4. There is a threefold use of the reward of life in this work of mortification.
[1.] To quicken a backward heart, which hangeth off because we are loath to come under so severe a discipline. Sorrow for sin is trouble- some to the flesh, but the reward sweeteneth it. A carnal man tliiuketh that if he should give up himself to this course, lie shall never see a merry day more, but grow mopish and melancholy. Now when the flesh paints out the spiritual life in sucli a black and dark lineaments, it is good to reflect upon the glorious life that shall ensue. There is some difficulty at first, though not so much as the flesli imagineth ; but it will turn to eternal life and peace. Christ keepeth the best
88 SEUMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. [SeR. XX.
at last ; Satan may set out liis best commodities at first, but the worst come after. Christ may begia with you roughly ; but the longer you are acquainted with him the better. When you come to die, you will not repent that you have not pleased the flesh, and satisfied your carnal desires. It is good to consider what things will be at the end, either of the carnal or spiritual life. The devil seeketh to glut men in their best days with the sweetest pleasures and contentments ; but at last, 0 the misery, the shame, the horror ! Therefore it is good to reflect upon the issue of things, that we may not stand off from God. Consider not what they are now, but what they will be hereafter : 2 Cor. vii. 10, ' For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation, not to be repented of.' Many have repented of their carnal mirth ; never any of their godly sorrow.
[2.] In your conflict, to baffle a temptation. Heaven and hell should always be before the eyes of a watchful christian, but especially in actual conflicts, that you may declare your higher esteem of your hopes, than all the baits that are presented to you in the temptation. God hath promised better things. Moses counterbalanced the pleasures ci sin, with the recompence of reward, Heb. xi. 25, 26. The devil offer- eth you to your loss ; the glory set before you doth outweigh all.
[3.] To put us upon a conformity, and greater suitableness to our hopes : 1 John iii. 3, ' He that hath this hope in him, purifieth him- self as Christ himself is pure.' I hope for such a pure estate; shall I allow either stains in my soul, or spots and blemishes in my conversa- tion ? 2 Pet. iii. 14, ' Seeing ye look for such things, be diligent that you may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.' They do not look for such things, that are not careful to clarify and refine their souls for the present.
Fourthly. I shall show the sufficiency and powerfulness of this motive. 1. Because of the certainty of this life promised. Surely there is a life after this life is ended ; natui-e guesseth at it, but Christ hath brought it to light, 2 Tim. i. 10. The Scripture revealeth it as the great benefit promised by Christ : 1 John ii. 2.5, ' And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life ; ' it argueth for it: 1 Cor. xv. 19, ' If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.' God would not proselyte us to a religion that should be our undoing, and make us more miserable tlian other men, by a voluntary denying of the pleasures of the flesh, and exposing us to sufferings from others. It giveth us a visible demonstration of it, by Christ's resurrection and ascension ; he is gone into that glory which he spake of : 1 Pet i. 2, ' Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory.' God's expressions about it are strong and clear, but our persuasions of it are too weak, or else a small contentment would not so often persuade us from our duty. Surely we doubt of the reality of the world to come, or else we would be sooner per.suaded to curb the flesh, and restrain its desires, and wean ourselves from a vain world, that we may be prepared for a better.
2. The excellency of this life above all other lives that may be com- pared with it.
[1.] With life natural ; so it is a glorious life, and it is eternal.
VeR 13.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. 89
First, a glorious life ; for we live immediately upon God, who is all in all to us ; not only the soul, but the body, is incorruptible and spiritual. The contentments of the present life are base and low ; it is called ' the life of our hand^^ ; ' because with much labour we get the provisions necessary to supply it. It is a life patched up by the creatures ; we have our clothing from the sheep, and silk-worm ; our food out of the earth, or things nourished by the earth. We are forced to ransaclc all the store-houses of nature, that we may keep up a ruinous fabric, which i.s ready to drop down upon all occasions : 1 Cor. vi. 13, ' Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats, but God shall destroy both it and them.' But there the contentmonts are high and noble, and our faculties are more enlarged. Then, if ever, it is our meat and drink to do our Father's will. Secondly. The life is eternal ; we are never weary of it, and never deprived of it. The pre- sent life is a kind of death; like a stream it floweth from us as fast as it cometh to us. It is called a vapour (Jam. iv. 14,) that appeareth, and disappeareth ; a flying sliadow. Job. xiv. 2. We die as fast as we live ; it is no permanent thing ; but there our years shall have no end ; the pain and trouble of duty is short, but the reward is eternal.