(1.) Diligence in pursuit of eternal life in the heirs of promise. It is expressed by working out our salvation, making it our business : Phil, ii. 12, ' Work out your salvation with fear and trembling.' Most men make a jest of it, or a thing of course ; but it must be made the main work, the great pursuit and thing in chase, as the obtaining the prize in a race, and not only a business, but that which is first and chief: Mat. vi. 33, ' Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and the righteousness thereof.' And a business that must be earnestly prosecuted and well followed, and that notwithstanding discouragements : Mat. xi. 12, ' The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force ; ' when men press through, and will not be kept out. There must be earnestness in the matter, and this not only for a fit, and for a little while until they have made some progress, but there must be a getting ground daily : ' I press toward the mark, for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus,' Phil. iii. 14, getting nearer, and nearer, making for heaven apace, to be established in the hopes of eternal life. When we will not be put off with anything else, but have heaven or nothing, this is to seek heaven in good earnest.
(2.) This flying to take hold of the hope set before us importeth perseverance in well-doing, notwithstanding the difficulties in the way to heaven. The Israelites' way to Canaan lay through a howling wilderness ; so we have many inconveniences and discouragements in our way to heaven, but we are borne up with this hope, that the promise will make amends for all, and so we go on in our course till we come to our journey's end. And the apostle, speaking how Christ, as judge of the world, will distribute eternal rewards, describeth tliose that shall inherit eternal life : Kom. ii. 7, ' Those that by patient con- tinuance in well-doing seek for glory, and honour, and immortality.' It is not a description of our first address to Christ and taking comfort in his merit , no, that consists in a broken-hearted acknowledgment of our sins, and a desire to be found in Christ, depending upon his merits and righteousness to free us from the wrath of God. But the apostle is not describing our coming to Olirist, but our coming to
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lieaven, and tlie manuer how justified persons look for their eternal reward ; by patient continuance in well-doing they seek for glory, honour, and immortality. Though we are justified, and have the light of sons, yet we shall not have the possession of the inheritance until we are exercised in well-doing ; therefore Ave must wait God's leisure, and persevere in obedience. And —
(3.) All this upon christian encouragements, for the hope that is before them. A man may know much of his spirit by what bears him up, and what is the comfort and solace of his soul: Titus ii. 13, ' Looking for the blessed hope ; ' when a man is borne up by invisible comforts, and upon the hopes of an invisible inheritance kept for him in heaven. A wicked man's hope lies within the compass of the world, therefore it may perish and die before he dies : Prov. xi. 7, ' AVhen the wicked man dies, his expectation shall perish, and the hope of unjust men perisheth;' or at least it ends at death: Prov. xiv, 32, ' The wicked is driven away in his wickedness.' He would fain stay longer in the world, but he is arrested by death, in the name of the great God of heaven, and driven into the other world, there to be responsible to God ; ' but the righteous hath hope in his death ; ' then his hope beginneth.
Application.
Use 1. Comfort to those that can apply it, even to those who are thus qualified, that are driven and drawn to Christ, and then go on cheerfully with the work of obedience, waiting for their inheritance in heaven. Xow, that you may take in this comfort, examine yourselves.
1. Have you ever felt any law work ? Were you ever driven to Christ ? Were you ever startled and roused out of your sins, and made sensible of the displeasure of God, and forced to sit alone and complain over a naughty heart ? Have you Paul's experience : Rom. vii. 24, ' 0 wretched man that I am ! Avho shall deliver me from the body of this death ? ' Have you been awakened ? Eph. v. 14, ' Where- fore he says. Awake, thou that sleepest.'
2. Have you been drawn to Christ by the cords of the gospel ? Have you been brought to him as a sanctuary for your distressed souls, as the man shut up himself in the city of refuge ? 2 Tim. i. 12, ' I know whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him against that day.' Here is my anchor and safety.
3. Are you begotten to a lively hope ? Do you often look within the veil, and groan and long for your everlasting hopes ? Do you send spies beforehand into the land of promise, a few thoughts thither ? What hearty groans are there, and sighs for that happy state ! Eom. viii. 23, ' And not only they, but ourselves also, who have the first-fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adop- tion, to wit, the redemption of our body.' Doth it quicken you and make you mend your pace, whatever difficulties you meet with ? Eom. V. 2, ' We rejoice in hope of the glory of God.'