vine Author, and answering the costs and preparations expended and gone through about it. Infinite love laid the foundation of the heavenly kingdom, and that from everlafting: Infinite merit regained it, when loft, and made way for the offer and promise to take place: Infinite wisdom and power contrived the frame, and raifed the fuperftructure: And infinite grace will see that there is nothing wanting to compleat the happiness of the ranfomed of the Lord, upon their arrival there. And whilst the faints view it by faith, under fuch confiderations as these, and can give a reason of their hope, as to an interest in all; what wonder is it if they have their fpirits revived, and their hearts encouraged to bear, or fuffer, or part with any thing here below?

It is our undue efteem of the good things of this life, as if there were nothing higher; and our exceffive fear of the evils, as if not to be made up by fomething better, that make us fo loath to part with the one, and fo apt to fink under the other.

No reafon hath the faint to faint in the day of trial, but to rejoyce and fing, even in the valley of the fhadow of death, feeing by faith he can look and hope for heaven beyond it.

2. Faith as to the heavenly felicity is of use to keep faints from fainting under their present fufferings, as it is what thofe fufferings tend to prepare them for. Our light afflictions, faith the Apoftle, which are but for a moment, work for us far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory: And for this caufe we faint not, 1 Cor. iv. 17.

Our

Our heaviest forrows are influential unto our highest happiness, and who can fink under them, that knows whither they tend? All things, to the faints, fhall work together for Good: and afflictions among the reft; as they ferve to purge out their corruptions, actuate their graces, make them meet for heaven, and bring them under the fpecial promise of it, 2 Tim. ii. 12. If we fuffer with Chrift, we shall reign with them.

The poor, the mourner, the perfecuted are particularly pronounced bleffed; because theirs is the kingdom of heaven. And by these rough ftrokes, they are fitting for their defigned place in the celestial temple. The dolorous way is what our bleffed Lord travelled before them; and he is now entered into his glory. Rom. viii. 17. If fo be that we fuffer with him, that we may be alfo glorified together.

3. Faith looking upwards to the goodness of God in the land of the living, fometimes fills the hearts of faints with a divine joy; which joy of their Lord is their ftrength, Neh. viii. 10.

Three things may be matter of joy to faints in their believing contemplations of heaven.

(1.) Their present title to it, founded on Chrift's purchase, and the Father's promise. Heaven is the purchafed poffeffion, the fruit of Chrift's blood; and believers as fuch, have a new Covenant title to it. Being children they are heirs, and the everlasting kingdom is their portion. And the Father's promife fettles the fame; and this on purpose that his people may rejoice in the hope of it. Heb. vi. 17, 18. God willing more abundantly to fhew unto the heirs of

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promife the immutability of his counfel, confirmed it by an oath: That by two immutable things, in which it was impoffible for God to lie, we might bave ftrong confolation, who have fled for refuge to Lay bold of the hope fet before us.

(2.) What they are thus entitled to, they shall never lofe, nor be deprived of. The immortal unfading inheritance is referved in heaven for them, who are kept by the power of God thro' faith unto falvation. Heaven is referved for them, and they are kept for it: fo that poffeffion is fure. And in this they may greatly rejoice, even in the midst of their prefent heaviness. Efpecially confidering,

(3.) That e're long faith fhall be turned into fight, and they shall enter upon the poffeffion of what may be now faid to be theirs in hope and title only. But a few more wearisom days and reftless nights; but a few more conflicts with fatan, the world, and the flesh, and their warfare shall be accomplished, and they fhall enter into the joy of their Lord.

With fuch thoughts as thefe, believers are fometimes raised above themselves, fo that as a giant refreshed with wine, they are prepared with joy to follow the Lamb, through poverty, prifons, reproaches and death, to arrive at the full poffeffion of that glory that lies before them.

Laftly, From the heavenly felicity, faith is furnished with answers to all the temptations of fatan, and the murmurings of the flesh; and being fo enabled, the believer with courage and conftancy holds on to the end, whatever difficulties are caft in the way. If tempted to backslide

a time of trial, and not to follow a naked, re-
jected, defpifed Chrift; it being like to coft him
all that is dear to him in the world. How rea-
dily may a believer argue, What is all this that
the world calls great or good, to what God hath
laid up in the other ftate? Who can be a lofer
that gets safe to heaven, though he has not on
earth where to lay his head? If we are apt to
queftion God's love, or repine, or fink under his
heavy hand, under the various and fore trials, and
of long continuance he may fometimes meet with,
the believer may take up
the Pfalmift's words,
and fay, Why art thou caft down, my Soul? why.
art thou difquieted within me? If in this life only
I had hope in Chrift, I might poflibly yield my-
felf to be miferable; but who can do so that
hopes to fee the goodness of the Lord in the land
of the living? What are a few days, though full
of evil, to the endless ages I fhall have to enjoy
my happiness in ?

And grant that I am denied the enjoyments
of earth, and loaded with the forest miseries in it :
Yet how can I doubt of God's love, or think it
fmall, who hath prepared for his people an un-
fhaken kingdom, and is leading them to it?
Though they go forth mourning, they shall e're
long arrive at the heavenly Sion with everlasting
joy upon
their heads, and forrow and fighing shall
flee away. Wherefore, begone all repinings: be
ftill thou murmuring flefh: If thy complaints
continue, I will not liften. As drawn on by ra-
vishing glory, I am refolved to foliow a crucified
Jefus, through forrow, fufferings, and death itself;
being affured, I can be no lofer, whilft I ex-

change

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change only earth for heaven. No matter how troublesome the way, when everlasting rest is to be the end.

APPLICATION.

1. From the trials faints here meet with, learn the vanity of expecting peace on earth. They that do fo, mistake a defart for Canaan, an howling wildernefs for the promised land. Our first parents were long fince expelled the earthly Paradise, and such a place is now no more to be found on earth by any of their off-fpring: nothing but common accurfed ground, a foil from whence briars and thorns naturally fpring. This is the advice to be learnt from the forrow fin hath let in upon this world. Arife, here is not your reft.

2. Be hence affured that there is an afterftate, where God will diftinguish between fuch as fear and ferve him, and fuch as fear him not, in another manner than is done in this life. Here the wicked flourish, increase in riches, have more than heart can wish: whilft the best men are often in the worst condition, and that upon the account of their being fo. For God's fake are they plagued all the day long, and accounted as sheep for the flaughter; but let none fay, I have cleanfed my heart in vain.

This is only the world of trial and probation preparatory to another, where things shall be put in better order, and every thing fet at right that here seems to be amifs. That God is the rewarder of them that diligently feek him, is as true, as that he is. None fhall obey him to his final prejudice; nor any harden themselves against him VOL. II, C

and