[1.] Consider the evil we are delivered from. We are freed from hell — ' They shall not perish,' John iii. 16, and ' .shall not come into condemnation,' John v. 24. Consider wicked men, their change is terrible. Wicked men grow upon the bank of hell, and when they are cut down they slip in, and there is their portion. Wiien the inhabi- tants of hell are described, those that hold hell by tenure, Eev. xxi. 8, ' The fearful and unbelievers,' are in the front. Hell is the portion of unbelievers that never would own the faith, and the portion of apos- tates that have renounced the faith, and the portion of hypocrites that do but counterfeit faith.
[2.] Consider the good that is prepared for us, the excellency of the reward that God hath prepared for believers ; it is life, and a crown of life ; there is more in the accomplishment than in the promise. The word doth but speak of it in part, prophecy is but in part; the word is suited to our present estate ; we have not affections and apprehensions large enough for such an excellent glory ; God is ever better t') his people than his word. The incomparable privileges a believer hath in this life, those pledges and first-fruits they here enjoy, do show the heavenly litis must needs be glorious and excellent. The joy of the Holy Ghost is ' unspeakable and glorious,' 2 Peter i. 8 ; heaven there- fore must needs be more excellent and glorious. Let me instance in two things. (1.) The perfection of your nature. In heaven there is
VeR. 5.] SERMONS UPON HEBREWS Xr. 43
no want and uo weakness ; the body remains in an eternal sprino; of youth, the blossoms of paradise are always green and the soul is filled np with God ; every faculty finds a satisfaction. We see what we now believe, and possess what we now love. Alas ! here, though we know indeed that God is, yet we do not know what he is completely. The knowledge of God and the love of God shall be our sole employment, and we shall have constant communion with God, without weakness, weariness, and diversion, and God will be always fresh to us ; as the angels that have beheld his face for these thousand years, yet still delight in God ; we shall never be cloyed, because satisfied. And the perfection of heaven shall be so great, that, besides the personal glory of Christ there shall be a great deal of happiness redound by the glory of his saints ; Christ will so set forth the riches of his goodness that he will be ' admired in all them that believe,' 2 Thes. i. 10 ; that is, in the glory that he puts upon the saints. (2.) The communion and company you shall there have. As soon as the soul departs out of the body you shall be carried by angels in triumph to Christ. Believers have the same entertainment which Christ had. Christ was welcomed to heaven with acclamations : Dan. vii. 13, it is said, ' One like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.' He was ' brought,' that is, by a train of angels, and there conducted and welcomed to heaven with a Well done, and well suffered for the souls of men ! So shall your souls be carried by angels into Abraham's bosom, Luke xvi. 22. Why into Abraham's bosom ? Christ himself was not ascended, therefore it is said into Abraham's bosom ; but you shall be carried into Christ's bosom. Look, as God did as it were take Christ by the hand when he ascended, therefore it is said, Acts ii. 33, ' Being by the right hand of God exalted.' It principally notes the power of the divine majesty ; but it is an allusion to the entertainment we give to a friend or guest we would welcome, we take them by the hand ; so will Christ entertain you. How sweet will it be when Christ shall give us the right hand of fellowship P The eye that cannot now endure to look upon the sun shall see the clarity and brightness of the divine essence beaming forth in Christ ; we shall see Christ himself upon his white throne, and see all the holy ones of God : Mat. viii. 11, ' We shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven,' and remain ever in his presence. It is sweet noAV to meet with the servants of God in an ordinance to praise God ; what will it then be when we shall praise God for ever in the great assemblies of the spirits of just men made perfect ? Consider, all this is made over by faith ; we have the right and title in this world, but the inheritance is in our Father's keeping, it is reserved in the heavens, therefore get and keep faith.
Use 2. It serves to direct you how to exercise and act faith in order to the everlasting state. Five duties believers must perform.
[1.] The first work and foundation of all is to accept of Christ in the offers of the gospel ; there is the foundation of a glorious estate. God excludes none from heaven that receive Christ into their heart. The first gospel commission that Christ signed and sent into the world contained" this article — 'He that believeth shall be saved,' Mark xvi. 16. ALud when the jailer said in his trouble, ' What shall I do to be