Treasures in Heaven

It seems like investing one’s good things a -*- long way off to be “laying up treasures in Heaven.” But this is a mistake. Heaven is very near to God’s children. The leagues thither are few and short — shortening every hour. Heaven is begun here by a life of faith. It is a state, as well as a place. The converted soul by regeneration comes into a new condition toward God, and this condition is called the “Kingdom of Heaven77 in more than one Bible passage. When two pure hearts begin to love, it is the beginning of wedlock. Hands are not joined or the ring given, but the core-idea of wedlock is reached, which is unselfish heart-love. Heaven as a state of reconciliation to God and of love for him who first loved us is begun on earth.

Heaven as the actual abode of the redeemed is very near; just behind the veil it lies j every moment that veil disappears to one and another, and they are there! They are amid the treasures at God’s right hand. A share in those treasures belongs to every true and earnest follower of Jesus.

They are of various kinds and character. The everlasting hopes of the believer belong to these treasures. Paul exclaimed, with holy confidence: “I know whom I have believed, and that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him against that day.” The great apostle had made Jesus his trustee. He had lodged his soul’s affections and hopes all in Christ’s hands, and when he reached Heaven he knew that he should find the deposit safe. He had laid up nothing on earth for the moth or the thief. All his investments were spiritual and Jesus had the charge of them. So may every true Christian — whether in mansion or in lowly hut — congratulate himself that what is dearest to him is in the keeping of his Saviour.

The spiritual results of Paul’s life were in Heaven. The results of my own poor life are there. Brother, yours are there. And they will be found to have increased through earthly losses. Whatever we give up for Jesus’s sake increases our heavenly treasure. The money which is sacrificed in order to keep a good conscience adds to our heavenly wealth. Keeping often impoverishes. Giving up enriches. “He that saveth his life shall lose it; he that loseth his life for my sake and the Gospel’s shall find it” — in Heaven. Whatever we lay down here in order to please Jesus will be “laid up” to our account yonder. God is a faithful trustee. He keeps his book of remembrance. He will reward every one according as his work shall be. The wise employment of the ten talents or the two talents will be fairly recompensed. When we speak of salvation as by grace and not “of works “we must not forget that other truth, that God will judge us all according to our works. They will be laid up there. If a sinner’s “wages” are paid in Hell, a Christian’s wages are paid in Heaven. How rich some of Christ’s millionaires will be! Paul will have a magnificent inheritance. All that he gave up of earthly pelf, profit, fame, ease, power, emolument will stand to his credit there. All the mighty service he wrought for human souls will be to him a shining crown. Agrippa will be glad to change thrones with him then. John Bunyan, when in jail, comforted himself with the thought that he had “rich lordships’7 in those souls which he had led to Jesus. What a Croesus the old tinker will be when he gets in full possession of his inheritance! How many thousands will come and thank John Banyan for leading them to Heaven!

I love to think of Robert Raikes as surrounded by hosts of Sunday-school children in Paradise. They will be a part of his treasures, as well as Christ’s treasures in Heaven. To John Elliott the converted Indian will bei a star in his crown. Wilberforce will be enriched by the salvation of liberated bondmen, and Franke will be the happier when he finds some of his orphans before the throne. Faithful pastors, who gave up all prospect of worldly emolument in order to spend and be spent for Christ, will discover that they have made wise investments in the “better country.” The surrenders made here become rich possessions yonder. When we read lately that an Evangelist had refused to accept a large gift, lest his spiritual influence might be curtailed, we said: “That is a good investment for Christ. He has put that thousand pounds out at interest for eternity.1’

The gains are very steady up there. Poor city missionaries and Bible women and frontier preachers and godly needle women have their savings banks at God’s right hand. Those banks never break. The only change in heavenly treasures is from their enlargement. There is no corruption within and no consumption from without. The moth never gnaws there and the burglar never breaks in to steal. It is impossible to compute what treasures every faithful Christian may be storing’ away for his long lifetime in glory. God is a faithful trustee. He keeps his “record on high”; and each good deed of love, each act of self-denial, each surrender of pride or selfishness or human applause for Jesus’s sake will find sure remembrance there. They all come up “as a memorial before God.”

Now, why will not some of my readers who are troubled about finding “safe investments” just listen to the inducements which Jesus holds out? He said once to an aspiring young man: “Give up all thou hast and come and follow me, and thou shalt have treasure in Heaven.” To-day he makes the same proclamation. “Treasure in Heaven!” What is it? Something safer than any thing you can toil for here. What is it? Something more abundant than any thing you can’ earn in gold or greenbacks. What is it?j Something more enduring than mines or broad acres. It is the only real estate in the universe. If you will lay down self at Jesus’s feet and accept him and his. service, you will become part owner of Heaven. You will be a joint heir of Him who saith:” All that the

Father hath is mine.” All that you give up for Jesus will be laid up to your account. The souls you lead to Jesus will compose the jewelry of your crown. Death strips the selfish, greedy sinner of his treasure and sends him into eternity bankrupt. But Death will unlock to you the gateway of your Father’s house and you will come into an inheritance that fadeth not away.