l.'^S SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. [SeK. XXXIII.
is for cliilclren. But briefly: the recompenses of God's justice and mercy are called rewards, partly to note the persons to whom it is given ; a reward is not given but to those that labour. Heaven is not for idlers and loiterers ; it is a reward, it is given after labour ; not as if any did deserve it by their w'ork, as a labourer is worthy of his hire. Among men, he that hires has benefit by the labour of him that is hired ; but ' we are unprofitable servants,' Luke xvii. 10 ; and ordinarily there is a due proportion between the work and the wages ; but here there can be none at all, for eternal life, wliich is that reward, consists in the vision and fruition of God himself ; yea, it is God himself, united and conjoined to us by this vision and fruition : Gen. xv. 1, 'I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.' Now no works of men can bear a proportion to such a reward. This argument seems of such weight that Vasquez denies this uncreated reward to fall sub condignis meritis Christi, to be deserved even by Christ's obedience. But that is false, for the obedience of Christ is of infinite value. Well then, a reward it is, because it is a consequent of labour — Posito opere rede colligimus certitudinein secuturoi mtrcedis ; by the gracious con- stitution and ordination of God, who hath appointed that our good works should have such an issue and event. Again, a reward it is called, because it is not given till our work be ended : 2 Tim. iv. 7, 8, ' I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept tlie faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day.' When we have done our Avork, then we shall receive our wages. Again, reward it is called to note the sureness of it. God in condescension calleth it a reward. We may expect it as a labourer doth his hire at night, for the Lord hath made himself a debtor by his own promise : James i. 12, ' He shall receive the crown of life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.'
4. This reward is principally in the next life. That suits with Snocli's instance, his translation to heaven, to a place of blessedness; and that is called Kar i^o')(jiv, the reward in scriptiu'e : 1 Cor. iii. 14, 'If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward ; ' Kev. xi. 18, ' The time is come that thou shouldst give reward unto thy servants the prophets.' Now is the time of God's patience, and hereafter of his recom2:)enses. Now is the time of our exercise and service, hereafter of our enjoyment. Alas ! all that we have here, it is not our wages, it is but our vales, the overplus and additional supply that God gives in u})on the better portion that we expect from him : as Mat. vi. 33, ' AH other things shall be added unto you.' Other things are cast in over and above the bargain. A christian does not count this his reward ; he does not give God a dis- charge, though God should bless him with comfort and with increase in this life, that is the spirit of an hypocrite to give God his acquittance for other things. So it is said of the hypocrites, aTre^^^ouo-i jjnaOov — * They have their reward/ Mat. vi. 2. The word signifies they give God their discharge. A man losetli nothing by God in the world ; God may cast in outward things to commend our portion, and to make it more amiable to us, because we consist of body as well as soul, and have the interest of both to mind ; he may add these ciphers to the figure, give
YeR. 6.] SERMONS UPOX HEBREWS XI. 159
in those things as appurtenances to heaven, but it is heaven they take for their portion. He may increase -worklly things upon them as he thinks fit, but they that take up with this as their portion and reward, the honours, pleasures, and treasures of this hfe, are bastards, not sons ; as bastards have means to live upon, though they do not inherit. The scripture everywhere condemns us for fastening upon the world as our portion : Ps. xvii. 14, ' Which have their portion in this life ; ' and Luke xvi. 25, ' Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things ;' and Jer. xvii. 13, ' They that depart from me shall be written in the earth.' Oh, to be condemned to this happiness is the greatest misery, to expect nothing else but this ; therefore we must protest against this kind of reward ; as Luther tells us. Valde protes- tatus sum, me nolle -sic a Deo satiari, — I earnestly protested to God that he .should not put me off with gold, riches, and the transitory things of the present life AYe that are heirs according to the hope of eternal life expect better things in a better state, or else God would not answer the magnificent expressions wherein he hath spoken to us in his cove- nant. He hath told us, I will be your God, and that he himself, and all that is his, shall be ours. Certainly the magnificence of this ex- pression is not verified and made good unless he hath better things to bestow upon us than what this v/orld yields. Therefore the apostle tells us : Heb. xi. 16, ' He is not ashamed to be called our God, because he hath provided for us a city.' Now that God hath a city and a heavenly inheritance to bestow upon us, he may with honour take that title upon himself to be the God of his people. Neither would it answer the desires of his people, who look after a more perfect enjoyment of God than this life will permit. Therefore whatever here we have in temporal things, and what we have in spiritual things, it is not our reward. These are magnificent, as remission of sins, adoption, right- eousness, grace, peace of conscience, joy in the Holy Ghost ; these are but the beginnings and presignifications of a more blessed estate, these are but the suburbs of heaven ; our advance-money before our pay comes ; but our great reward is hereafter. Certainly it cannot be otherwise if you consider the being of God as infinite and eternal ; God will give like himself. As it was said of Araunah, 2 Sam. xxiii. 24, ' All these things did Araunah as a king give to the king ' — he was of the blood- royal of the Jebusites, and he carried it becoming his extraction ; so there will he a time when God will give like himself. It does not become a mighty emperor to give pence and shilling.^, or brass farthings, it is below his greatness ; so there will come a time when the Lord, as he is an infinite and eternal being, will give us ' a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,' 2 Cor. iv 17. Now it is very little God discovereth. God doth communicate and discover himself to the rational creature as he is able to bear ; Job xxvi. 14, ' Lo, these are part of his ways ; but how little a portion is heard of him ! ' There is a time coming when the Lord will communicate himself to reason- able creatures in a fuller latitude than now he doth ; therefore there is a more exceeding weight of glory we expect from him. Again, if you consider the largeness of Christ's merit and condescension. No wise man will lay a broad foundation unless he means to build an answerable structure thereupon. Well then, when God hath laid such a notable foundation as the blood of Christ, the death of the Son of