2. The beginning and earnest of it in his soul —
[The life which a believer has in his soul is of the same kind with that which he shall possess for ever. He has the same reconciliation with God, the same delight in him, and the same sense of his favour. The Spirit of God that is within him is often called " an earnest" of his inheritance ; because that Spirit, in his enlightening, sanctifying, and comforting influences, is a foretaste of heaven, and a pledge, that the soul possessed of it shall in due time enjoy all the glory and felicity of the heavenly world. He has only to wait the appointed hour, and his abode shall be in the presence of his God, where nothing that can trouble or defile him shall ever enter. Say, brethren, could an angel from heaven announce to you more joyful tidings than these ?]
But it is not thus with all. Widely different is,
III. The state of those who do not comply with it —
Here we may observe the same strength of asser- tion as in the former case. The text positively affirms, that
They shall not enter into heaven —
[Unbelievers often seem as confident of obtaining eternal happiness as if all the promises of God had been made to them in particular. But they will be awfully disappointed as soon as ever they enter into the invisible world. " They will knock at the gate of heaven, crying, Lord, Lord, open to us : but he will answer them, Depart from me, I never knew you." A flaming sword will prohibit their entrance into Paradise, and an impassable gulf be fixed between them and the celestial spirits. This is the declaration of God, nor can it ever be reversed.]
They shall be made eternal monuments of God's wrath —
[They will not be persuaded that God is angry with them; and because they feel not his judgments now, they think they never shall. But God even now is filled with wrath against them ; and they are preserved only as condemned criminals in a dungeon, till the hour appointed for their execution shall arrive. God's eye is ever upon them, not for good, but for evil. He views them as guilty of the most flagrant disobedience3. He regards them as contemners both of his majesty, and of his mercy. He is incensed against them for " trampling under foot his dear Son, and doing despite to his Spirit." And soon
a 'O ie d-rriiQwv is contrasted in the text with 6 -xujtivuv.