Englands duty under the present gospel liberty from Revel. III, vers. 20

(2.) As an earnest is part of the sum or inheritance, so the use and end of it is confirmation and security; as much as to say, Take this in part till the whole be paid: yea, take it for thy security that the whole shall be paid. Believers have a double pledge or earnest for Heaven; one in the person of Christ, who is entered into that glory for them, John 14. 2, 3. The other in the joys and comforts of the Spirit, which they feel and taste in themselves. These are two great securities, and the design of God in giving us these earnests and foretasts of Heaven, are not only to settle our minds, but to whet our industry, that we may long the more earnestly, and labour the more diligently for the full possession. The Lord sees how apt we are to flag in the pursuit of Heavenly Glory: and therefore gives his People a taste, an earnest of it, to excite their diligence in the pursuits of it. God deals with his People in this case, as with Israel; they had been forty years in the Wilderness, many sore temptations they had there encountered; at last they were come upon the very borders of Canaan; but then their hearts began to faint; there were ⟨p. 870⟩Anakims, Giants in the Land, poor Israel feared they should not stand before them; but Joshua sends Spies into the Land, who returning, bring the first-fruits of Canaan to them, whereby they saw what a goodly Country it was; and then the fear of the Anakims began to vanish, and a spirit of Courage to revive in the People. Thus it is even with the Borderers upon Heaven; tho' we be near that blessed Land of promise, yet our hearts are apt to faint upon a prospect of those great sufferings without us, and those conflicts with corruptions we feel within us: But one taste of the first fruits of Heaven, like those grapes of Eshcol, revive our Spirits, rouse our Zeal, and quicken our pursuits of blessedness. For these reasons God will not have all of Heaven reserved till we come thither. And now tell me, you that have tasted these first-fruits of the Spirit, (1) Is there not something in faith of that glorified Eye, by which the pure in heart do see God in Heaven? Matth. 5. 8. O that eye of Faith! that precious eye! which comes as near to the glorified eye, as any thing in this imperfect state can come, 1 Pet. 1. 8.