Communion Sermons, We are a Building of God Part 1 by Thomas Boston. This audio was created with an artificial voice for the audiobook initiative on Sermon Audio. Sermon 42 Corinthians chapter 5 verse 1. For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, and house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. There are three ways by which we may know a thing, first by sense, thus we know the fire to be hot and ice to be cold. Secondly by rational evidence, thus when we see a house we know that there has been a builder, and a beautiful world we know that there is a God, because none of them could make themselves. Thirdly, by the testimony of others, by human testimony, as by history we know what was done before we were in the world, and by divine testimony, or revelation, we know the truths of the gospel. The first of these cannot be pretended in the present case, for heaven and the glory to come fall, not now, under our bodily senses. As for the inward spiritual sense and feeling of what is heavenly, it falls in with rational evidence. As for the third, that of testimony, there can no human testimony make us know this. As for divine testimony in the Scripture, it comes not so low as to the case of particular persons by name, saying to such, and such a saint heaven is thine. As to extraordinary revelation, Paul speaks here of other believers as well as himself, of whom we have no ground to think they had extraordinary revelation. As to the ordinary testimony of the Spirit, it proceeds upon rational evidence. The Spirit beareth witness with our spirit that we are the sons of God. Therefore I conclude this knowledge in the text, is upon rational evidence, from the marks and signs of a gracious state of which the believer may be conscious, being founded on the Word of God. Doctrine. They who look for heaven when they die should have rational evidence of their title to it, while they live. There is great need of this doctrine, for presumption in the wicked and slothfulness in the saints make hopes of heaven whereof men can give no rational account very plentiful. Do you hope do you know that heaven will be your landing-place? Then I would ask you, how do you know this, upon what grounds? You have not been wrapped up to the third heavens and read your title there. You will not pretend, I hope, extraordinary revelations sent down to you. Beware of that, we have a more sure word of prophecy, whereorunto ye do well that ye take heed. But whatever you may pretend that way, if your title cannot be made good by the word, it is but a delusion. To the law and to the testimony, if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. Well then, what rational evidence according to the Scripture have you for it? How can you make good your title by the Word, which contains the laws of the kingdom? If you cannot do that, and yet hope and think you know it, it seems you have dreamed it. And take heed, lest it be no more but a dream. Therefore they who look for heaven when they die should have rational evidence of their title to it while they live. Here I shall, one. Show of what we should have rational scriptural evidences. 2. What it is to have rational evidences for heaven. 3. I will show that the saints may have such evidences. 4. I will give the reasons of the doctrine. I am according to this plan. 1. to show of what we should have rational scriptural evidences. What is it we should know? The text tells us it is that we have a building of God and house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. If we prepare a right for eternity, we will not be content with less than this. Sure I am we will not be content with less, in a matter of far inferior importance. The term of Whitsunday is drawing near, and among those of us that have tack there will be riding and running till they know, that if the term were come, they have a house and land to remain upon or another place to which they can go. And why less diligence in this affair? The Apostle does not say, perhaps we will get a building no, eternity is too great a matter to venture upon a perhaps, or a may be, if it be within the compass of our power to carry it farther. Nay, what is more he says not, that we know we will have it, we will get it, but we have it already. Eternity is too great a matter to be uncertain about for the shortest time. Here is a mystery, the saints have the house of glory already, though they be still on earth, and have not an inch of ground which they can call their own. I will unriddle this to you in two things. 1. The saints have heaven in right and title, as the young heir has the land, into possession of which he has not yet entered. 2. They have the hold of heaven already, like a man that has had some precious thing fallen into a well, and searching for it with an instrument, whenever he finds the thing upon it, he cries out with joy, I have it, I have it! 1. The saints have heaven in right and title. 1. God from eternity designed heaven for them and them for heaven, for God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. The lines have fallen in pleasant places for them, even in the pleasant land. The lot of electing love hath given them their inheritance there. Eternal love puts its everlasting arms underneath them, and that lifts them up in time from the pit. Thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption, for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back. This is a sure foundation of right. It cannot be overturned, for it is of God's own laying. The foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are His. And when they are solemnly admitted into their house, the judge will recognize this title of theirs, saying, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For God does with the heavenly as he did with the earthly Canaan. When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when He separated the sons of Adam, He set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel. To Christ has purchased it for them. God hath appointed us to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him. The first Adam forfeited the house of glory for himself and all his posterity, the fallen angels forfeited their part too, and now they have no right to it. But, O happy saints, they had a near kinsman that was mighty, and he redeemed the mortgaged inheritance. Job chapter 19 verses 25 through 27 The house of heaven was a mighty purchase indeed. The united stock of men and angels would no more have redeemed it and fixed our title to it than a barley corn would have redeemed an estate. But there is infinite value in the precious blood of the Son of God. 3. God is theirs and Christ is theirs, the saints' maker is their husband, and heaven of course is their dowry house, a house suitable to the quality of their husband. God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he hath provided for them a city. They are by regeneration and adoption, sons of the house, therefore heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. And now may each of them say, My beloved is mine and I am his, and therefore all is theirs, the house and all its pertinence, yea, all things are theirs and they are Christ's. If the Lord of the house be their husband, who can question their right to the house, is not the body more than meat, and the builder, and purchaser, and owner more than the house? For Christ has taken possession of heaven in their name, whether the forerunner is for us entered even Jesus. He is keeping their room for them till they come. I go, said He, to prepare a place for you. Thus their title is fixed, their place is secured for them. At death they will enter into actual possession of what they have already got in feftment in Christ their Head. Christ was a public person, representing all the heirs of glory. In their name instead, he obeyed, died, rose again, ascended, and sat down in glory, so that the apostle makes no doubt to tell us that believers on earth are in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Lastly, God has promised it to them, in hope of eternal life, which God that cannot lie promised before the world began. This is their charter for heaven registered in the Bible, to which the king has appended his broad seal, the holy sacraments, a red bloody seal, with this inscription, Remember me. Though he be no debtor to them, he is debtor to his own faithfulness. Though they could never purchase the house, yet our Lord could disbone it to them freely, being His own purchase. Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give the kingdom, and to make sure work the promise is made to Christ. He saith not, and to seeds, as of many, but as of one, and to thy seed, which is Christ. And, O the comfort of this dispensation, unbelief will not stand to blaspheme and say, Will God ever make out the promise to thee? But will it dare question if God will make good His promise to His own Son, especially when the thing promised was purchased with His own blood? 2. The saints have the hold of heaven already. 1. They have it in the covenant. He hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and sure, for this is all my salvation and all my desire. Now if all the believer's salvation and desire be in it, surely heaven is in it. For how low soever the desire of others may be, the desire of the saints is no less. Hast thou heard and believed that thou hadst lost heaven and exposed thyself to hell by sin, and thou wast going about mourning without the sun for the loss, and seeking to get it repaired, and thou hearest of the covenant and laid hold upon it for time and eternity? Then know thou that that moment heaven was found, and thou mightest have cried out, I have it, I have it. The covenant is the chariot in which Christ carries His saints to glory, and as we used to say of people, that they are gone to such a place, when the coach in which they are has set off for it. So we may say the believer is gone to heaven, for the chariot of the covenant will not stop by the way, so that they who are in it shall arrive there as surely as if they were there already. Then if you would have the house come into the with Christ, deliberately make up the match between him and your souls in the way of the marriage covenant. Let him take hold of my strength, that he may make peace with me, and he shall make peace with me. You must also break your covenant with your lust many, pretend to covenant with Christ, but it plainly appears that they are in a chariot which the devil drives, that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive at his will. No wonder then such persons make haste after another God. We must then part with our lusts or give up pretenses to the covenant and as to heaven. Two, they have it in faith, they have the hold of it by believing. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. The possession by faith is a sure possession. When faith lays hold upon and embraces Christ, it enfolds heaven also in its arms, for he is eternal life. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life. The whole of heaven and glory is in Christ, virtually, they who have him cannot fail of all that is in heaven. The best part of heaven is in Christ formally, for the fullness of the Godhead dwells in him. Christ is the fairest flower in the heavenly country, the most precious jewel of all the treasures of the upper house. If one had the sun to be ever with them, they would have a lasting day and would need neither moon nor star light. So the saints having Christ have everlasting light. Their heaven is begun, and if once there were no more clouds to intercept the light of that sun, which now ever shines above their horizon, then they will have heaven in its largest extent. Faith also embraceth the promise, in which heaven is wrapped up. It is said of the patriarchs, these all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off and were persuaded of them and embraced them. Embraced them, that is, the things promised. An allusion to mariners who having been long at sea, joyfully salute the land and as it were embrace it when they first see it. God's word is as good security as possession. And as men may be possessed of land, which they never saw by infestment and season, so may the believer be of the land that is afar off by embracing the promise of it. Three, they have it in hope well grounded, even hope on the word. which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil. Therefore salvation is attributed to hope, for we are saved by hope. By faith the Christian fights and overcomes, and by hope he gathers the spoil. Ask those who have been plunged into despair and they will tell you that they have been in hell while on earth. Despair brings up hell into the soul and true hope brings down heaven into it. Hope is enjoyment antedated, and excites the same joy, delight, and complacency that enjoyment doth, as you may see in the hope of worldly things, but with this difference, that earthly things are commonly sweeter in expectation than enjoyment, but spiritual things quite otherwise. Lastly they have it in the first fruits of it, we have the first fruits of the Spirit, and these are the earnest of our inheritance. Thus they are entered on possession already, they have got a cluster of the first ripe grapes of the heavenly Canaan, they have the earnest of the Spirit. Now the earnest is both a part of the price and a pledge of the whole. What is grace but glory in the bud, or glory but grace come to perfection? We all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. We now proceed, too, to show what it is to have rational evidence of heaven. If a man pretend a right to houses or lands, and there be any to question his right, he looks out his evidences, brings forth his papers, and witnesses, to evince that that house or land is his, which will be sustained, so far as they are agreeable to the laws of the land, where the house or land is situated. Now, brethren, we all pretend to the house of heaven, to Canaan's land. It is unreasonable and absurd to pretend to possession, if we do not pretend to a right of possession, for there can be no violent possessors of heaven. Now if you pretend a right to heaven, it is highly reasonable you have something to evidence that right. Now your right is or will be questioned. One ministers in the name of the Lord question your right. They have reason to do it, because there are so many who deceive themselves in this matter, and because deception in it is an eternal loss. You are told that there is a generation pure in their own eyes, yet not cleansed from their iniquities, we read of foolish virgins who perished by trusting to an empty profession of religion, and therefore we call you to compere in the court of your own conscience to clear up this matter. Examine yourselves whether you be in the faith, prove your own selves, know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give all diligence to make your calling and election sure. And upon that occasion you ought to produce some rational evidence, and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear. Too does not your own conscience sometimes question your right. Do not doubts and fears sometimes at least arise in your minds, like a pain in the side. If they do not now it is very strange, you must be very fast asleep. But conscience will do it afterwards, when it comes to be enlightened, and it may be when there is no remedy. You should have something provided for such a time. 3. Satan will question your right when he sees his opportunity. If thou be a child of God, Satan, when he has thee at an advantage, will assuredly question your right. He questioned Christ's Sonship. If thou be the Son of God. and he will do his utmost to raise his black band of doubts and fears to attack thee, and how wilt thou fight against them but by the sword of the Spirit, rational scriptural evidences? If thou be a deceiver of thyself, it is like Satan will not much trouble thee that way, till the time come that thou canst hardly expect to get aright, and then thou mayest come to know to the torment of thy soul that thou hast none and never had. Lastly, our right to heaven will be sifted before the tribunal of God, and no pretenses will do there that cannot be made good by the word which contains the laws of the kingdom. Fraudulent pretenders to heaven there may be now, but no fraudulent possessors will be there. And if thy right then be judged null, there is no mending the matter through eternity, who then would venture such a business on such a final decision without first canvassing their right in their own minds. Now a right to heaven is made out to a man that has it by evidences. And evidence for heaven is the gracious work of the Spirit of God upon a person felt or discerned by him that has it, to be a gracious work. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the Spirit of man which is in him, for clearing of this one. As the right to heaven is given to every soul upon the account of Christ's purchase, so soon as they are in Christ by faith, so the word of God, the laws of the kingdom of heaven, secure it to such by promise. There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus. 2. Every soul in Christ has a gracious work wrought on it by the Spirit of Christ. Heaven is begun in them by the gracious change by which they are fitted for it. Their faith is not idle, but purifieth the heart and establisheth the law. The Spirit dwelling in them works in them gracious qualifications peculiar to the heirs of glory, giving thanks unto the Father which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light. 3. Though these qualifications be wrought in a man, yet if he do not discern them, they are not evidences, and he has not the comfort of them. He is in the dark, he knows not whither he is going, he walketh in darkness and hath no light. And because so many deceive themselves in this weighty matter, it is a frightful case. Lastly, evidence for heaven, then, is the gracious work of the Spirit, to which the promise of heaven is annexed and discovered to be in the soul particularly that has it. so that here two things concur to make it up, one light into the Lord's promise and word in the Bible, so that the soul believeth and is persuaded that such and such have a right to heaven and shall have it. For example, those that are truly poor in spirit. Matthew chapter 5 verse 3. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven, those that have a supreme transcendent love to the Lord above all. Proverbs chapter 8 verse 17. I love them that love me, those that have an universal love to the law. Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments. These are some of the laws of the kingdom, by which men's right to it is determined. Now if the word be not believed, there can be no evidence, for in that case there is no foundation for evidence. 2. Light into the Lord's work on the heart and life, by which a man sees in himself those things to which the promise of heaven is annexed. For example, that he is poor in spirit, loves the Lord supremely, and loves his law universally, and therefore concludes according to the word that his is the kingdom of heaven. The Lord loves him, and he shall not be ashamed. The man that hath this hath evidence, and so can give a rational account of the hope that is in him. This evidence is more or less clear according to the light that shines upon the Spirit's work in the heart. Grace has a light with itself, and he that believes, loves the Lord and loves his law, may be conscious of his own actions in these things as well as in other cases. Thus the saints have the testimony of their own spirits. The Spirit of the Lord also shines upon his own work, and discovers it, sometimes with such a degree of light that the man's spirit is helped to perceive it clearly, yet all doubt is not removed. Sometimes He irradiates the soul with a light so clear that they can no more doubt of it than of the sun's shining when it is glaring in their eyes. Thus the Spirit beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God. Let us now 3. Endeavour to show that the saints may have such evidence. 1. A believer may know that he has relative grace, that he is justified, adopted, etc. though he cannot go up to heaven, and at first hand read his name in the book of God's decrees. Yet by opening the book of the word, and the book of his own soul, and comparing the two together, he may know that he is called and elected. We are to give all diligence to make our calling and election sure, and we desire that every one of you do show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope to the end. In this way a believer may know that he is a child of God and that Christ loved him and died for him, too. A believer may know that he hath inherent grace, he may know that he believes, as sure as that he breathes. I know, says Paul, whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him against that day. He may know that he hath love to Christ, and can appeal to God's omniscience upon the matter. Lord, said Peter to his master, thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee, and thus believing that such persons have a right to heaven, he may know he is the man. and being persuaded of the certainty of the perseverance of the saints, knowing that he has grace, and that so he shall never lose it, he may be persuaded, he shall go to that house, whenever his earthly tabernacle is dissolved. 3. Consider the office and work of the Spirit given to all the saints. He has given them for a teacher to lead them into all the truth, and particularly to discover the grace of God in them by a heavenly light on His own work. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. He has given for a witness, to be a joint witness with our own spirits that we are the sons of God. Romans chapter 8 verse 16. to be a seal, which properly is to ensure an evidence, and grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. And as an earnest, which is both a part of the price and a pledge of the whole, God hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. 4. The operations and effects of faith in the soul clear this point, such as boldness and confidence with God, which cannot be without some evidence of a relation to Him as our Father, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of Him. rejoicing in hope of the glory of God which necessarily requires rational evidence of that hope. Romans chapter 5 verse 2. This is the more to be regarded, as it is sometimes joy unspeakable. 1 Peter chapter 1 verse 8. To such joy, plain, yea speaking evidences are absolutely necessary. It is a joy which none can take from them, though they should take all that they have in the world. John chapter 16 verse 22, Surely in that case they see that they have the treasure, of which no man, no devil can rob them. And all this makes them cheerfully endure sufferings, knowing in themselves that they have in heaven a better and an enduring substance. Lastly, many of the saints have had such evidence for heaven, Job chapter 19, verses 25 through 27. David also could say, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. And says Paul, Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me that day, and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. and not only scriptural saints, but others of an inferior rank who have been capable to give an account of their hope, satisfying to their own tender consciences and also to others. It now remains, for, to give the reason of the doctrine, one it is the command of God. Give all diligence to make your calling and election sure. God calls every man to bring his state to the touchstone and to see what it is. Examine yourselves, whether you are in the faith, prove your own selves. He commands even his enemies to see their state and to lay aside their deluding hopes, and he has not only made heaven sure to his people, but he would have them to be assured of it for their greater comfort. 2. Because God has shewn us the way, how we may come to a clearness and certainty as to our state. The Scripture everywhere abounds with trying evidences, particularly the first epistle of John is written for that very end. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God, that ye may know that ye have eternal life. How can we then quietly continue in the dark, not knowing how it is, and how it will be with us, when the Lord has compassed us about with so much spiritual light for that purpose? How can we pretend to tenderness, and yet slight a duty for which He hath so fully provided? 3. Because salvation is a matter so important, it is unaccountable stupidity not to be concerned for evidences. who but a fool or a madman would slight the business of removing to another house on earth, as men do that of the house of heaven. Now every person, masters and servants, must know what comes of them at the term, only we are not inquiring what comes of us at death, whether we shall go to the house above or the house below. 4. It is necessary for the honor of God, the good and edification of others, and that both in life and death. But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and be ready always to give an answer to everyone that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear. It is little that we glorify God in our lives, and alas! the most are in hazard of dying as they live. They live in hopes of heaven, of which they can give no good account, and may even come to die in the same way. It is but an obscure death little to the honour of God or the edification of others, when persons pass away without clear evidences or struggles to recover brangled evidences. Use of exhortation to those who have never been at pains to get a right to heaven. why should I bid them seek evidence for a thing which they were never at pains to get? Alas, as to many, whatever be their hopes for heaven, evidences of hell are written on their foreheads, such as one. Hardness of heart and blindness of mind constant and habitual, which create in them a deep security in their soul-ruining courses. A stone is fitted to go downward, and so are they for the pit. If our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost, too. God's giving up with them, saying, Ephraim is joined to his idols, let him alone. Some have had conscience as God's deputy struggling long with them, but at length they have got their consciences seared. There is none now to peep, or mutter within their breast, to disturb their rest in sin. Saul was near being cut off when he was cast off. 3. Profanity of life, which cannot fail to have a miserable end, as long as dogs and swine are debarred from heaven. Those that have nothing but the form of religion may go to hell, but none that want a form will ever see heaven. 4. Unfruitfulness under the means of grace. a total unfruitfulness, when neither heart nor life is made better, but the leprosy of sin continues spreading, what can be expected but destruction. I would exhort you who have not yet made it your work to get a right to heaven, now to begin that work in earnest, by your closing with Christ offered in the Gospel, taking Him in all His offices, marrying the heir that the dowry house may be yours. Motives. 1. While you have no right to heaven, you are heirs of wrath and hell. You are children of wrath, and it is a fearful case to live bound over to the wrath of God. Such is your case while without Christ and without a title to heaven. You are under the curse and condemned already. For he that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him. To this is the great work of time to be securing your happiness for eternity. What should a malefactor do in the time of a reprieve, but be seeking a remission if it may be obtained? He that dwells in an old ruinous house should be looking out for another. Now you are like a man standing on a spot of ground encompassed with the sea, which the tide will soon cover. It is not time to sleep in such a situation, so time ere long will be swallowed up in eternity. 3. We have some hopes of heaven, because we are yet within the line of mercy. Hope deferred maketh the heart sick, but eternal disappointment will kill the heart and pierce the heart with ten thousand sorrows. Hell will be sad to them that know nothing of heaven, but much worse for them, who, by its flames, are awakened out of their pleasant dreams of heaven. For all of us have heaven in our offer. The marriage of the king's son is offered to us and heaven with him for our dowry house. How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation? To fall short of an offered heaven will be a double hell. Lastly, it will not always be so. The day will come that the doors will be shut and once shut will never more be opened. When once time is gone, God will bar them so that for the ages of eternity there shall be access no more. Then shall that oath have its full effect, unto whom I swear in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest. There are several, I hope, who have been careful about securing a right to heaven, who have been laboring to lay hold on the covenant and Christ in it. I exhort you to try what has been the issue of all your pains that way, to try your state, and make out your title for heaven by evidences. 1. I will urge this upon you with some motives. 2. I will point out the hindrances of evidences for heaven. 3. I shall give you some directions in order to your obtaining evidences for heaven. I am then 1. to urge you with some motives, to try what has been the issue of all your pains to obtain a right to heaven. One this is a troublesome world, every person has his cross for every day, and the design of each of these is to tell you your rest is not here. It is hope that supports the soul, and this hope must be raised not upon the prospect of ease in this life, of which we may soon be disappointed, but upon evidences of a better life. For if in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. and these hopes of a better life may last, though the clouds return after the rain. 2. Many deceive themselves in that matter and will meet with an eternal disappointment as the foolish virgins did. Matthew chapter 25. There are two things clear as the sun in this matter. First that there are few comparatively that will be saved. Straight is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Christ's flock is a little flock. The second thing is, that the far greater part entertain hopes of heaven. There are very few that do not expect that they shall be the persons that shall be saved. Hence it follows many will be deceived, and disappointed there are two sorts of self-deceivers that much abound in the world. First, formal hypocrites unacquainted with regeneration and the life of faith, yet acquainted with the external duties of religion. These build their hopes on some things that look like grace and holiness in heart and life, but they do not examine them narrowly by the touchstone of God's Word, hence they are deceived by counterfeit instead of current coin. This is the more to be regarded, that there is no grace but a hypocrite may have the counterfeit of it. The second class are the ignorant and the profane, who also hope that all will be well in the end. These trouble not themselves to search for satisfaction as evidence of their interest in Christ, but please themselves with the hopes which they rear up upon the general offers of the gospel, the mercy of God, and the death of Christ, without any evidence of their being in the covenant or having had the virtue of the blood of Christ applied to them. While thus so many deceive themselves, it is a loud call to us to make out our evidences. 3. The consideration of the time in which we live should engage us to this. Though the Lord has done wonders for us, yet there are sure symptoms of the Lord's anger against us, as call aloud to us to seek evidences. It is a time of divisions, and these appear to be still increasing. Now while there is such reeling and staggering, some saying this, some that the other is the way, let us to take special heed to be right in the main. While some are saying, I am of Paul and I am of Apollos, let us put it to the trial till we be able, each for himself to say, I am of Christ. Division has a sad influence on practical godliness, for the corrupt heart is apt to lay much weight on what side the man takes in such a time, and a mighty stress is laid upon being found in good company as each alleges for himself that he is. The controversies and disputes about these things are apt to wear out soul exercise, but let us remember that into how many parts soever the world and the church be now divided, the time comes when there will be but two parties, those that are in and those that are out of Christ. the regenerated and the unregenerated. It is a time in which, though strokes are delayed, yet there is no such repentance and reformation as may give us ground to think, that the bitterness of death is past. But be it as it will, every one ought to lay his account with sufferings. None are saved but those who have as much faith and love to Christ as will make Him cleave to Him, come what will. If any man, saith Jesus, come to Me, and hate not his father and mother, and wife and children, and brethren and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. Now should a time of public calamity come, how comfortless is the condition of men without evidences for heaven. For death is approaching, we must die, and it is horrible to think of looking the grim messenger in the face without evidence of eternal life. We must then enter into an unalterable state forever, and must we venture into it as by a leap in the dark, not knowing where we may land? Are heaven and hell such light things, that it is a matter indifferent to us, which of them be our portion? O consider that last moment that will for ever determine our state, when we shall be lying on a dying bed, either holy angels or devils waiting on to carry us to our eternal abode. Five we know not when this may be our lot, or how we may be brought to death. We may pass away in a moment in a surprising manner when we are not looking for it. We may die in such a case that we may be incapable of doing anything for eternity, or the pain and tossing may be such that it will be difficult to get a composed thought. Do now then in proper time what you would then wish to have done. Lastly, evidences for heaven are excellent means for a holy life. Some say that assurance is hurtful to piety and inclines men to looseness, but the contrary is evident from the Word, which enforceth holiness from assurance. Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. The Scripture expressly asserts the tendency of assurance to holiness. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. And experience testifies that those who had the clearest evidences have been the most holy of all the saints, as Abraham, David, Paul. And this distinguishes well-grounded evidence of the Lord's love from delusion, which can never sanctify the soul. But to come to particulars, one amends having evidences for heaven inflames the soul with love to the Lord. One flame begets another, so the love of God to the soul clearly discerned will increase the soul's love to the Lord. We love Him because He first loved us. He sits in the warm sunshine who sits under evidences of the Lord's love, and this cannot fail to melt the heart. The soul will be filled with admiration of God's goodness and grace. Two, it humbles the soul. None are more vile in their own eyes than those who are most highly lifted up in the manifestations of the Lord's love. Abraham is but dust and ashes while God is speaking to him as a friend. When David's honours were conferred upon him, he exclaimed, Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto? In 2 Corinthians chapter 12, you will find Paul as high as he could be raised, verse 4, caught up into paradise. And yet as low as he could lay himself, though, says he, verse 11, I be nothing. For always the nearer a soul comes to God, God appears the greater, and the creature the less. 3. It produces tenderness of heart and life, great care to please God in all things, and watchfulness against every sin that may disturb the soul's rest in God. The empty traveller walks at random, fearing nothing, because he has nothing to lose, but he that hath full pockets will look well to himself. The solid hope of heaven makes the soul-study to be heavenly, and the hope of the marriage-day makes the spouse of Christ to prepare for it. 4. It gives strength against corruption. Give all diligence to make your calling and election sure, for if ye do these things ye shall never fall. The heavenly light within the soul, cleared as to its eternal interest, dispels the darkness that strengthens the work of corruption and fits a man for every duty of a holy life. Faith is the provider for all our other graces. It brings in oil to the lamp, and the more evidence faith hath, it can do its office the better. A doubting Christian will always be a weak Christian, even as the soldier who has little hopes of victory will be readily faint-hearted. 5. Assurance is the best support under sufferings and afflictions, as the connection of the text shows. It is a storehouse of patience and contentment under the rod, for it shows them things will have a happy issue, and under the want of all things it shows them that they shall inherit all things. It makes a man despise the frowns of the world and the threats of enemies. Why should they fear the falling of their tabernacle, who know that they have an house not made with hands eternal in the heavens? They need not fear death, when to them it is an inlet to eternal life. 6. It fills a man with contempt of the world. If one know that his treasure is in heaven, his heart will be there also. God forbid, says the Apostle, that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which I am crucified unto the world and the world unto me. If you gaze on the shining sun for a time, you will scarcely discern the beauty of the earth for some time after, and he that can solace himself in the contemplation of heaven as his, this will much sink the value of created things with him. It sets a man above the earth, so that it must needs appear a very little thing. Finally, to sum up all in one word, it makes a man fit either to live or die. Alas, how often are even good people unfit for either. unfit to live because of the weakness of grace in the midst of temptations and trials, unfit to die for want of evidence of grace, whereas the man that has solid evidence for heaven, he has what can bear him through trials, support him under temptations, and even in the hour of death. The end of we are a building of God part one. This audio was created with an artificial voice for the audiobook initiative on Sermon Audio. There may be mispronunciations or occasional repetitions. 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