202 SERMONS UPON TITUS II. 11-14. [SeR. XV.
palace. He is gone as a guardian or feoffee in trust, to seize upon heaven in our right, to keep it during our nonage, and he will come again in person, as the husband of the church, to bring us into his Father's house with triumph ; therefore it is said, Kev. iv. 10, that the elders did ' cast their crowns before the throne/ not as despising their glory, but as professing their homage and dependence ; and Rev. v. 8, 9, ' The four beasts and four-and-twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, &c., saying. Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof; for thou wast slain, and. hast redeemed us to God by thy blood.' His abasement was for our preferment ; and therefore even here upon earth may we bless Grod (for the elders represent the church upon earth) for his great mercy to us in Christ.
(3.) Consider how much we are engaged to God the Spirit, who fits and. prepares us for this happy state, and seals up our interest to us ; therefore it is called 'the earnest of the Spirit:' 'Now he that hath wrought us for the self-same thing is God, who also hath given to us the earnest of the Spirit,' 2 Cor. v. 5. The Holy Ghost shapes and fashions all the vessels of glor}'-, fits and prepares them for heaven. It is the Spirit of God dwelling in us that wrought us and fits us for this great and blessed hope ; therefore whenever you think of it, your hearts should be raised in thanksgiving. It is not only their duty to praise God that are in actual possession of glory, but ours also to whom these hopes are revealed. Rev. v. 8, there was a mixture of 'harps and vials full of odours, which are the prayers of all saints.' Compare this with ver. 11, ' And I beheld, and heard the voice of many angels round about the throne, and the beasts and elders.' Not only angels and blessed spirits, but saints on earth ; all join in concert, praising the Lamb. We must praise the Lord in the time of our pilgrimage, for this great estate reserved for us in heaven.
3. It informs us how desperately wicked the hearts of sinful men are, that can run the hazard of eternal death, and forfeit this blessed hope of eternal life, for a little carnal satisfaction. Survey all the tempta- tions of the world, how much they come short of it ! If the heart were not desperately wicked we would not be carried out to these things. What is vainglory to eternal glory? What are a few dreggy delights to those pleasures which are at God's right hand for evermore ? What are the riches of the world to our glorious inheritance ? You would count him a mad gamester that would throw away whole lordships and manors at every cast. A sinner forfeits a blessed hope that is above all the kingdoms and possessions of the world. It is for this you will be the scorn of angels at the last day: Ps. lii. 7, 'Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength, but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness.' This will make you ashamed in the great congregation, that you were so foolishly bent to 3'our own ruin. Nay, this will torment you for ever. Nothing tor- ments men more than their foolish choice. Conscience will for ever tell them with what disadvantage they have forsaken God for a thing of nought. Disappointment to a reasonable creature is the worst vexation ; and what disappointment is more than to be disappointed of our glorious hopes, and that for trifles and a little carnal satisfliction ? This will be our shame and torment to all eternity. We may guess at
VeR. 13.] SERMONS UPON TITUS II. 11-14. 203
the gnawings of conscience in the damned by the horrors of carnal men when they come to die. Oh ! then how do they bewail the folly of their choice. Oh ! that they had been as mindful to serve God as to provide for the world, as careful to satisfy the motions of the Holy Ghost as to satisfy a lust and carnal desire ! When they are on a deathbed and upon the confines of eternity, then all worldly comforts cease, and there is a real confutation of the folly of their choice, a sting then begins that never ceaseth : Jer. xvii. 11, 'At his end he shall be a fool.' When he comes to die, his conscience will rage and call him fool, beast, and madman, for hazarding such eternal joys for a trifle.
4. It informs us of the excellency of the gospel or christian profes- sion. Wisdom should be justified by her children. And all that do profess religion should see the excellency of it, what there is in their beloved more than in another beloved, Cant. v. 9. This there is in the christian religion ; there are purity of precepts : Ps. xix. 7, 8, ' The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul ; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple ; the statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart ; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.' Then there is sureness of principles, of trust and dependence established between us and God, that we may depend upon God with comfort and satisfaction ; there do you find rest for the soul: Jer. vi. 16, 'Stand ye in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls.' Then there are no such rewards anywhere as in the christian profession : 2 Tim. i. 10, ' Life and immortality are brought