VeR. 8.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS VI. 215
No seed no crop; now is our seed-time. Sometimes the first-fruits and the harvest, for the offering of the first-fruits dedicated the whole harvest : Kom. viii. 23, ' We ourselves, who have the first-fruits of the Spirit/ &c. Sometimes to the fountain and the stream, or the river losing itself in the ocean : John iv. 14, ' He that shall drink of the water that I shall give him, shall never thirst ; but the water that I shall give him, shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.' Sometimes of the pledge and earnest with respect to full and actual possession : 2 Cor. i. 22, ' Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.' Sometimes to the beginning and accomplishment, or the degree with the top and height. Life is begun by the Spirit, and perfected in heaven. There is a mighty suitableness between life spiritual and eternal : John xvii. 3, ' This is life eternal, to know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.' The life of grace consisteth in knowing and loving God, and the life of glory is the everlasting vision and perfect love of God. Now we are changed by the sight of faith : -2 Cor. iii. 18, ' We all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord ; ' then we shall be changed by the beatifical vision : 1 John iii. 2, ' When he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.' Our life here and life there is but one life, begun here, and perfected there ; here are manifold imperfections, but there is complete blessedness. Sometimes as the morning to high noon, or light of the perfect day : Prov, iv. 18, * The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more to the perfect day ; ' here the day breaks, but it is but a little. Sometimes to a man and a child : 1 Cor. xiii. 10-12, ' But when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child ; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face ; now I know in part, but then shall I know even as also I am known.' As it is in the change of ages, so is it between this and the other life. Now all these things show both the sameness of the life, and also the necessity of one degree of grace to another.
3. Observe how fitly this is mentioned as a help to mortification ; we should sweeten the tediousness and trouble of the work by thinking of the life that will ensue.
[1.] The life of grace. Conscience calleth upon you for your duty to your creator ; and lust hindereth it. Now is it not a great advan- tage to have a vital principle to incline us to God ? By the life of grace we are enabled in some measure to do what is pleasing in his sight : Heb. xii. 28, ' Let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and godly fear.' Set about mortification, and you shall have this grace. This should be a great consolation to us, who are so often vexed with guilty fears because of the neglect of our duty.
[2.] The life of glory. Pleasures, honours, and profits seem great matters to a carnal heart, and can do much till you put heaven in the balance against them ; as Moses did, Heb. xi. 26, ' Esteeming the
216 ■ SERMONS UPON ROMANS VI. [SeR. VII.
reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt, for he had respect unto tbe recompense of reward;' he looked off from one object to another. Alas ! when we think of this life, all that we enjoy here is nothing, and should do nothing upon us to gain us from God and our duty to him. We should have such thoughts within ourselves. Shall I take these pleasures instead of my birthright? For this preferment shall I sell my part in heaven ? Shall I cast away my soul for this sensual delight ? The devil usually prevaileth over men when heaven is forgotten and out of sight. Sure the baptismal vow and engagement hath little hold upon us : 2 Peter i. 9, ' He is blind and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.' These things are fitly coupled.
[4.] Observe how we have all with Christ; we die with him, and we live with him. As we mortify sin by virtue of that grace which he purchased for us by his death, so we hold heaven by his gift, or the grant of that covenant which he hath confirmed by his blood. His dying is the 'pattern of our mortification, and his life of our happiness and glory. If by his example we first learn to die unto sin, according to his pattern and example we shall have a joyful resurrection to eternal life, for still we fare as Christ fared. He would not be a pattern to us only in his worst estate, but in his best also ; we shall be partakers of the same glory which Christ hath at the right hand of the Father, and as we shall live eternally so we shall eternally praise our Kedeemer, who deriveth influence to us all along, both in dying and rising.