SERMON XXI.
Then
shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father,
inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.—mat. XXV. 34.
we have considered
in the former verses—(1.) The sitting down of the judge; (2.)
The presenting the parties to be judged. Now (3.) The sentence
First,
Of absolution, in these blessed words which I have now
read to you. Observe in them—(1.) The preface; (2.) The sentence itself.
1.
The preface showeth the person by whom the sentence
is pronounced, then shall the King say.
2. The parties whom it concerneth,
to them on the right hand. [Pg.
46]
Secondly,
The form and tenor of the sentence itself; it is very comfortable
and ravishing. Take notice
1. Of
a compellation used, ye blessed of my Father.
2. An
invitation, expressed in two words, \~deute\~, \~klhronomhsate\~, come and inherit.
The
first giveth warning for entering; the second, for
possessing of this blessed estate, and that by a sure
tenure.
3.
The happiness unto which we are invited; and there the notion by which it is
expressed, the kingdom. The adjunct, α kingdom prepared. The
application of it to the parties concerned, for you. The
ancientness of it, from the foundation of the world. An
estate excellent in itself, and made sure for us.
Doct. That Jesus Christ, at
his coming, will adjudge his people unto a state of everlasting happiness, by a
favourable and comfortable sentence passed in their
behalf.
First,
Observe the order, then. The godly are first
absolved» before the wicked are condemned. Why? Because
1. It
is more natural to God to reward than to punish, to save than to condemn. The
one is called alienum opus, 'his strange work,' Isa. xxviii. 21.
His self-inclination bendeth him to the one mom than
to the other. The absolution of the good maketh for
the manifestation of his mercy, the attribute wherein God delighteth,
Micah vii. 18. But his justice, as to the punitive part of it, it is last. God
doth good of his own accord, but punishment is
extorted and forced from him.
2. It
is suitable to Christ's love to begin with the saints. He is so pronely inclined to them, that he taketh
their cause first in hand. He parted from them with thoughts of returning to
them again.
3.
For the godly's sake, that they be not for any while
terrified with that dreadful doom which shall pass on the reprobate; and that
afterwards become judges of the wicked, by their vote and suffrage» when
absolved themselves, 1 Cor. vi. 3.
4.
For the wicked, that they may understand and be affected with their loss, and
so be made more sensible of their own folly. Christ will,
in their sight, put glory and honour upon his good
servants, that they may have a stinging and vexations sense of that happiness
which they have forsaken. Whether it be for this or
that reason, let us the better bear it here. When judgment beginneth
at the house of God, as it often doth, 1 Peter iv. 17,
there absolution beginneth at the house of God; and
if upon us God first show his displeasure against sin, it is for the bettering
of the saints, and reforming the world. First Christ will take in hand our
absolution and coronation before he passeth sentence against the wicked.
Secondly, The next thing
observable is the title given to Christ, 'Then shall the King say.' Christ
first calleth himself the Son of man, ver. 31,
because in human nature he administereth this
judgment; afterward sets forth himself by the notion of a shepherd, ver. 32,
because of his office and charge about the flock, and then to show it in the
exact discrimination he shall make between cattle and cattle. But now the
notion is varied,' The King shall say.' Partly because it belongeth
to his kingly office to pass sentence, and prefer his [Pg. 47] faithful
subjects to dignity and honour, as also to punish the
disobedient Partly because in that day he shall discover himself in all his
royal magnificence, and call the godly to him, and solemnly put them in
possession of the promised glory. The King shall crown and absolve us: it shall
be a tribunal act; and therefore valid and authentic. When the Redeemer of the
world, as King, shall then sit in judgment in all his royalty, he shall then
put this honour upon the saints.
Thirdly,
The next thing is
1.
The compellation used, 'Come, ye blessed of my Father.'
[1.]
Observe in the general, it is a friendly compellation, used to such as were
thought to be in favour with God. Witness Laban's words to Abraham's servant; Gen. xxiv.
31, 'Come in, thou blessed of the Lord;' and Judges xvii.
2, 'Blessed be thou of the Lord.' Those that were
counted dear and beloved of the Lord were thus treated and spoken to. And
because of the high favour vouchsafed to the Virgin
Mary, in being the mother of the Son of God, it is said,' AH generations shall
call thee blessed,' Luke i. 28,42,48. But what an honour is this, when Christ shall pronounce us to be so
with his own mouth: 'Come, ye blessed of my Father.'
[2.]
More particularly, two terms must be explained—(1.) 'Blessed;'
(2.) 'Of my Father.'
First,' Blessed.' This term is
(1.)
Opposed to the world's judgment of them. The world despiseth
them, and connteth them execrable, vile, and cursed.
Therefore it is said, Mat v. 44, 'Bless them that curse you;' and Mat v. 11,
'Blessed are ye when men shall say all manner of evil of you for my name's
sake.' He is blessed whom Christ blesseth. The world
rails at us as cursed miscreants, unfit to live in
human societies. The world saith, Abite maledicti; 'Away, ye cursed;' it is not fit for such a
one to live. But Christ saith, Venite benedicti,' Come, ye blessed.' We should set one
against the other. The least thing intended in this compellation is an
absolution from the reproaches of the world and their censures, whether rashly
vented, or pronounced under a colour of law and
church power. They are not so ready to curse and fulminate
dreadful censures on the true worshippers of Christ as he is to acquit and
absolve them. Their Redeemer in judgment will call them blessed, and publish to
the world that all the censures of wicked men were preposterous and perverse.
(2.) The term is opposed to the sentence of the law. The
world's obloquy is the less to be stood upon, as being the product of wrath,
bitterness, and hatred. But the law of God, that containeth
in it the highest reason in the world, pronounceth
them accursed: Gal. iii. 10, 'Cursed is every one that continueth
not in all that is written in the law to do them.' And to this sentence we were
once subject, and were so to look upon ourselves, Eph. ii. 3. Whatever we were
in the purpose of God, our duty is to look upon what we are in the sentence of
the law of God; and so we were all of us condemned to a curse. And the wicked,
that never changed copy and tenure, lie still under that curse; as Christ
himself showeth in his sentence on them, ver. 41,
'Depart, ye cursed.' The curse of the law taketh them
by the throat, aud casteth them into eternal torments. The devil would [Pg.
48] have that sentence executed upon us now, according to our deserts; but the
judge on the throne pronounceth us blessed, as having
taken hold of the privilege of the new covenant, and so escaped the curse of
the law. In this term our justification is implied, Acts iii. 19, Christ doth
in effect say, These my friends and servants deserved in themselves to be
accursed and miserable for ever, but I have made satisfaction to God for them,
and pronounce them blessed, and free from all sin and misery.
(3.)
The term is opposed to their own fears. Not only doth the world condemn us, and
Satan urge the curse of the law against us, as having transgressed the bonds
and rules of our duty in many cases, but our own trembling hearts are ever and
anon casting up many a fearful thought: What shall become of us to all
eternity? This fear is so strong, and rooted in the hearts of the godly, that
it is a long time ere the promises of the gospel can vanquish and quell it;
though the messengers of Christ come and tell them of the tender mercies of
God, that there is enough in the merits of Christ, of the privileges and
immunities offered by the new covenant, and beseech them that they would not
obstinately lift up their fears against the whole design of Christ in the
gospel, yet all will not do: if they can get a little peace and rest from
accusations of conscience, it is almost all they can attain unto in the world:
'Perfect love casteth out fear,' 1 John iv. 10. But
then the supreme judge, before whom all must stand or fall, will assure them
with his own mouth that they are blessed; and therefore they shall fully get
rid of all disquieting and tormenting fears. He shall say, Tremble no more;
'Come, ye blessed of my Father.'
(4.)
It noteth what God hath done for them to bring them
to this estate of blessedness: Eph. i. 3, 'Blessed be
God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with spiritual
blessings in heavenly places in Christ.' He hath loved them,
and enriched them with grace, heaped many spiritual favours
upon them, which now they are to receive the consummation and accomplishment
of. Dei benedicere est benefacere—when we
bless God, we declare him blessed; when God blesseth
us, he maketh us blessed; his saying is doing. Since
ye are elected, called, justified, sanctified, at the will of my Father, come
and freely possess yourselves of all that you have hoped, longed, and waited
for.
Secondly,' Of my Father.'
(I.)
In this expression he pointeth
at the fountain cause of all our happiness; the beginning of our salvation was
from a higher cause than our own holiness, yea, than Christ's merit, from the favour and blessing of God the Father. He was the principal
efficient cause and ultimate end of the work of our redemption and the saints'
blessedness. Christ as mediator is but the way to the Father, John xiv. 6. It is the Father appointed Christ» gave him to us, John iii.
16, gave them to Christ, John xvii. 6, and in time
brought them to close with his grace, John vi. 44. It
is the Father that prepared this kingdom for them before the foundation of the
world; they are the Father's chosen ones, those whom the Father loveth.
(2.) This expression shows how the divine persons
glorify one [Pg. 49] another. As the Spirit glorifieth the Son, John xvi. 14, so here the Son glorifieth the Father, and referreth
all to him; he doth not say, My redeemed ones, but 'Ye blessed of my Father,'
they are not less beloved and blessed by the Father than by the Son who
redeemed them; blessed in the Father's love who elected them, gave them to
Christ, sent Christ and accepted his ransom, declared his will in willing their
glorification.
2. The
invitation, in two words, \~deute\~, \~klhronomhsate\~;
both have their emphasis and proper signification: the one signifieth
our entrance upon the glorified estate, the other our everlasting possession of
it.
[1.] \~Deute\~, 'Come.' To the wicked he saith 'Depart,'
but to the saints, 'Come.' As the quintessence of all misery fieth in the one, so the consummation of all blessedness in
the other. He had said before, Mat. xi. 28, 'Come to me all ye that are
weary and heavy-laden,-and I will give you rest;' but that was but an
acquaintance at a distance, and some remote service we were called unto. But
now, Come into my heart, ray bosom, my glory. Our
nearest communion with Christ is not till we be
translated into heaven. Come, draw near to me; be not afraid of my majesty.
This was it the saints longed for, and now they enjoy it: 'When shall I come
and appear before God?' saith holy David, Ps. xlii. 2. You that had a heart
upon my first invitation to come to me, and seek after me in the kingdom of
grace, come near to me now in the kingdom of glory. The godly do not so much
desire to come near to Christ, as Christ desireth to
come near to them. Where have you been all this while? Come, come; I am ready
to receive you; you are welcome guests to me: we have been too long asunder. Oh
I how ravishing will this be to every gracious heart
that loved and longed for this day!
[2.] \~Klhronomhsate\~, 'Inherit.'
Our happy and blessed estate we have and hold by inheritance: 1 Peter iii. 9,
'Ye are called to inherit a blessing.' That noteth a tenure free, full, and sure. This heritage
(1.) Is free. We do not possess it as bondmen or servants only;
we do not come to this happiness by our own earning and purchase; but as hews
of Christ. Adam's tenure was that of a servant; the blessings he expected from
God were mere wages. We hold promises in another manner. Our title is by
adoption, which we have immediately upon closing with Christ, John i. 12, by virtue of our sonship,
Rom. viii. 17; not by merit, but free gift, Rom. vi.
23.
(2.)
A full tenure. As children under age differ but little from a servant; but we
come then as heirs to our full right. A child, though he be an heir, and owner
of all his father's inheritance in hope, yet as long as he is a minor, or under
age, he differeth little or nothing from a servant in
point of subjection, and as to free government and enjoyment of his rights and
goods. But now, to this inheritance we come as meet heirs. They distinguish of jus
hereditarium, and jus aptitudinale—an hereditary right and an aptitudinal
right Now, when we have believed, suffered, and been exercised enough, we shall
receive our full inheritance,' being made meet for it,' Col. i. 12.
(3.) A sure title. It was given us by the Father, and
purchased by the Son; and we hold it by this tenure for ever. God the Father
gave [Pg. 50] it: Luke xii. 32, 'Fear not, little flock;
it is your Father's pleasure to give you a kingdom.' And Christ hath purchased
it, Heb. ix. 15; it is left us as a legacy by him, John xvii. 24; and he liveth for ever to be the
executor of his own testament, Heb. vii. 25; lo that now we are past all
danger when once admitted into possession.
3.
Here is the description of that happy estate we are invited unto. Where observe
[1.]
The notion by which it is expressed; it is 'a kingdom.' What can be thought of
more magnificent and glorious than a kingdom? It is called a kingdom
(1.)
Partly with respect to Christ, who is our head and chief; is whose glory we
shall all participate and share, in our places and capacities. Jesus Christ is
King of kings and Lord of lords, and we shall reign with him as kings; for he
hath made us a royal priesthood, 1 Peter ii. 9; and Rev. i. 6, 'He hath washed us in his own blood, and made
us kings and priests unto God;' and Rev. v. 10, 'And hath made us unto our God
kings and priests, and we shall reign with him.' It is begun on earth
spiritually, but it is perfected in' heaven gloriously, where the saints shall
be as so many crowned kings.
(2.)
And partly with respect to the very thing itself. Our blessed estate shall be
an estate of the highest dignity and dominion, of the fullest joy and content
that heart can wish for. We have no higher notions whereby to express a blessed
and happy estate; and therefore-our eternal glory, whereof we are partakers, is
thus set forth; especially to counterbalance our mean and low estate in the
world: James ii. 5, 'God hath chosen the poor of the world to be rich in faith,
and heirs of a kingdom;' 'The saints shall have dominion in the morning.' Ps. xlix. 14. They shall sit with Christ as kings upon the
throne, to execute the judgment written. Oh! how
should this warm our hearts with the thoughts of these things!
(3.)
Partly with respect to our loss by the fall. In the creation God put man in
dominion, but by subjecting ourselves to the creature, who was made to be under
our feet, we lost our kingdom, and am become slaves under the power of brutish
lusts; and till our blessed estate, we never fully recover it again; but then
we are absolutely free, and at liberty to love and serve God.
Well,
then, it is no mean thing Christ inviteth us unto,
but unto a kingdom, which we shall all jointly and severally possess. There are
two quarrellous pronouns, meum
and tuum, mine and thine, which, are the occasion of all the strifes
in the world. These shall be excluded out of heaven as the common barrettors and makebates. There
is no-envy, no uncharitableness. There one cannot say
to another, This part of this glorious kingdom is
mine, that is yours; for every heir of this kingdom shall be as much an heir as
if he were sole heir. Here we straiten others as much as we are enlarged
ourselves; but there each one hath his full proportion in that blessed estate;
each hath the whole, and the rest never the less; as the same speech may be
heard entirely by me and all, as the light of the sun serveth
all the world; another hath not the less, because I enjoy the whole of it.
Secondly, The adjunct of this
kingdom is that it was prepared for us. The word signifieth
made ready. God made ready this state of [Pg. 51] happiness long ere we were
ready for the possession of it. Eternal love laid the foundation of it Merit of
infinite value carried on the building, and powerful and effectual grace still pursueth the work in our hearts; for we must be prepared
for the kingdom, as well as this kingdom prepared for us. So that, in short,
this kingdom was prepared for us
1. By
the Father's love. It was his own love and most free
goodness that inwardly moved him to do all this for us: Luke xii. 32, 'It is
your Father's good pleasure.'
2. By
the Son's merit and mediation, who 'died that we should live together with
him,' 1 Thes. v. 10.
3. By the sanctification of the Spirit, by which we are fitted
for this estate, 2 Cor. v. 5.
1.
The Father's love. The preparation is ascribed unto God: 1 Cor.
ii. 9, 'The things which God hath prepared for them that love him;' and Heb.
xi. 16, 'For God hath prepared for them a city.' Particularly
by God the Father. So Mat. xx. 23, 'It is not mine to give, but to them
for whom it was prepared of my Father.' The Father's act may be thus conceived:
God loved us so much, as he decreed to give Christ for us, that by his precious
blood he might purchase and acquire for us a blessedness in heaven; and in the
fulness of time accordingly sent him into the world for that end, and bound
himself by eternal paction and covenant that all that
believe in his name should have this kingdom. This was the preparation of his
decree.
2.
Jesus Christ, by way of execution of this decree, maketh
a further preparation, when by his death he purchased it, and by his ascension
went to seize upon it in our name: John xiv. 2, 'I go to prepare a place for
you.' As Christ by his death did purchase a right and title to heaven, so by
his ascension he prosecuteth and applieth
that right He is gone, as our harbinger, to take up rooms for us. As the high
priest entered into the most holy place with the names of the children of
Israel upon his breast and shoulders, and with the blood of the sacrifices, so
he hath entered heaven with our names, to present the merit of his blood
continually, and to pour out the Spirit to fit us for glory: this is his errand
and business in heaven, and he is not unmindful of it
3.
The Spirit prepareth us, without which all the rest
would come to no effect; for it is the wisdom of God to dispose all things into
their apt and proper places. Therefore the persons are prepared, as well as the
place: Rom. ix. 23, 'Vessels of mercy, which he hath aforehantl prepared unto glory.' He worketh faith in their hearts, giveth
them a title, and by sanctifying prepareth them for
the possession and enjoyment of it: 'He that worketh
us for this self-same thing is God.' 2 Cor.
v. 5.
Thirdly,
The application or appropriation of this preparation to the persons that shall
now enjoy it,' For you;' which respects not only the qualification, but the
persona.
1. Not only for such as you, but for you particularly. In
the general, heaven was prepared for believers. God never intended unbelievers
should have such a glorious estate; such as love the world do not prize nor long for this happiness, and therefore it is fit
they should never enjoy it; for though the preparation be a work of abundant
mercy, [Pg. 62] yet that mercy id so tempered and limited by his wisdom and
justice, that it will not permit him to give such holy things to dogs, or cast
pearls before swine. No; it was prepared to be enjoyed only by believers and
holy ones.
2.
For you personally and determinatively. This is most agreeable to Christ's
scope and sense, for all the conditions were also prepared for them. God did
elect us to faith and holiness, as well as to eternal lifa
Faith is the fruit of election, not a cause; he did not choose us because we
were holy, or because he did foresee that we would be holy, but that we might
be holy, Eph. i. 4; that, being sanctified and
renewed by the Spirit, we might be placed in the new Jerusalem. For you in
person, that is Christ's meaning.
Fourthly,
The antiquity or ancientness of this preparation, 'From the foundation of the
world;' that is, from all eternity; for the scripture goeth
to the highest point of time unto which we can ascend in our thoughts. So that \~apo\~ \~katabolhv\~ signifieth
as much as \~pro\~ \~katabolhv\~; as it is expressly said, Eph. i. 4, 'Before the
foundation of the world.' The phrase is ordinary in scripture, and is as much
as to say, from all eternity, or before any time was; for God's purposes are as
he is, eternal and without beginning; therefore, if we speak of God's intention
and purpose, it was before all worlds. Those that understand this, 'For you,'
that is, for persons so qualified, will deny the meaning of the phrase to be
that the dignities of the kingdom of heaven were designed to be the reward of
all the faithful servants of Jesus Christ before all worlds; and they that know
the scriptures cannot but conclude that from all eternity he made choice of us
to be justified, sanctified, and glorified. The elective love of God is of an
ancient standing, even from all eternity, and therefore most free, there being
nothing in the elect before they had a being to move his love towards them; and
this will be the glory of his grace at that day, that we are invited into that
estate that was prepared for us long before: and who are we, that the thoughts
of God should be taken up about us so long since? Titus iii.
2, 'Which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;' so 2 Tim. i. 9, 'Who saved us, and called us with a holy calling,
according to his purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ before the
world began.' He indented then with Christ to bring us to what we shall at last
enjoy. But if any morosely insist upon the phrase, because it doth not
necessarily signify eternity, we must then understand that though the purpose
of God were from everlasting, yet the things designed and acted by him, they
take their beginning in time, or with time; and so the words must be
understood—(1.) Of preparing the place which shall be the
state of the blessed. The third heaven is the dwelling-place of the
saints, which was framed about the beginning of the creation. So good and
gracious was our God, that he did not make man or angel till he prepared a
place convenient for them. Or (2.) To the promise
presently made upon Adam's fall; but the former exposition is more simple.
Well,
then, you have heard what entertainment the faithful shall have from Christ at
his coming, so far as our dull minds can conceive of it, and with weak and
imperfect words can express it to you. Now let us see what use we may make of
all this. [Pg. 53]
Use 1. Let us be convinced that there is such an estate, and will
be such a time, and that there is no true blessedness but this enjoyment of God
in the kingdom of heaven, that we shall then have. The
world hath been much puzzled about disputes of happiness, and the way to it The
philosophers, some placed it in knowledge, some in that virtue which they knew,
some in pleasure; some in this, some in that.
2.
When we believe it, let us look for it and long for it, and live in the hopeful
expectation of this blessed time, when all these things shall be accomplished.
Therefore, if we believe such a thing, we must long for it, and live in the
hope of it: Titus ii. 13, 'Looking for the blessed hope.'
Hope showeth itself
(1.) Partly by frequent and serious thoughts and delightful
meditations of the thing hoped for. Thoughts are the spies and messengers of
hope; it sendeth them into the land of promise, to
bring the soul tidings thence. It is impossible a man can hope for anything but
he will be thinking of it, for it is the nature of this affection to set the
mind a-work, and to preoccupy and forestall the contentments
we expect before they come by serious contemplations, and feast the soul with
images and suppositions of things to come, as if they were already present So
should we demean ourselves as if the judgment were set, and the judge upon his
white throne, and we heard him blessing and cursing, absolving and condemning.
The heart will be where the treasure is, Mat. vi. 18. As if we saw Christ with
his faithful ones about him. If a beggar were adopted
to the succession of a crown, he would please himself in thinking of the
happiness, honour, and pleasure of the kingly estate.
If you did hope to be coheirs with Christ, or to inherit the kingdom prepared
for you, you would think of it more than you do. Our musings discover the
temper of our hearts. A carnal heart is always thinking of building barns,
advancing the family higher, our worldly increase:
Luke xii 18, 'I will pull down my barns, and build bigger, and bestow my
fruits.' And those in James iv. 13, 'To-morrow we will
go to such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell and get gain.'
It is usual with men to [Pg. 54] feed themselves with the pleasure of their
hopes; as young heirs spend upon their estate before they possess it.
(2.)
By hearty groans, sighs, and longings:
(3.)
By lively tastes and feelings. It is called a lively hope, 1 Peter i. 3; not a living hope only, but lively; because it quickens
the heart, and filleth it with a solid joy, Rom. v.
2; 1 Peter i. 8. Where we have such a fruition, the
very looking and longing giveth us a taste.
3. This hope should put us upon serious diligence and
earnest pursuit after this blessedness, 1 Peter i.
13. Partly as it purgeth the heart
from lusts: 1 John iii. 3, 'He that hath this hope in him purifieth himself as Christ is pure.' These are the months
of our purification, wherein we are made meet to be partakers of the saints in
light; we are a-preparing for heaven, as that is prepared for us, and it is a
lively expectation which produccth this. That puts us
upon mortification and diligence in cleansing the soul, that
we may be counted worthy to stand before the Son of God. Partly as it withdraweth our hearts from present things, and minding
earthly things: 'But our conversation is in heaven,' Phil. iii. 18-21. A man that is always looking and longing for the world to
come, the present world is nullified to him, and he hath a mean esteem of all
secular interests and contentments in comparison of
those other which his soul looketh after; as a man
looking upon the sun cannot see an object less glorious. On the contrary, our
overprizing secular contentments necessarily breedeth an undervaluing of matters heavenly; and those
that have so great a relish for the world and the delights of the flesh, they
know not what eternal life meaneth. The Israelites
longed for the flesh-pots of
Thus
you see there are some who are carried on by the hopes of heaven to make
serious preparation; others are wholly wedded and addicted to present things.
The world, morally and spiritually considered, is divided into two ranks; the
one of the devil, the other of God. Some seek their rest and happiness on
earth, others eternal felicity in heaven. By nature all are of this earthly
society, in the kingdom of darkness, and strangers to the commonwealth and city
of God; but when grace hath wrought in them the belief of this coming of
Christ, and the hope of this blessed estate is rooted in us, we are always
purging out of fleshly lusts, and weaning our hearts from the world, exercising
ourselves to godliness, anil donning our worldly
interests.
4. This hope must moderate our fears, sorrows, and cares, so as no temporal thing should unreasonably affect us: Luke xii. 32, 'Fear not, little flock.' The fear is allayed; the world cannot take away anything from us so good as Christ will give unto us. If our earthly estate be sequestered, or anyway taken from us, we have a better estate in heaven, Heb. x. 34. If we be reproached and disgraced in this world, yet we shall be kings and priests, and for ever be honoured in heaven. If banished and driven from place to place, so that we can find no rest nor safety, but are wearied out with our removals, let us consider we have a place of eternal abode in heaven, a kingdom that cannot be shaken, of which none can dispossess us. Our sufferings may be many, long, and grievous, but then all will be at an end when Christ shall place us at his right hand: Heb. vi. 19, 'Which hope have we as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil.' We have a sure anchor in the stormy gusts of temptations: 1 Thee. v. 8, 'Let us put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for an helmet the hope of salvation;' and Eph. vi 17, 'And take the helmet of salvation.' Hope is our helmet in the dreadful day of battle. As long as we can lift up our heads and look to heaven, we should patiently bear all calamities. We shall at last hear this blessed voice, 'Come, ye blessed of my Father; inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world,'