The Christians labour and reward, or, A sermon, part of which was preached at…

there being no Child of God so little (I hope) acquainted, with his Saviours Will and Testament, as not to be able to turn on a sudden to many places, where this Inheritance is settled on them. The greatest Heir that lives, is the Saint. He is heir to both Worlds, having Promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come: But the grand promise of all is, that which gives him title to his Heavenly Inheritance.¹ In one place they are called Heirs of Promise, in another, Heirs of Salvation; because ⟨p. 66⟩this is the Crowning Promise. Heaven it is called their Hope, till this comes; he hath not his Portion; all he hath here, is the least of what is promised. But when Heaven comes, then all is paid; the Bond then is delivered in, Faith and Hopes work is done. The Christian, who on Earth, believes and expects Promises, shall in Heaven inherit Promises; there Faith shall be turned into Vision, and Hope swallowed up in Fruition. Now though nothing can make Heaven more sure to the Believer, than Gods Promise, no not the Oath of God it self, because it is as impossible for God to lye without an Oath, as with it; for being he can swear by no greater, he sweareth only by himself; and so the strength even of his Oath, lieth in his Veracity, which is engaged in his Promise, as well as Oath: yet he is graciously pleased, ex abundanti, consulting therein with our frailty, to superadd all those things to his Promise; by which men in contracts, amongst themselves, do conceive a further confirmation ⟨p. 67⟩and security to to be given, for performance of their Promises one to another; as witnesses, Seal, Oath, and Earnest; that having these Securities, which are wont to satisfy us in Humane Promises, the sin of distrusting Gods performance of his, might appear the more unreasonable in us, and injurious to him: as, indeed, it is beyond all expression, when those Securities will not assure our hearts, concerning the performance of Gods Promises, than which we cannot exact more from those men that are most unresponsable or deceitful.

there being no Child of God so little (I hope) acquainted, with his Saviours Will and Testament, as not to be able to turn on a sudden to many places, where this Inheritance is setled on them. The greatest Heir that lives, is the Saint. He is heir to both Worlds, having Promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come: But the grand promise of all is, that which gives him title to his Heavenly Inheritance.