1 76 SERMONS pon Serm. XXIV. ring, then God manifesteth his will to his People, that they Ihould fuffer : and then if we Puffer with him, we (hall alCo -be glorified together. No creature could have brought us to this neceffity, without God ; 'tis plainly Gods will that we Ihould fuller; and remember it is his will that we' ffsould allo reign with him. Doll. That allGods Children are heirs of a bletd and glorious inheritánce Here I (hall (hew you, 1. The agreement between common heirs. and them. 2. The difference. 3. Thole properties which (hew the greatness of the Inheritance. I. The Agreement in thefe things. I. There is an Inheritance provided. We have a right to all the good things God hath promifed,efpecially eternal life ;therefore the People of God are called Heirs ofSalvation Heb. I. 14. Heirs of the kingdom, Jam. 2. 5. And the Heavenly Eftate is called the In- heritance of the Saints in light, Col. i. 1 a. Thofe excellent things which are to be in joyed by us in the other world , are in the nature of an Inheritance. 2. "1 he conveyance is by promise and covenant ; as other heritages are conveyed by for- malities of Law, fo is this. The Covenant is fo offered by God, and fo it mutt be ac- cepted by us, Pfal. t I9. I I I. 2 hy testimonies I have taIen as an heritage for ever. As we fay a mans estate lieth in Bills and Bonds, fo are GodsTeffimonies our heritage; not the promises, but the things promised. And fo it is faid, Heb. 6. 12 That Gods Holy ones did through Faith and Patience inherit the Promises ; that is, the thing pro- mired ,fpiritual and eternal bleffings and rewards. 3. Our tenor is by fonfhip. 'Tis free ; for the inheritance is not purchafed by us, but freely bellowed upon us ; achilds tenure differeth from a fervant, the one earneth his wages, and the other hath his E(tate from his Fathers bounty and free gift; fo is ours the gift of God, Rom. 6. 23. In oppofition to works, called therefore the reward of inheritance, Col. 3. 24. Tho fervants earn what they receive from men, yet from the Lord Christ, whatever they receive for faithfulness in their calling, 'cis a free retributi- on ; tho they are fervants to men, yet they are Ions to God, for all are children and heirs in Heaven, there is no diftinâion of fervants and 'Ions there. in (bort, what- ever is promifed to any work of ours, 'cis not from any worth in the work, but from Gods free grace. 2. 'Tis full. For the Inheritance is more than a Legacy ; God Iheweth his goodnefs to all his creatures, but to his children he giveth the inheritance ; as Ifaac had the inheri- tance from Abraham ; but to his Cons that he had by Concubines he gave gifts, and tent them away, Gen. 25. 5, 6 All men trite of his common bounty, but his Saints have their inheritance referred for them; which (beweth,that we should put a diftin&ion be- tween our heavenly inheritance, and thofe earthly enjoyments which floweth in the channel of common Providence : Alas! That far exceedeth any thing we enjoy here; all things here are but mean and fading in themfelves, and liable to fpoil and vastation from others; but this is our eternal and durable dilate, which the wicked (ball not partake of, whatever gifts God bestoweth on them now. 3. There is a time between Right and Poffffion ; and in the mean time the Heirs live by hope, till the Inheritanc fairly defcendeth to them ; fo here,Titus 3. 7. Being juflifT- ed by faith, we are made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. We are heirs, but 'tis little that we enjoy now ; Gods Sons and Heirs make no fair (hew in the flesh; to out- ward appearance there is little difference between their condition, and the condition of the men of the wotld : For God will not diftinguifh the heirs of promise from others by their outward condition, but internally : There is hope of a better cftate,and Purely to expedt fisch great things, and not be affefted with them, argueth a dead and stupid heart ; is a Right nothing before Pofíeffion ? Or is the expectation fo grounded, a vain fancy ? Surely a Chriffian is or will be a great man. Is the heir nothing better than a flare, becaale he doth not as yet come to the enjoyment of what is provided for him? A Right and an Hope (hould give us more joy than ufually we find in our (elves; if it were a vain expe&atfoo, and not grounded upon a right, it were lets but being it is fee, we should be more affe &ed with it. 5. As an heir hash not only affirrance of Ike inheritance, but prefent fupply and matte- name
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