[±] There isneed of faith to apply and makeout your owninterest ; not only that there is such an estate, but such an estate reserved for you : 2 Titn iv. 8, 'Hencefort'] there' is laid upfor me a crown of righteousness;' and 2 Cor. v. 1, ' And we know that if this earthly house of our tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with liands, eternal in the heavens ; ' and 1 Tim. vi. 18, * That 1 hey may lay hold of eternal life.' Faith hath an eye to see, and a hand to l;iy hold and claim it as your patrimon}'. It is comfortable with us when we can make out our own title and interest. Many catch at it by a tbnd presumption, but they cannot hold it fast ; it is an hope that will leave them ashamed. Bat upon clear and fair grounds we are enabled to ap[)ly and take home the promises, as so many conveyances of our inheritance. There is a charter written with Christ's blood, sealed by the Spirit, and offered to us by God himself. Now have you ever dealt with God about it, that you might make out your claim and title ? I would not grate upon tender consciences, therefore, if you cannot apply it absolutely, because you have not assurance, yet the con- ditional offer should encourage you to work and wait, and deal with God about it : Rom. ii. 7, ' To them which, by patient continuing in well-doing, seek for glory, and honour, and immortality, eternal life.' He will give it to all, and so to me; do God's work cheerfully, and continue with patience ; be the more earnest to be such as may apply this general promise. And to help you to apply conditional promises, consider in whose disposal all this glory is, even in the disposal of a bounteous God, and a faithful and comjiassionate Saviour, who is ready to do good to thy poor soul : Jude 22, ' Looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, to eternal life.'
[3.] There must be 'earnest expectation,' that is the next work of faith, looking and longing for this blessed estate. I join both together, because the apostle speaks of the ' earnest expectation of the creature,' Rom. viii. 19, airoKapahoKia tt}? Krlaeaxi ; the word signifieth the stretching out of the head of the creature, as Sisera's mother and her ladies looked through the lattice for the return of her son : Titus ii. 13, ' Looking for the blessed hope, &c.' Faith, having a promise looks to see tiie blessing a-coming in the midst of tlie labours and crosses of this world, not mounting up to heaven by fits ; but this is the posture of a gracious soul, to dwell upon the thoughts of God and the world to come, and to live in the constant expectation of it. The spiritual life is abated as this is abated: Rom. viii. 23, 'And not only they, but ■ourselves also, which have the first-fruits of the Spirit, even we our- selves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the re- demption of our bodies ; ' and 2 Cor. v. 3-5, ' If so be that being clothed, we shall not be found naked : for we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened ; not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality may be swallowed up of life. Now he that hath wrought us for this selfsame thing is God, who hath given to us the eai'nest of the Spirit.' Can a man believe blessedness to come, and not long to enjoy it ? No ; the mind and heart will be set at work ; a taste will
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make a man long for more. The little seeds in the earlh will break through the clods to come to stalk and flower. As the clusters of Canaan put heart into the Israelites, and made them long to come to the possession of that good hind ; so the beginnings of the spiritual life will set you a-longing and groaning that you may be at home with God.
[4.] There is a waiting and tarrying the Lord's leisure with patience and perseverance, notwithstanding the distance of our hopes, and the difficulties of the pi-esent life : Job xiv. 14. ' All the days of my appointed time I will wait till my change shall come.' It is but a little while and we shall have full possession ; and the reason why we have not full possession sooner is, not because heaven is not ready for us, but we are not ready for it ; for it was prepared by the decree and designation of God before the world was. Mat. sxv. 34 ; it was bought and purchased when Christ died. Heb. ix. 15 ; and it is possessed by Christ in our name, John xiv. 2. Our nature is already in heaven, though not our bodies ; we shall not sleep long in the dust ; as soon as God's number is full, ' he that shall come, will come.' Therefore tarry God's leisure. Omne peccatum imped ienticB est ascribendum, saith Tertullian — Every sin is to be ascribed to impatience. Men, like the prodigal, must have their portion presently : Luke xv. 12, ' Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me.' They must have their good things in this liie, Luke xvi. 25 ; they cannot be contented to wait for God : Heb. x, 36, ' Ye have need of patience, that after ye have done the will of God ye may receive the promise.' There is a time when God hath work for us to do in the world, to do and suffer his will. Whatever grace we can spare, we cannot spare patience : Luke viii. 15, ' The good ground bringeth forth fruit with patience.' It endureth the plough, the harrow, the cold, the frost, that in due time the seed may spring up and flourish. So we, after a little patience, shall be received into an inheritance which our Father hath prepared, and Christ hath purchased for us.