
SERMON XXII.
For I loas an Jmngered, and ye gave me meat ; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink ; I tuas a stranger, and ye took me in ; naked, and ye clothed me; I ivas sick, and ye visited me ; I ivas in lyrison, and ye came unto me. — Mat. XXV. 35, 36.
We have seen tlie sentence, now the reason of the sentence. For, the illative particle, showeth that many like the sentence, would be glad to be entertained with a ' Come, ye blessed of my Father ;' but turn back upon the reason, to visit, feed, and clothe ; they have no mind, or to any other serious duties and acts of faith and self-denial. But we must regard both ; and I hope in a business of such moment you will not be skittish and impatient of the word of exhortation. I shall first vindicate the words, and then give you some observations from them. First, Vindicate them, and assert their proper sense and intend- ment ; for upon the reading four doubts may arise in your minds : —
1. That good works are the reason of this sentence.
2. That the good works of the faithful are only mentioned, and not the evil they have committed.
3. That only works of mercy, or the fruits of love, are specified.
4. All cannot express their love and self-denial this way.
Let me clear these things, and our way will be the more easy and smooth afterward.
1. For the first doubt, that works are assigned as the reason of the sentence of absolution ; for the pai)ists thence infer their merit and causal influence upon eternal life. I answer —