2. The other sort of reasons concern the other life. A christian
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here is unsatisfied, and waiteth for a better and purer estate, a state of constant felicity, and exact conformity to God ; and that for four reasons.
[1.] By the first fruits of the Spirit he is confirmed in the belief of the certainty of this estate ; for the Holy Ghost openeth liis ej'es to see the reality of the world to come : Eph. i. 17, 18, ' That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him ; the eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of the inheritance of the saints in light.' 1 Cor. ii. 12, 'Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that ye may know the things that are freely given us of God.' Faith is the eye of the soul, Heb. xi. 1 ; and an eagle-eye it is, that helpeth us to look above the mists and clouds of the lower world, and see etermty at the back of time, and glory following shame, and rest labour. Now affections follow persuasion : Heb. xi. 13, ' Being persuaded of these things, they embraced them.' They that see there is another world, a life infinitely more desirable than that which we now enjoy, will find their affections stirred towards it ; an estate so blessed, if it were soundly believed it would be earnestly desired ; and certainly men do not believe this blessedness, if they be coldly affected toward^ it.
[2.] By the first fruits of the Spirit, they do in part know the excel- lency of it. Surely it is no slight and vain thing which is so desired, groaned after, and waited for by all the saints. They find somewhat in themselves which makes them to value and esteem it ; if the first fruits be rich and glorious, what will the whole harvest be ? If the taste be so ravishing, what will the whole feast prove? Surely it will wholly swallow us up with joy. The joys of the Spirit are unspeak- able things, 1 Pet. i. 8 ; but ' at his right hand there is fulness of joy for evermore,' Ps. xvi. 11. The refreshings we meet with by the way doth mightily support us ; what comfort shall we have when we come to our journey's end, and enjoy what we have heard of? And what we have heard is little to the enjoyment. The saints would not part with their communion with Christ here for all the world ; what will it be when our union and communion is full and perfect ? To get a glimpse of Christ, as he showeth himself through the lattice, doth much revive the drooping soul ; but there we shall see him with open face ; here we get a little from him in his ordinances, and that little is as much as we can hold ; but there he is all in all, and we are filled up with the fulness of God. Christ in us now is the hope of glory, Col. i. 27 ; but Christ in us then is glory itself; the Sjjirit in us now is a well springing up, but then the water groweth not only into a stream, but into ocean ; holiness here is called the seed of God, but then it is the life of God ; grace tendeth to the place whence it cometh, as a spark of fire tendeth to the element of fire ; there it is in its perfect estate. In short, look what difference there is between the spring-head and the out-fall of the water into the sea ; such difi'erence there is between our enjoyment of God now, and hereafter.
[3.] By the first fruits of the Spirit, we are prepared and fitted for that blessed estate. We read in the scripture, that as heaven is prepared
VeR. 23.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. 193
for the saints, so the saints are prepared for heaven : Eom. ix. 23, ' Vessels of mercy, which he hath aforehand prepared unto glory ; Col. i. 12, ' Who hath made us meet to he partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light.' Now we are prepared by the Spirit's sanctifying body and soul, and fitting us for the heavenly estate ; it is said, 2 Cor. iii. 18, ' We are changed into his image from glory to glory.' As grace increaseth, glory hasteneth on ; every degree is a step nearer ; we gi'ow more meet to dwell with God, as we grow more like God. Now this argument holdeth good on God's part and oui-s. When God hath formed us and fitted us for any estate, he will bring us to it ; as the apostle telleth us, 2 Cor. v. 6, ' Now he that hath wrought us to this self- same thing is God. who hath given us the earnest of the Spirit.' This piece of workmanship was never designed to be left always here in the world, but suited to a better place, to which it shall be trans- lated. It is the wi.sdom of God to bestow all things in apt places ; every creature hath its element, and a peculiar nature, which carrieth it thither ; as fishes desire to live in the water, and fowls in the air ; it is answerable to the nature which God hath put into them. The new creature hath a suitableness to the glorious estate to come here- after; therefore the New Jerusalem is the only convenient place to the new creature ; and they that have a divine nature, mu.st live in the immediate presence of God. On their part, God's word telleth them of a better life than this, and their hearts incline them to it, they being formed and fitted for it ; for the more a thing is formed for the end, the more vehemently it tendeth towards it. God will not carry us to heaven against our will ;■ therefore there is not only a preparation, but an earnest expectation, which is the fi'uit of it; they long to enjoy their God, to see their Redeemer, to enter upon that blessed estate for which God hath prepared them, whereof in })art he hath assured them. No man is unwilling to be happy, and to attain his end. Certainly a christian out of heaven is out of his proper place ; we are like fish in a paddle-trunk, or small vessel of water, which will only keep us alive ; we would fain be in the ocean.