Obs. 5. That some are carried to heaven by a special and privileged dispensation. The entrance into glory is very diflerent. God is not bound to the ordinary course of nature. Enoch and Elijah were both transported in soul and body ; Elijah was sent to heaven in a fiery chariot. And so shall those that live at th.e last day ' be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air,' 1 Thes. iv. 17. Look, as God took away Enoch without the pain of sickness and trouble, so he carries many more joyful and singing to heaven. And therefore, in giving grace and glory, God will use a liberty and the prerogative of free grace. Some seem to be rapt up into heaven by a fiery chariot, by strong elevation of comfort and joy in the Holy Ghostj but others are
40 SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XT. [SeR. XXI.
carried in the lower aud darker way of sorrow, trouble, and soul-sick- ness.
Use. It is the duty of believers to be doing what is required, and to refer mere dispensations to God's good pleasure. Free grace is dis- pensed in a diffei'ent way.
Ohs. 6. That the persons which are honoured in this extraordinary way were Enoch and Elijah ; and what were they ? They were two that shined like stars in a corrupt age, those that contested with the corruptions of their own times. The note is this — viz., God's heart is especially set to honour them that are zealous for his glory in corrupt times. In the days of Enoch men were very corrupt, therefore the flood was threatened. Now Enoch kept a constant counter-motion to the times ; he did not only walk with God, but reproved the vices of others : Gen. v. 24, ' He walked with God,' and he reproved the ungodly men of his age, Jude 14, 15. It is a standing rule, God will honour those that honour him. Public and zealous instruments are carried on by a mighty hand of providence, and sent to heaven in a glorious way.
Use. Oh then, learn first ' to have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness,' and then ' to reprove them,' Epli. v. 11 ; contest zealously for God. God will put lionour upon them in the eyes of the world ; not only give them glory in heaven, but public and visible honour here, that all might take notice of them.
I come to the points, which are two —
1. The right and interest of believers in the happiness of the eternal state.
2. The necessity of ])leasing God, or walking with God, before we come to the full enjoyment of him. Which two points afford two doc- trines.
Dcct. 1. That the end and the great privilege of faith is to be trans- lated out of the Avorld into the happiness of the eternal state.
1. I shall prove the point by scripture : 1 Peter i. 9, ' Receiving the end of your faith, the salvation of your souls.' Heaven is there proposed as the chief end and rewaixl of faith ; all that w^e do, all that we suffer, all that we believe, it is with an aim at the hope of the sal- vation of our souls. The last article of our creed is everlastins: life. We begin with belief in God, and we end with life everlasting ; there is the sum and result of faith, eternal life and glory: John xx. 31, ' These things are written, that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. and that believing, you might have life through his name.' The end of the word is faith, and the end of faith is eternal life ; all the duty part of the word may be reduced to faith, and all the promissory part to life. It is also the great privilege of faith : Eph. ii. 8, ' By grace ye are saved, through faith.' The foundation of glory is laid in mercy on God's part, and it is received by faith on our part : it is given of grace, not sold for works ; and received by faith, not purchased by desert.
2. I shall by a few reasons prove the interest of believers in eternal life, and why faith gives a title to glory.
[1.] Because by faith we are made sons ; all our right and title is by adoption. Children may expect a child's portion, as in natural
YeR. 5.] SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. 41
things : tlie title follows the birth, natural or legal. We hold heaven as co-heirs with Christ: 1 John iii. 2, ' Now we are the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be ; ' that gives us a right. Kow faith in a juridical sense makes us sons : John i. 12, ' To as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God ; ' he gave them e^ovaiav, as a right to the inheritance aud sonship. So also in a real, though spiritual sense : 1 Peter i. 3, ' He hath begotten us again unto a lively hope, to an inheritance incorruptible, undetiled,' &c. The new birth is by tlie infusion of faith ; all relations to God are built on that change : our hope depends upon our new birth.