1. There must be diligence in doing good : Mat. vi. 33, ' First seek the kingdom of God, and the righteousness thereof.' This must be our top care, our first and chiefest business. It is not enough to seek after the kingdom of God, but we must seek after it in the first place ; all must give way to this : Heb. iv. 11, 'Let us labour to enter into that rest.'
2. There must be suffering evil : Heb. x. 36, ' Ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye may receive the promise/ Before the promise be fulfilled, not only our diligence but our patience must be exercised ; for God will try what we can venture upon these hopes. So James i. 12, ' Blessed is the man that endureth temptation ; for when he is tried he shall receive the crown of life, which God hath promised to them that love him ; 1 Peter v. 10, 'After ye have suffered a while.' The crown is promised to those
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that love him, but before it is bestowed there is trial and endurance necessary ; so that besides obedience for subduing our lusts there must be patience to hazard our interests. In mortification we willingly part with our ill-being for Christ, but in self-denial with our well-being in the world. Reasons.
1. These things are required as conditions of entering into life: Mark x. 38, ' If any man will be my disciple, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.' There is the law of Christianity fixed, and after such an express rule and constitution it is too late for us to interpose our vote, and hope to bring down the law of Christ to milder terms. No ; the people of God must accept of this condition, and be prepared for it.
2. When this condition is yielded unto and fulfilled, then we have an evidence that God will count us worthy to enter into his kingdom : Phil. i. 28, ' In nothing terrified by your adversaries, which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.' Mark, he saith it is not only a hopeful intimation, but an evident token ; it clearly evidenceth your right to salvation. Crosses and sufferings in their visible appearance look like displeasure and wrath from God, but in their inward nature and destination of God they are a promising evidence that you are appointed unto glory : Mat. v. 10, * Blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousness' sake ; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.' They may challenge it, be assured of it.
Use. Let us seriously consider of these things.
1. The felicity here offered ; it is a kingdom, and the kingdom of God. What bustling is there in the world for a little greatness and advancement ! Alas ! all other crowns are but petty things in compari- son of the crown of life, righteousness, and glory which God hath prepared for them that love him. This is enough to counterbalance all the ignominy, contempt, and disgraceful suffering which God's children meet with here in the world.
2. The certainty of conveyance. God will count them worthy of his kingdom : 2 Tim. iv. 8, ' Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness.' He will not frustrate the desires and hopes of his suffering people. As the worldling goeth on by temporal glory to eternal shame, you are sure to go by temporal trouble to eternal glory.
3. You must submit to any terms : Phil. iii. 11, 'If by any means,' &c. The trial of our sincerity must not be looked for in our respect to the end only, but the means. There is some difficulty about the end, to convince men of an unseen felicity, and to bring them to choose it for their treasure and happiness ; but for the means of diligent obed- ience, patient suffering, there we stick most. We have a quick ear for offers of happiness, but we snuff at the troublesome conditions of duty and obedience and entire subjection to God. Balaam could say, Num. xxiii. 10, ' Let me die the death of the righteous ; ' but he loved the wages of unrighteousness. When the wicked are said to despise eternal happiness, it is not simply as happiness or as eternal, but the means, the way thither, as the Israelites, Ps. cvi. 24, 25.
4. Sufferings are the most distasteful part of the means : 'For which
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ye also suffer.' All would reign with Christ, but not suffer with him ; like Zebedee's children, sit on his right hand and his left, but not drink of his cup, nor be baptized with his baptism, Mat. xxii. 22, 23. God might have customers enough for the crown, but men like not the yoke and the cross that attend it.
SERMON III.
Seeing it is a righteous thing ivith God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you ; and to you that are troubled rest ivith us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven ivith his mighty angels. — 2 Thes. i. 6, 7.