can take from them, though they should take all that they have in the world. John xvi. 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 xix. 25-27. 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,

IV. To give the reason of the doctrine.

1. 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 ownselves." 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 every where 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 enquiring what comes of us at death, whether we shall go to the house above or the house below.

4. It is necessary for the honour 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 every

one 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,

1. 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."

2. 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."

2. 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.

4. 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 sware 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 labouring 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.

I. I will urge this upon you with some motives.

II. I will point out the hindrances of evidences for heaven.

III. I shall give you some directions in order to your obtaining evidences for heaven. I am then,

I. To urge you with some motives; to try what has been the issue of all your pains to obtain a right to heaven.

1. 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, Matth. xxv. There are two things clear as the sun in this matter. First, that there are few comparatively that will be saved. "Strait 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 Chirst 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.

4. 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 for ever, 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.

5. 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 any thing 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. 66 "Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and 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 :

1. A man's 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 sun