Paul. Heaven is a great gain that we must work for with constant diligence: “Trade till I come.”[1] Heaven is a crown that will not be given to any one who has not fought long enough for it: “He also that striveth for the mastery is not crowned except he strive lawfully.”[2] Heaven is the promised land flowing with milk and honey, and to possess it we must go out of Egypt, and wander through the desert; that is, we must detach our hearts from the world and the love of the world, deny ourselves, and bear steadfastly the cross laid on us. Heaven is a kingdom in which an infinite God makes the happiness of His elect, but it must be stormed and taken by violence: “From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent bear it away.”[3] In a word: “If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments;”[4] and these words are said to all men.
Now there are plenty who hope and wish for heaven, but they do not work for it. Meanwhile, my dear brethren, are there not multitudes of men who content themselves with mere hopes and desires, without putting their hands to work, or moving one foot before the other to get to heaven? I trust I shall get to heaven. I will and must save my soul. God forbid that I should be lost forever; it would be better for me never to have been born! No; the salvation of my soul is the chief thing, on which everything depends. Ah, God grant that I may die a happy death! Oh, what a great good heaven is! Would that I were there! Such are the thoughts, the professions, the desires, the words of most, nay, nearly all Christians. Therefore I will strive earnestly for heaven; I will direct all my cares and occupations to that one end; I will keep exactly all the commandments of God, avoid carefully all sin and the dangers of sin, restrain the wicked passions and desires that have so often led, me into sin, and diligently perform the duties of my state; therefore I will serve God zealously, candidly confess and repent of my sins, and frequently make use of the spiritual helps provided for me, hear the word of God, and often receive the sacraments; and I shall commence this very day to live in that manner, and not wait till to-morrow. Such should be our thoughts, words, and actions; but not all think and speak like that, and very few act in that way.
