ephah was a measure which the Jews used in selling: they made the
many the kingdom of heaven. A bee may suck a little honey from the leaf—but put it in a barrel of honey, and it is drowned! To suck moderately from the creature, God allows; but excess engulfs men in perdition.
(12) If you would not fall short of the kingdom of heaven— take heed of injustice in your dealings. Defrauding lies in two things:
1. Mixing commodities, as if anyone should mix bad wheat with good, and sell it for pure wheat, which is to defraud. "Your wine mixed with water." Isaiah 1:22.
2. Giving scant measure. "Making the ephah small." Amos 8:5. The ephah was a measure which the Jews used in selling: they made the ephah small; they gave not full measure. I wish this were not the sin of many. "He is a merchant, the balances of deceit are in his hand." Hos 12:7. Can they be holy—who are not just? "Shall I count them pure with the wicked balances?" Micah 6:11. Is his heart sincere— who has false weights? Many cannot reach heaven—because of their over-reaching.
(13) If you would not miss the kingdom of heaven—take heed of evil company. There is a necessary commerce with men in buying and selling, or, as the apostle says, we must go out of the world—but do not voluntarily choose the company of the wicked. 1 Cor 5:10. "I have written unto you not to keep company." 1 Cor 5:11. Do not incorporate into the society of the wicked, or be too much familiar with them. The wicked are God-haters. "Should you love those who hate the Lord?" 2 Chron 19:2. A Christian is bound, by virtue of his oath of allegiance to God in baptism, not to have intimate converse with such as are God's sworn enemies. What company can Christ's doves have—among birds of prey? What
company can virgins have—among harlots? The company of the wicked is very defiling, it is like going among those who have the plague.
"They mingled among the pagans and adopted their evil customs." Psalm 106:35. If you mingle bright armor with rusty, the bright armor will not brighten the rusty—but the rusty armor will spoil the bright. By mixing with the wicked—you are apt to receive hurt. The bad will sooner corrupt the good, than the good will convert the bad. Pharaoh taught Joseph to swear—but Joseph did not teach Pharaoh to pray. There is a strange attractive power in evil company to corrupt and poison the best dispositions; they damp good affections. Throw a fire-ball into the snow—and it is soon quenched. Among the wicked, the heat of zealous affections is lost. By holding familiar correspondence with the wicked, they will dissuade us from strict godliness, and debar us our liberty and pleasure. "This sect everywhere is spoken against." Acts 28:22.
Hereupon he, who before looked towards heaven, begins to be discouraged, and gradually declines from holiness. There steals upon him a dislike of his former religious course of life; he thinks he was righteous overmuch, stricter than needed. There is instilled into his heart a secret delight of evil. He begins to like foolish scurrilous discourse; he can hear true religion spoken against, and be silent, nay, well pleased; he loves vanity, and makes sport of sin. He is by degrees so metamorphosed, and made like the company he converses with, that he now grows into disgust and hatred of his former sober ways. He is ill-affected towards godly men, transformed into scoffing Ishmael, a breathing devil; and becomes at last as much the child of hell as any of that graceless damned crew he conversed with! And what is the end of all? A blot in the name, a moth in the estate, a worm in the conscience. Oh, if you would not miss the
kingdom of heaven, beware of evil company! Bad company is the bane and poison of the youth of this age. Such as were once soberly inclined, by coming among the profane, grow familiar, until at last they keep one another company in hell.
(14) If you would not miss the kingdom of heaven—take heed of parleying with the fleshly part. The flesh is a bosom traitor. When an enemy is gotten within the walls of a castle, it is in great danger of being captured. The flesh is an enemy within—it is a bad master. It says, "There is a lion in the way!" It discourages from religious strictness; it says as Peter did to Christ, "Spare yourself;" it says as Judas, "Why all this waste? Why all this praying? Why do you waste your strength and strength in piety? Why all this waste?" The flesh cries out for ease and pleasure. How many, by consulting with the flesh, have lost the kingdom of heaven!
(15) If you would not fall short of heaven—take heed of carnal relations. Our carnal friends are often bars and hindrances in our way to heaven; they will say, "Piety is preciseness and singularity. "A wife in the bosom, may be a tempter. Job's wife was so. "Do you still retain your integrity? Curse God, and die!" Job 2:9. "What! still pray? What do you get by serving God? Job, where are your earnings? What can you show you have had in God's service— but boils and ulcers? And do you still retain your integrity? Throw off God's livery, renounce religion!" Here was a temptation handed over to him by his wife. The woman was made of the rib, the devil turned this rib into an arrow, and would have shot Job to the heart—but his faith quenched this fiery dart! Beware of carnal relations!
We read that some of Christ's kindred laid hold on him, and would have hindered him when he was going to preach. "They said—He's out of his mind!" Mark 3:21. Our kindred sometimes would stand in
our way to heaven, and, judging all zeal rashness, would hinder us from being saved. Such carnal relations Spira had; for having consulted with them whether he should remain constant in his orthodox opinion, they persuaded him to recant; and so, abjuring his former faith, he fell into horror and despondency of mind. Galeacius, Marquis of Vice, found his carnal relations a great block in his way; and what ado had he to break through their temptations! Take heed of a snare in your bosom! It is a brave saying of Jerome, "If my parents should persuade me to deny Christ, if my wife should charm me with her embraces—I would forsake all, and fly to Christ."
(16) If you would not fall short of the kingdom of heaven— take heed of falling away. Beware of apostasy. He misses the prize—who does not hold out in the race; he who makes shipwreck of the faith—who cannot come to the haven of glory. We live in the fall of the leaf; men fall from that goodness they seemed to have; some are turned to error, others to vice; some to drinking and dicing; the very mantle of their profession is fallen off. It is dreadful for men to fall off from hopeful beginnings. "The apostate," says Tertullian, "seems to put God and Satan in the balance, and having weighed both their services, prefers the devil's service, and proclaims him to be the best master; in which respect he is said to put Christ to open shame." Heb 6:6. This is sad at last. Heb 10:38. If you would not miss the glory, take heed of apostasy. Those who fall away, must needs fall short of the kingdom.
What MEANS must we use—that we do not fall short of the kingdom of heaven?
(1) If we would not come short of this heavenly kingdom— let us be much in the exercise of SELF-DENIAL. "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself." Matthew 16:24. He who would go to heaven must deny self-righteousness. We must beware of our own righteousness. "That I may be found in him, not having my own righteousness." Phil 3:9. The spider weaves a web out of her own bowels. Just so, a hypocrite would spin a web of salvation out of his own righteousness. We must deny our morality in point of justification. Morality is a good staff to walk with among men—but it is a bad ladder to climb up to heaven! We must deny our holy things, in point of justification. Alas! how are our duties chequered with sin! Put gold in the fire, and out comes the dross. Just so, our most golden services are mixed with unbelief. Deny selfrighteousness; use duty—but trust to Christ. Noah's dove made use of her wings to fly—but trusted to the ark for safety! Let duties have your diligence—but not your confidence. Self-denial is the way to the kingdom. There is no getting into heaven, but through this strait gate of self-denial.
(2) The second means for obtaining the kingdom is serious CONSIDERATION. Most men fall short of heaven for lack of consideration.
We should often consider what a kingdom heaven is. It is called a prepared kingdom, which implies something that is rare and excellent. Matthew 25:34. God has prepared in his kingdom such things as "eye has not seen nor ear heard." 1 Cor 2:9. Heaven is beyond hyperbole. In particular in this celestial kingdom are two things—a stately palace, and a royal feast.
The stately palace is large and spacious. The dimensions of it are twelve thousand furlongs, or, as it is in some Greek copies, twelve
times twelve thousand furlongs, a finite number put for an infinite; no arithmetician can number these furlongs. Rev 21:15. Though there be an innumerable company of saints and angels in heaven—yet there is infinitely enough room to receive them. The palace of this kingdom is lucid and transparent; it is adorned with light, and the light is sweet. Hell is a dark dungeon—but the palace above is bespangled with light. Col 1:12. Such illustrious beams of glory shine from God, as shed a brightness and splendor upon the empyrean heaven. This palace of the kingdom is well situated for good air and a pleasant prospect. There is the best air, which is perfumed with the fragrance of Christ's ointments; and a most pleasant prospect of the bright morning-star. The palace is rich and sumptuous. It has gates of pearl. Rev 21:21. It is enriched with white robes and crowns of glory; it never falls to decay, and the dwellers in it never die. "They shall reign forever and ever." Rev 22:5.
There is also a royal feast. It is called "the marriage-supper of the Lamb." Rev 19:9. Bullinger and Gregory the Great understood this of the magnificent supper prepared in the kingdom of heaven. A glorious feast it will be in respect of the founder. The glorified saints shall feast their eyes with God's beauty, and their hearts with his love.
A delicious feast it will be in respect of the festivity and holy mirth. What joy shall there be in the anthems and triumphs of glorified spirits! Saints and angels shall mingle together in an inseparable union of love, and lie in each others sweet embrace.
A royal banquet it will be, where there is no surfeit, because a fresh course is continually served in.
The serious consideration of what a kingdom of heaven is, would be a means to quicken our endeavors in the pursuit after it. What causes
men to make voyages to the Indies, but the consideration of the gold and spices which are to be had there? Did we survey and contemplate the glory of heaven, we would soon take a voyage, and never leave until we had arrived at the celestial kingdom.
How it will trouble you if you should perish to think you came short of heaven for lack of of a little more pains! The prophet Elisha bid the king of Israel smite the ground six times, and he smote but thrice, and stopped. 2 Kings 13:19. He lost many victories by it. Just so, when a man shall think thus, "I did something in religion—but did not do enough; I prayed—but it was coldly; I did not put coals to the incense. I heard the word—but did not meditate on it. I smote but thrice, when I should have smote six times; had I taken a little more pains I had been happy—but I have lost the kingdom of heaven by short-shooting!" The consideration, how terrible the thought will be of losing heaven for lack of a little more pains, should be a means to spur on our sluggish hearts, and make us more diligent to get the kingdom.
(3) The third means for obtaining this kingdom is to keep up daily PRAYER. "I give myself unto prayer." Psalm 109:4. Prayer inflames the affections, and oils the wheels of endeavor. Prayer prevails with God, unlocks his affections, and then he unlocks heaven. All who have gotten to heaven—have crept there upon their knees. The saints now in heaven have been men of prayer. Daniel prayed three times a day, Jacob wrestled with God in prayer, and as a prince, prevailed. Prayer must be fervent, else it is, as Luther says, a golden censer without fire. O follow God with prayers and tears; say as Jacob to the angel, "I will not let you go, unless you bless me." Gen 32:26. As Luther says, "Prayer conquers the Omnipotent." Elijah by prayer opened heaven; by ardent and constant prayer, heaven is opened to us.
(4) If you would obtain the heavenly kingdom—get a LOVE to heaven. Love puts a man upon the use of all means to enjoy the thing loved. He who loves the world—how active is he! He will break his sleep and peace for it. He who loves honor—what hazards will he run! He will swim to the throne in blood. Jacob loved Rachel—and what would he not do, though it were serving two seven-year apprenticeships for obtaining her! Love carries a man out aggressively to the object loved. Love like wings to the bird, like sails to the ship—carries a Christian full sail to heaven. Heaven is a place of rest and joy, it is paradise—and will you not love it? Love heaven, and you cannot miss it! Love breaks through all opposition; it takes heaven by storm. Though it labors, it is never weary. It is like the myrtle rod in the traveler's hand, which makes him fresh and lively in his travel, and keeps him from being weary.
(5) If you would obtain the kingdom of heaven—make religion your MAIN CONCERN. What a man looks upon as an unnecessary thing—he does not much mind. If ever we would have heaven, we must look upon it as our main concern; other things do but concern our livelihood, this concerns our salvation. We make religion our business when we wholly devote ourselves to God's service. Psalm 139:18. We count those the best hours which are spent with God; we give God the cream of our affections, the flower of our time and strength; we traffic in heaven every day, we are merchants for the "pearl of great price." He will not get an estate—who does not mind his trade; he will never get heaven—who does not make religion his main business.
(6) If you would obtain the kingdom of heaven—bind your hearts to God by sacred VOWS. Vow to the Lord that, by his grace, you will be more intent upon heaven than ever. "Your vows are upon me, O God." Psalm 56:12. A vow binds the votary to duty; he
looks upon himself as obliged by his vow to cleave to God. When bees fly in a great wind, they ballast themselves with little stones, that they may not be carried away. Just so, we must fortify ourselves with strong vows, that we may not be carried away from God with the violent wind of temptation. No question, a Christian may make such a vow, because the ground of it is morally good, he vows nothing but what he is bound to do by virtue of his baptismal vow, namely, to walk with God more closely, and to pursue heaven more vigorously.
(7) If you would obtain the kingdom—embrace all SEASONS and opportunities for your soul's welfare. "Redeeming the time." Eph 5:16. Opportunity is the cream of time; improving seasons of grace is as much as our salvation is worth. The mariner, by taking the present season while the wind blows, gets to the haven. Just so, by taking the season, while we have the means of grace, and the wind of the Spirit blows—we may arrive at the kingdom of heaven. We know not how long we shall enjoy the gospel. The seasons of grace, like Noah's dove, comes with an olive branch in their mouth—but they soon take wings and fly. Though they are sweet—yet they are swift. God may remove the golden candlestick from us, as he did from the churches of Asia. We have many sad symptoms, "Grey hairs are here and there upon him." Hos 7:9. Therefore let us lay hold upon the present seasons. Those who sleep in seedtime, will beg in harvest.
(8) If you would go to the kingdom of heaven—you must keep a daily WATCH. "I say unto all, watch." Mark 13:37. Many have lost heaven for lack of watchfulness. Our hearts are ready to decoy us into sin, and the devil lies in ambush by his temptations. We must every day set a spy, and keep sentinel in our souls. "I will stand upon my watch." Hab 2:1.