1, Man was made for eternity. He was not called out of nothing
to return unto it again. When he once is, he is for ever; not as to his present state, that is frail and changeable, but as to his existence in one condition or other. God made him for his eternal glory, ‘and gave him therefore a subsistence without end. Had he been created to continue a day, a month, a year, a thousand years, things commensurate unto that space of time might have afforded him satisfaction; but he is made for ever.
2. He is sensible of his condition. Many, indeed, endeavour to
cast off the thoughts of it. They would fain hope that they shall be no longer than they are here. In that case they could find enough, as they suppose, to satisfy them in the things that are like themselves. But this will not be. They find a witness in them- selves to the contrary; somewhat that assures them of an after reckoning, and that the things which now they do will be called over in another world. Besides, the conviction of the word, with them that enjoy it, puts the matter out of question. They cannot evade the testimony it gives unto their eternal subsistence.
3. Hence men are exposed to double trouble and perpleaity :— First, That whereas their eternal subsistence, as to the enjoyment of good or bad, depends upon their present life, that is frail, fad- ing, perishing. They are here now; but when a few days are
216 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. 1
come and gone, they must go to the place from whence they shall not return. They find their subsistence divided into two very un- equal parts, a few days and eternity, and the latter to be regulated by the former. This fills them with anxiety, and makes them some- times weary of life, sometimes hate it, almost always solicitous about it, and to bewail the frailty of it. Secondly, That no perishing thing will afford them relief or supportment in this condition, How should it? They and these are parting every moment, and that for eternity. There is no comfort in a perpetual taking leave of things that are beloved. Such is the life of man as unto all earthly en- joyments. It is but a parting with what a man hath; and the longer a man is about it, the more trouble he hath with it. The things of this creation will not continue our lives here, because of our frailty; they will not accompany us unto eternity, because of their own frailty. We change, and they change; we are vanity, and they are no better.
4, An interest in the omnipotency, sovereignty, and eternity of the Lord Christ will yield a soul relief and satisfaction in this con- dition, There is that in them which is suited to relieve us under our present frailty, and to give satisfaction unto our future eternity ; for,—
(1.) What we have not in owrselves, by an interest in Christ we have in another. In him we have stability and unchangeableness; for what he is in himself, he is unto us and for us. All our con- cernments are wrapped up and secured in him. He is ours: and though we in our own persons change, yet he changeth not, nor our interest in him,—which is our life, our all. Though we die, yet he dieth not; and because he liveth, we shall live also, Though all other things perish and pass away that we here make use of, yet he abideth a blessed and satisfying portion unto a believing soul: for as we are his, so all his is ours; only laid up in him and kept for us in him. So that under all disconsolations that may befall us from our own frailty and misery, and the perishing condition of outward things, we have sweet relief tendered us in this, that we have all good things treasured up for us in him. And faith knows how to make use of all that is in Christ, to the comfort and supportment of the soul.
(2.) When our frailty and changeableness have had their utmost effect upon us, when they have done their worst upon us, they only bring us to the full enjoyment of what the Lord Christ is unto us, —that is, an exceeding great reward, and a full satisfaction unto eternity. Then shall we live for ever im that which we now hve upon, being present with him, beholding his glory, and made par- takers of it. So that both here and hereafter there is relief, com- fort, and satisfaction for believers, laid up in the excellencies of the person of Jesus Christ. And this should teach us,—
VER. 10-12.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 217
[1.] The misery of those who have no interest in him, and have therefore nothing to relieve themselves against the evils of any con- dition. All their hopes are in this life, and from the enjoyments of it. When these are once past, they will be eternally and in all things miserable,—miserable beyond our expression or their appre- hension. And what is this life? “A vapour, that appeareth for a little while.’ What are the enjoyments of this life? Dying, perish- ing things; and unto them, fuel to lust, and so to hell. Suppose they live twenty, thirty, forty, sixty years, yet every day they fear, or ought to fear, that it will be their last. Some die oft every day from the first to the last of the utmost extent of the life of man: so that every day may be the last to any one; and whose then will be all their treasures of earthly things? And the relief which men have against the tormenting fears that the frailty of their condition doth expose them unto is no whit better than their troubles. It is sinful security, which gives the fulness of their misery an advantage to surprise them, and themselves an advantage to aggravate that misery by the increase of their sin. In the meantime, “spes sibi quisque, —“ every one’s hope is in himself alone;’ which makes it perpetually like the giving up of the ghost. Surely the content- ment that dying man can take in dying things is very contemptible. We must not stay to discover the miseries of the life of man, and the weakness of the comforts and joys of it; but whatever they be, what becomes of them when they have serious thoughts of their present frailty and future eternity? This following eternity is like Pharaoh’s lean kine, which immediately devours all the fat plea- sures of this present life, and yet continues as lean and miserable as ever. The eternal misery of men will not be in the least eased, yea, it will be greatened, by the enjoyments of this life, when once it hath devoured them. And this is the portion of them that have no interest in the eternity and immutability of the Son of God. Their present frailty makes them continually fear eternity, and their fear of eternity imbitters all things that they should use for the relief of their frailty; and that security which they provide against both increaseth their misery, by sim here and suffering hereafter.