Heaven

`The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence., It is a kingdom, and therefore men are so violent for it. Oh! consider, it is for a crown, and that will encourage you to all earnestness of pursuit. A lazy wish, a drowsy prayer, is not enough.
Obs. 8. That heaven is a kingdom engaged by promise. It is not only good, to tempt your desires, but sure, to support your hopes. Look upon it not only as a kingdom, but as a promised kingdom, and judge him faithful that hath promised. None can comfort themselves in these hopes but they that have interest in the promise. They can plead with God for their own souls—We have thy word; there is a `promise wherein thou hast caused us to hope, Ps. cxix. 49. Heaven is not only prepared, but promised. You may not only have loose hopes, but a steadfast confidence.
Obs. 9. That the promise of the kingdom is made to those that love God. Love is the effect of faith, and the ground of all duty, and so the best discovery of a spiritual estate. They do not believe that do not love; and they cannot obey that do not love. Look, then, to this grace. Do you love God? When promises have the condition specified in them, we cannot take comfort in the promise till we are sure of the condition. As Christ asked Simon Peter, `Lovest thou me?, so commune with your own souls, Dost thou love God? Nay, urge the soul with it again, Dost thou indeed love God? The effects and products of love are many. Those which love God, love that which is of God. As (1.) His glory. Their great desire and delight is to honour him, that they may be any way serviceable to the glory of God. The sin mentioned, 2 Tim. iii. 2, `Lovers of themselves, is the opposite frame to this. When all that men do is with a self-respect, they have little love to God. (2.) His commandments. I observed before, that usually men love sin and hate the commandment. They are vexed with those holy laws that thwart their corrupt desires. Natural conscience impresseth a sense of duty, and vile affection worketh a dislike of it. But now, 1 John v. 3, `This is the love of God, that his commandments are not grievous., Duty is their delight, and ordinances their solace: Ps. xxvi. 8, `How have I loved the habitation of thine house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth!, They will desire to be often in the company of God, to be there where they may meet with him. (3.) His friends. They love Christians as Christians, though otherwise never so mean. Love of the brethren is made an evidence of great importance, 1 John iii. 14. By these discoveries may you judge yourselves.

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