The Saints longings after their Heavenly Country.
A SERMON Preached at St. Pauls Church London, on Tuesday the 6 of June, 1654. At a Solemn Anniversary meeting of the Gentlemen of Cheshire, Citizens and Inhabitants of London.
Spiritual heart can make a heavenly improvement of every creature; It can reduce every providence of God to an holy use. That which some have affirmed of the Philosophers Stone, that it turns meaner mettals into gold, is most true of a gracious heart, [Page 2] it turns every creature, and every providence into gold, at least it extracts some pure gold out of every providence.
The Ministers of the Gospel, should of all others learn this holy Chymistry: They should study the holy art of spiritualizing the natural affections of men. Our blessed Saviour, when he perceived more then ordinary desires in those that followed him after material bread, doth set before them that bread which he knew they had more need of, though their hearts were not so much towards it; Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, Joh. 6. 27. In imitation of this blessed Pattern of the chief Shepherd, the Prince of Preachers, I have made choice of that Scripture which was now read.
This dayes meeting doth testifie that there is in your hearts an high esteem of your native Country. You are assembled before God to pray for it, thankfully to acknowledge that mercy you received in it, and all that kindness of God which he hath manifested since he brought you out of it. The Text tells you of a Country, which is in it self far better, and ought to be to each of you far more desirable then the place of your birth. And if God will bless the word of his grace, which is now to be delivered for the raising up of your affections towards this glorious place, you will have cause to eternity to adore that good hand of his that hath brought you together.
That I may bring you to the Text, I shall [Page 3] briefly shew you its coherence with that which goes before.
The Apostle in the former Chapter, exhorts these beleeving Jews to constancy in the faith, and to the bearing of the cross with patience; Yee have need of patience, saith he, that after yee have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise, Heb. 10. 36. In this Chapter he goes on to amplifie the same Argument: This he doth two wayes.
First, by describing the nature of faith from the effects of it. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen, v. 1, 2, 3. Things that are remote from the eye of sense, are neer to the eye of faith. Faith gives a being to the things which God hath promised, though carnal reason thinks they shall never have a being.
Another effect of faith is, That by it the Elders obtained a good report, [...], they received testimony, they obtained witness from God. It was their faith that justified them, it was their faith that saved them, it was their faith that made God precious to them, and them dear to God. Faith and Piety will chear a man while he lives, and embalm his name when he is dead. He that would have his name immortalized must be a beleever. Holiness though blasted by men, shall have a good report from God.
A third effect of faith is, That through it we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God. Reason can see no reason why any thing, much less such a glorious Fabrick should be produced out of nothing; but faith beleeves that the world [Page 4] with all things therein contained, were made at first, out of no pre-existent matter, by the powerful creating word of God. Thus the Apostle amplifies the Argument in hand by describing the nature of faith. He doth it,
Secondly, by illustrating the grace of faith from the examples of the beleevers of the Old Testament. These are either such as lived before the Flood, as Abel, Enoch, Noah, of whose faith he speaks fully, vers. 4, 5, 6, 7. Or they are such as lived after the Flood, in the several Ages of the world, of whom he makes largely mention what glorious undertakings their faith carryed them through from vers. 7. to the end of the Chapter.
The Text falls under the description of the faith of the renowned Patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Abrahams faith is commended by two eminent acts of it.
First, By his readiness to forsake his native Country upon a divine Command. By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an Inheritance, obeyed, and he went out not knowing whither he went, vers. 8. A call from heaven will make a beleever do any thing, though it seem never so irrational, never so self-destructive. Faith hath feet to walk after God; it hath no heart to dispute against God, or against any of his Commands. Though Abraham knew not whither he went, yet he knew whom he followed, though the Traveller was ignorant, yet he did beleeve he had a skilful Guide. The wise God can [Page 5] neither mis-lead, nor mis-place any of his Children.
Secondly, The faith of Abraham is commended by his so journing in the land of Promise, as in a strange Country, vers. 9. And in this act did Isaac, and Jacob concur with him. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange Country, dwelling in Tabernacles with Isaac, and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise. The holy patterns of Parents are very prevalent to perswade their children. It was much that a man should be contented to leave a certainty for an uncertainty, but it was exceeding much, that when he came to the place which was promised, he should not live in a fixed habitation, but in moveable Tabernacles. It is a high and noble act of faith, to get the affections unglued from the things of the world; Nothing but victorious Faith can obtain victory over the world.
The reason of that loosness of heart, which was in these holy Patriarchs from the land of Canaan, was the certain perswasion they had of a better Canaan. Their faith did not rest in the land of Promise, as if the possession of that could make them happy; they looked higher; namely, to the Celestial Canaan, of which they knew the Terrestrial was but a Type. They looked for a City that hath foundations, whose maker and builder is God, v. 10. They expected another dwelling, they had another place in their eye, and therefore sat so loose from the place of their present abode. This Country must either be their own earthly Country, or some other; It was not their [Page 6] own Country, for saith the Apostle, If they had been mindful of that Country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned, vers. 15. Therefore of necessity it must be some other Country, if they looked after another Country, it was either an earthly, or an heavenly; not an earthly, for no earthly Country would recompence the loss of their own. And therefore he concludes, that it was a heavenly Country, which they reached after; But now they desire a better Country, that is, an heavenly.
I shall first open the words, and then lay down the points which they do afford us.
But now, [...] This phrase doth not here signifie time, but hath the force of an illative conjunction: Tis as much as atqui, igitur, as Beza observes well upon the place. They did not seek an earthly, therefore an heavenly Country. We meet with the same expression, 1 Cor. 15. 20. But now Christ is risen from the dead, thatis, therefore is Christ risen: So in this place, But now they desire, that is, therefore they desire; from whence, saith Estius, it appears how weakly they argue who would from this Text prove that the holy Patriarchs do not yet injoy the vision of God, but are still in expectation of it. This phrase speaks nothing at all of time.
They desi [...]e, [...] The word signifies not a cold, faint, frigid with, but a strong vehement earnest desire; such a desire as a covetous man hath after his Mammon. The love of mony is the root of all evil, which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, 1 Tim. 6. 10. Tis the very same word [Page 7] which is here used [...]. Never did a hungry Earth-worm thirst after silver and gold, more than these holy Patriarchs did now thirst after heaven; they had burning, flaming affections, their souls were in a fervent heat after this Celestial Object.
A better Country. This word [Country] is not in the original Text, but is necessarily to be supplied; for the Apostle speaks of a Country, vers. 14. The nature of this Country the Text tells us, namely, an heavenly. It is called a Country in opposition to that moveable, unsetled estate which they had in Canaan; there they lived in Tabernacles, but they were in expectation of a place where they should have a fixed abode; This he calls an heavenly Country.
The Text consists of three general parts.
First, The notion by which heaven is described: Tis a Country.
Secondly, The nature or quality of this Country. Tis an heavenly Country.
Thirdly, The beleevers affection, this heavenly Country, he desires it very earnestly.
These three afford us a threefold Observation.
First, That heaven is a beleevers Country.
Secondly, That this heavenly Country is the best Country.
Thirdly, That true beleevers have vehement and strong desires within them after this heavenly and better Country.
Doct. 1.
That Heaven is a beleevers Country.
A wicked mans Country is here below, here he lives, and here he desires to live. An unbeleever is [...] or [...] as Socrates called himself, he is a Citizen of the world, terrae filius, a son of earth. He is one that minds only earthly things. His delights, his contentments, his happiness are in this life, Psal. 17. 14. And if he might have security that he should alwayes continue here, he would never desire any other place of abode. Give him Paris, and let who will injoy Paradice. But the true beleever [...] Eph. 2. 19. is [...] a Citizen of heaven, a free Denizen of that Country where Jesus Christ is at the right hand of God.
Beleevers do disclaim and disown the world as none of theirs. They have ever acknowledged themselves Pilgrims and Forreigners on earth. I am a stranger with thee, saith that heavenly Saint, and a stranger as all my Fathers were, Psal. 39. 14. The world accounts them as strangers, and so do they account themselves. They know Christ hath told them, That they are not of this world, as he is not of this world: They are in the world, but they are not of the world; they disavow the world as much as the world disavows them.
As they disclaim the world, so they lay claim to heaven. We desire, say the holy Apostles, to be cloathed upon with our house which is from heaven, 2 Cor. 5. 2. Beleevers, thogh they have never so great an estate below, yet are they indeed house-less, and homeless, though all the world be theirs, in regard of the little they [Page 9] have to it, yet do they account the world none of theirs; Heaven is their home, Heaven is their house, heaven is their Country.
I shall by way of explication unfold these two particulars.
First, Prove that Heaven is their Country.
Secondly, Shew how they come to have a title to it.
That Heaven is the beleevers Country, is clear, if we consider these following particulars.
First, From hence they have their Nativity. The place of mens birth is that which is stiled their Country. The beleevers birth, as a beleever, is from heaven, though he be born again on the earth, yet is he not born again from the earth. The Scripture teacheth us, that all that are new creatures are born from above, John 3. 3. [...] Regenerating-work is heavenly work. The Holy Ghost which is the principal efficient of Regeneration, is not from earth, but from heaven. No person would ever be renewed on earth, if principles of Renovation, were not infused from heaven. The word of God which is the seed of the new birth, as the Apostle calls it, 1 Pet. 1. 23. is a heavenly word. The dew of blessing by which the word is made successful, is not from earth, but from heaven. Should all the Angels of God come down to plant grace in the hearts of men, the work would certainly miscarry under their hands, if the divine benediction did not concur. The soul in its first creation is infused from heaven, and the renuing of it when corrupted, is from thence likewise. The [Page 10] Elect are not born again of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God, so the Holy Ghost tels us, Joh. 1. 13. The child that is conceived in the womb may as well be said to beget it self, as the soul that is dead in sins and trespasses to renew it self, Of his own will begat he us by the word of truth. So the Apostle tells us, Jam. 1. 18. An unregenerate heart hath neither power to change it self, nor a will to be changed, untill it be given from above. All the births of Grace are heavenly births; we are said to be Gods Off-spring, as we are men, Act. 17. 28. Much more are we the Off-spring of God as renewed men. This is the first particular.
2 There are their spiritual Kindred. A beleevers nearest Allies, best acquaintance are in Heaven; There is God who is his Father; The Divine Essence is every where, filling Heaven and Earth; God is included in no place, excluded out of no place, yet the place of his chief Residence is in Heaven, there he keeps his royal Court of glory; Heaven is his Throne, Earth his Footstool, Isa. 66. 1. We are taught in that holy model of Prayer to look up to God as dwelling above, Our Father which art in Heaven. As God the Father of beleevers is in Heaven, so Christ their elder Brother is there likewise; he did bodily ascend thither after his Resurrection, and there he sits on the right hand of the Majesty on high, Heb. 1. 3. The humane nature of Christ shall not stir from Heaven till he come to judge the World, and to fetch his redeemed ones into Heaven. The blessed Spirit, [Page 11] who is the very soul of the beleevers soul, that gives it life, and preserves it alive, is in Heaven also. There also are the holy Angels, the beleevers Life-guard, and from thence they are sent down to wait on him as he stands in need of their service, Heb. 1. 14. There is the general Assembly of the first-born, Heb. 12. 23. The names of all those that shall be saved are inrolled there. In one word, all a beleevers spiritual Kindred either are or shall be there. This is the second particular.
3 There they have their Habitation. A Beleevers fixed seat is Heaven; here he is but a lodger, there he is an Inhabitant, there lies his Estate, there are his Revenues, a Beleevers Inheritance is above. The Lord is my portion, saith my soul, this was the Churches claim, Lam. 3. 24. Thou art my dwelling place, saith David, Psal. 90. 1. The corruptible, the fading possessions of the Saints are on earth, but their Inheritance, that is incorruptible, that withereth not, is reserved in Heaven, 1 Pet. 1. 4. They have some annual Rents coming in in this life, but the grand Estate lies there; their Crown, their Scepter, their Robes, all their Regalia their royal habiliments are lockt up in Heaven, and thither must they be translated before they have the full possession of any of these. This is the third particular.
4 The language they speak is the language of Heaven. Mens speech do discover what Country they are of; Thou art a Galilean, say they to Peter, and thy speech agreeth thereto, Mark. 14. 70. The time was when there was but one lip in the world, Gen. 11. 1. All the sons of Adam spake one and the same [Page 12] language; but ever since God confounded the language of the World for that insolent attempt of men, Nations have been distinguished one from another by their several Tongues. As Nations have languages whereby they are known one from another, so have the people of God a distinct language, whereby they are known from other men. A wicked man, though he may sometimes have heavenly discourses in his mouth, yet he doth but lisp the language of Canaan; those that do observe him will find him at some time or other speaking the language of Hell; his tongue cannot be so bridled but it will break out into wicked discourses or into vain communication. Perhaps when he is amongst the people of God he may speak as a Saint, but when he converses with his own Companions his speech is agreeable to theirs: But now a Beleever speaks the language of Heaven wheresoever he is, let him be amongst scoffers, amongst prophane men, yet he is still talking in the speech of his own Country; something of God, of Grace, of Christ, of Heaven, he is uttering in every company. If he do at any time let fall an unseemly word, how is his heart troubled? he cannot have peace till he hath wept out his sorrows by humble confessions into the bosom of God. Few there are that have any communion with a true Beleever but must give him this testimony, that his speech is not like the speech of other men; His heart is full of Heaven, and his tongue is ever running out Heaven-ward; he will draw spiritual inferences from worldly discourses; whatever the text is, the gloss which he [Page 13] gives upon, it is spiritual and heavenly.
5 There must be their eternal abode. The Apostle speaking of himself, and his fellow-beleevers, saith, Here we have no continuing City, but we seek one toco me, Heb. 13. 14. The people of God, as other men, do but take a turn or two on this great Stage of the world and then pass away. The longest time we can any of us expect to live on earth, is but seventy or eighty years, our lease may expire in a shorter time; the eternity that is beyond that time is the beleever to spend in Heaven. The bodies of some beleevers dwel in the dust for thousands of years, but at the Resurrection they shall take up their Quarters where the soul hath been all that while, namely, in Heaven; So shall we ever be with the Lord, 1 Thes. 4. 7. The beleevers being with men in the flesh, will be at an end perhaps sooner than he thinks, though not sooner than he desires, but his being with the Lord shall know no end; the beleever shall be with God as long as God hath a being. Thus I have shewed you that Heaven is the beleevers Country, which was the first thing to be opened.
The second follows, namely, How he comes to have a right to it? This I shall shew two wayes.
- 1. It is prepared for him.
- 2. He is prepared for it.
First, Heaven is prepared for the Beleever, he hath adouble right to it.
1 Its his by donation. God who is the great Owner and possessor both of Heaven and Earth, hath by a free Deed of Gift settled Heaven upon [Page 14] Beleevers. The gracious Charter is frequently published and proclaimed in the Gospel. I will give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish; the gift of God is eternal life, Rom. 6. 23. Beleevers are through grace chosen to Heaven, and Heaven is freely bestowed on them.
2 Its his by purchase. Heaven is called therefore by the Apostle a purchased possession, Ephes. 1. 14. Jesus Christ hath fully gone through with the bargain, it is a free gift in respect of us, in respect of Christ it is a dear purchase. Christ hath bought and paid for it, and every beleever is a joynt purchaser with him. The Son of God when he made that eternal Contract with the Father did put into the Deed of Sale the name of every Individual person that should possess it. In both these respects is Heaven prepared for the Beleever.
Secondly, As Heaven is prepared for him, so is he prepared for it. The Apostle blesseth God for making us meet to be partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in light, Col. 2. 12. The Election of God, and the Purchase of Christ give the beleever a Right to Heaven, but something else must intervene to make him meet for Heaven. Nature that is corrupted, must be changed, Flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of Heaven; Sanctification must be wrought before a vessel of Election can be fit for glory. This Christ doth by communicating his own image through the Holy Ghost; he takes away the guilt of sin, by imputing his own Righteousness for Justification; he removes the filthiness of sin, by imparting [Page 15] his own Holiness for our Sanctification. He infuses the habits of saving Grace, and so gives the soul a fithess for the participation of Glory. Parisiensis hath a good saying to this purpose, lib de virt. cap. 11. Natura mentis humanae quantumeunquè perfecta naturalibus donis, absque gratia non est susceptibilis gloriae. The soul of man though never so perfectly inriched with natural Indowments, till it be sanctified with grace, is not capable of receiving glory. The Apostle puts Calling and Justification as intermediate acts between Predestination and Glorification; Rom. 8. 30. Whom he did Predestinate, them he also Called; and whom he Called, them he also Justified; and whom he Justified, them he also Glorified. A soul cannot immediately leap out of a state of sin into a state of glory, though it be elected to life, but must first pass into a state of holiness; This purgatory every man must pass through that enters into life. Could an unrenewed soul be admitted into Heaven, it would be as weary of that place as a Saint would be of Hell; the imployment, the company of Heaven are unsuitable things to an unsanctified heart. There is no coming to the Palace of glory, but by the milky way of grace. Thus I have shewed you that Heaven is a Beleevers Country, and how he comes to have a right to it.
The Application.
First, It lets us see that there is a spiritual relation between Beleevers. True Saints are spiritual Country-men, they are all descended from the same [Page 16] stock. Ther eis a real affinity between Christians: They are consanguinei, of one blood: They are all brethren: They are all members of one Society: They are co-heirs of one and the same inheritance: They have the same common privileges, the same common promises, the same common interest, the same common salvation. I in them, and thou in me, that they may be all one in us, Joh. 17. 23.
I note this, both to perswade the people of God to unity among themselves, and to provoke them to be spiritually helpful to one another. Tis very sad to see clashing between them that are so neerly related; Let there be no strife, saith Abraham to Lot, between me and thee, and between my herd-men and thy herd-men, for we are brethren, Gen. 13. 8. Men of the same Country use to be cordially united, especially when they are in a foreignland. As its sad to see fallings out, so tis very unnatural that they should refuse to serve one another. These spiritual Countrymen should rejoyce to pray one for another, to counsel one another, to bear one anothers burdens, they should be ready to perform all spiritual kindnesses one to another, as becomes those that are bred and born in the same land. It will be a comfortable evidence that you are members of this heavenly Country, if you find upon your hearts strong affections and readiness of mind to serve the soulconcernments of one another.
Secondly, It should perswade beleevers to do nothing unworthy of their heavenly Country. A mans actings are to be answerable to his extraction and education. The Apostle labours to deter the people of [Page 17] God from unholy deeds by the indecency and unsutableness of such practises to their high estate; Fornication, uncleaness, or covetousnes let it not be once named among you, as becometh Saints, Eph. 5. 3. Noble actings are expected from such as are nobly born. Many men have been preserved from unworthy miscarriages out of respect to their Parentage and Country. Irregularities in the life of a beleever, willcast some reproach upon his heavenly Country, and make others of his brethren of less esteem. For a Citizen of heaven to swear, lye, deceive, backbite, over-reach, this is very unseemly. Oh, I beseech you for your Countries sake, scorn such baseness; Your heavenly Father that begat you, your heavenly Country where you received your first breath, all your heavenly kindred will suffer much prejudice, much reproach by such unworthiness. A good man is an honor to his Country. The Learning, the Wisdome, the Valor, and Prowess of some men have ennobled the very places of their birth. The lewdness of some men hath brought their very Countries under Proverbs of disgrace. [...] The Cretians are alwaies liars, evil beasts, slow bellies, Tit. 1. 12. If men be swearers, drunkards, deceivers, dissemblers, &c. they will be accounted the very stains and plague-sores of their Country.
3 Let it serve to perswade beleevers to magnifie their Country, make it your design to serve your Country, and to serve it cheerfully. The world hath had some Heroes, men of renown, who have not grudged to spend their estates & their very blood for their Countries good, pro aris & foc is, for Religion and Liberty, [Page 18] they have willingly adventured all. How careful should an heaven-born Christian be to seek the advancement of his celestial Country? If you have any spark of true worth in you, be intreated to act vigorously for your Countries glory. Promote the priviledges of this Country; bring in as many as you can to be in love with it; acquaint the world that lyes in ignorance, with all the advantages, immunities, excellencies of this glorious place. How careful was Joseph to let his father know what preferments were to be had in Pharaohs Court; saith he to his brethren, You shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that you have seen, Gen. 45. 13. All this was done that the old Patriarch might be invited to make haste thither. Men generally take great delight to be speaking of every little excellency their native Country affords. Beleevers can never say so much of their heavenly Country as it deserves. The soyl is so fruitful, the ayr so sweet, the waters so pleasant, the inhabitants so wise, beautiful, every thing in it so transcendently glorious, that no tongue can sufficiently utter, no pen fully describe the goodness of it. Hereby it will appear that you are indeed free-born men of this Country, if you make it your design to imprint upon your own hearts, and the hearts of those with whom you converse, high and glorious thoughts of it.
Fourthly, It shews us the reason why beleevers find such bad usage on earth. The whole world is exceedingly ingaged to the people of God, for their sakes the world stands, they bear up the pillars of it, Ps. 75. 3. [Page 19] For their sakes the Sun shineth, the Rain falls, when they are gathered into Heaven fire will soon break forth upon the world, yet do the wicked of the earth industriously study their ruin, they are alwaies plotting and contriving against them, the Psalmist observes it in his time, Psa. 83. 3, 4, 5. They have taken craftie counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones: They have said, come and let us cut them off from being a people, that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance. Those that are at deadly enmity among themselves can unite heads, hearts, and hands together against the Saints. The Tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaellites, of Moab, and the Hagarens, &c. This amongst others is one reason of these furious attempts; the children of God are of one Country, and wicked men of another; they are contrary seeds, they are of contrary dispositions, Wicked men must either lay aside their wickedness, or godly men their holiness, else these contentions will not cease. Our Saviour foretels all his Disciples of the worlds hatred, and the cause of it: Because I have chosen you out of the world, therefore doth the world hate you, Joh. 15. 9. Could the servants of God relinquish those holy courses they have taken up, the world and they would soon be reconciled. The righteous is an abomination to the wicked, Prov. 29. 27. Could a righteous man forsake his righteousness, he might have as good quarter in the World, as other men.
Fifthly, It should perswade all Beleevers to observe the customs of their Countrie. The Apostles counsel [Page 20] to the people of God, is, that they be not conformed to this world, Rom. 12. 2. But that they be transformed by the renewing of their mind. It is the practise of men that love their Country to observe the usages of it, especially such as are warrantable and praisworthy; they delight to speak their own Language, to wear their own Apparel, a dish of meatdressed after the mode of their own Country, hath a sweeter relish than better meats. It becomes the children of God to maintain the customs, and to be zealous for the holy usages of their heavenly Country, and not to follow the vain and sinful customs of the world. In all lawful things the Servants of the Lord may sute themselves to the practise of other men; Religion is not opposite to civility and morality. But as to the vain and sinful Garbes of the world, the godly. must be strangers. It is a great strengthening of the hands of evil men in their evill customs, when they see such as profess Religion tread in the same steps. The world hath a course of its own, which Beleevers though they followed it before conversion, must follow no longer, Ephes. 2. 2, 3. they must renounce these usages. But as for the holy customs of their own Nation, they must be exact in the observing of them, in what days or place soever God casts their lot. And oh that this counsel might prevail with all that pretend to Heaven.
It hath been the holy custom of the Free-men of this Country to pray in their Families, to read the holy Scriptures, to instruct and catechize such as were under their charge, to observe the sanctification [Page 21] of holy Sabbaths, to see that themselves and their houses did serve the Lord, to wait constantly in the Courts of the Lords House, on holy Ordinances, &c. God commands all that profess to be his people, not onely to have the words of his law in their own hearts, but to teach them diligently to their children; to talk of them, when they lie down and when they rise up, Deut. 6. 7. God commends Abraham for this. I know Abraham that he will command his children and Houshold after him to keep the waie of Jehovah, Gen. 18. 19. It was Joshua's Religion, that all that were in his house should serve the Lord, Josh. 24. 15. It was Daniels custom to observe his daily times of prayer, Dan. 6. 10. It was the custom of that devout Captain Cornelius, to pray in his house, Act. 10. 30. It was Davids custom to go constantly with his Train to the place of publique worship where the Ordinances of Grace used to be dispensed, Psa. 42. 4.
Many in our sad times of Apostacy that pretend to a higher pitch of Religion than others, have relinguished these holy practises of Gods antient Saints, and they judge it their perfection that they are beyond such forms; they have found out a nearer way to Heaven, which is indeed the way to the Chambers of Death; They can travel to heaven with half that cost which the people of God have been at in former times. They can lay aside prayer in their families, they can cast away the Scriptures, and yet, as they conceive, come as soon to Heaven, as they that use these things. The madness and folly, yea, the gross prophaneness of these [Page 22] Nick-named, Self-creating-Saints, should provoke the rather all that are true members of this heavenly Country to keep up these usages. Do dutys, and rest on Christ, this is the old way, and the good way; Abhor with all detestation this fond kind of Religious prophaneness, which the Devil labours to impose on men for perfection of Piety, and walk in the steps of those Renowned Saints. These practises through Faith in Christ have brought them thither whither you are travelling. Continue in them as they did, and you shal inherit that glory which they now possess. Thus much for the first point, That Heaven is a Beleevers Country.
The Second Doctrine.
That this Heavenly Country is the best Country.
The Land of Canaan was the best of earthly Countries. It is called the glorious Land, or the Land of ornament, Dan. 11. 16. the glorious holy mountain, Dan. 11. 45. It is called glory of all Lands, Ezek. 20. 6. In many respects it was the head and renown of all Nations, chiefly in this, because it was Gods earthly dwelling place, where his Kingdom and Sanctuary was erected, yet was the Land of Canaan with all its glory a Cabul, a dirty, filthy, unpleasant place, in respect of this Heavenly Canaan. No Countrie in the world is worthy to be compared to this Country. I shall set forth the excellency of it above all other places, in these following particulars.
[Page 23]First, It is a Country of eternal continuance. The Apostle speaking of Heaven, cals it a City that hath foundations, Heb. 11. 10. The New Jerusalem, which is no other than this heavenly Country, hath twelve Foundations, Rev. 21. 14. It is a Kingdom that cannot be shaken, Heb. 12. 28. Other Countries are liable to many concussions and shakings, yea, they are daily in danger of over-turnings. There are few earthly Countries but have had their convultions and shakings: Sometimes one Lord hath ruled over them, sometimes another hath undermined his Throne, and reigned in his stead. How many mutations of this nature hath our own Land passed under And what further changes may yet pass upon it, is onely known to him who is both the planter and supplanter of Nations. But now the state of the celestial Country is of perpetual duration; it cannot be conquered by any foreign Power, it doth and shall continue for ever in the same height of glory it now is. All other Countries may be made empty and turned apside down, they may be laid waste and brought to desolation, but the beauty of this heavenly Country is a beauty that fadeth not: God himself cannot be shaken nor can this Country be shaken. In all earthly Kingdoms there are Spring-times, and Autumns, Summers, and Winters; But in Heaven there is an eternal Spring without Autumn: Kingdoms on Earth, as men, have their increasings, perfections, and declinings, but the glorious state of the celestial Kingdom is a state of perfection, that knows neither increasings nor decreasings.
[Page 24]Secondly, There is no ungodly person to be found in this Country. It is a Country full of Saints, real Saints, Saints indeed. All Countries on earth have a mixture of good and bad. The Church militant is the most glorious Society in the world, and yet even here there hath been, there is, and there will be a mixture; this Barn floor hath chaff as well as Wheat, this field hath Tares as well as good Corn, this garden hath weeds, as wel as flowers, in this net there are bad fishes as well as good. If there be such a mixture in the Church, which is the purest body on earth, there must needs be mixture of holy and prophane in Nations: Yea, it may be concluded without breach of charity, that there are more vicious than vertuous in every earthly Country. Bona terra mala gens. This proverb may without scandalizing and defamation be used of most, if not of all, the Nations of the Earth, the Soil is better than the Inhabitants. If we search the very best of Countries; even those where Religion hath been longest professed, we shall find some that are the spots and stains of their Country. Some in every Nation will be found that are proud, covetous, debaucht and prophane. Swearers, Lyars, Adulterers, Theeves, Blasphemers, Traytors, Murtherers, perjured persons, Idolaters, these, or some of these inhabit every Nation under Heaven. And if any such be in your meeting this day, they will be spots in your Feast of Charity when they feast with you, Jude 12. But now in this Heavenly and better Country, which I am speaking of, none of these Vermine are to be found, none of these [Page 25] impoysoned creatures can live in this Air; It is a holy place, and no unholy thing shall ever enter into it. Be not deceived, faith the Apostle, neith r Fornicators, nor Idolaters, nor Adulterers, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor Effeminate, nor Theeves, nor Covetous, nor Drunkards, nor Revilers, nor Extortioners shall inherit the Kingdom of God, 1. Cor. 6. 9, 10. God hath made another place in which such as these, living and dying so, shall be tormented. Without shall be Dogs and Sorcerers, and Whoremongers, and Murtherers, and Idolaters, and whosoever loveth & maketh a lye, Rev. 22. 15. Men have not garnished their Parlours to be Sties for Hogs to keep in. God hath not made such a glorious place as Heaven is for impenitent and filthy sinners. Should a wicked man steal into Heaven, he would fright the holy Angels, and the spirits of just men made perfect out of that place: There is nothing in Heaven which affects a wicked man, neither is any thing there which he affects. What a glorious Kingdom must that be in which no ungodly person ever did or ever shall take one step!
Thirdly, There is no Oppression nor Injustice in this Country. There is no Kingdom under Heaven but unrighteous actings are to be found in it; the great devoure the smal, and the weaker are trodden down by the stronger: The great Empires of the world are but magna latrocinia, great places of robbery. Even amongst Gods own people, where God himself was the immediate Law-giver, though there were Statutes perfectly righteous, yet there were many violent perventings of Judgement. The [Page 26] Prophets declaim very bitterly against devourings, and spoilings: There were Kine of Bashan seeding in the mountain of Samaria, which did nothing but oppress the poor and crush the needy, Amos 4. 1. The Prophet complains of Jerusalem, the City of God, that she was wholly oppression in the midst of her. Violence and spoil was heard in her. Grief and wounds were continually in the sight of God, Jerem. 6. 6, 7. Scarce is there a Kingdom in the World so well governed, but oppressive Acts may be found in it; The Ass of the Fatherless is driven away, and the Widows Ox taken for a pledg; the naked are made to lodge without cloathing, and to be without a covering in the cold; The fatherless are plucked from the Brest, and the sheaf is taken from the hungry: Oh that many such unrighteous actings were not to be found in our own Land! Well, however it be on earth, most certain it is, That in this heavenly Country there is none of this work. If a man travel from one end of Heaven to another, he shall hear no complaining in the streets of it; there is no crying Widows, no sighing of the Fatherless by reason of violence and oppression; there are no Plunderers, no Exactors to be found in and oppression; there are no Plunderers, no Exactors to be found in all this land of righteousness; Judgement doth here run down like waters, and Righteousness as a mighty stream. That is a very glorious promise which is made to the Church, Isa. 60. 18. Violence shall no more be heard in thy Land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; This promise shall perfectly be fulfilled in Heaven, there shall neither be wasting nor destruction to all eternity; [Page 27] There is no unrighteous person in Heaven, as hath been shewed before; and where there are no unrighteous men, there cannot be any unrighteous acts.
Fourthly, There is neither sickness nor weakness in this Country. In all earthly Kingdoms there are diseases and sicknesses of several sorts, the whole world indeed by reason of sin is but a Lazaretto, a great Hospital of sickly creatures; Though the Climate be never so temperature, the Air never so pure, yet cannot weakness and pains be kept out of any wordly Kingdom or Family: Tombs and Sepulchres are to be found in every Country, which is an argument that diseases and dyings have been and still are there; A man can hardly peep into a Family but he shall see some Emblem of mortality. In all Kingdoms men eat, and drink, and where there is eating and drinking, there will bee dying. In the state of Innocency man should have eaten and lived, but now they eat and die; But now Heaven is a healthy Country: The Angels of God that have lived there ever since their Creation have never yet felt head-ach or pain. And the bodies of the Saints that shall spend their eternity there after the Resurrection, shall not feel one moments sickness. They shall bunger no more, nor thirst no more, neither shall the Sun light on them, nor any heat, but God shall wipe away all tears from their eies, Rev. 7. 16, 17. Plagues, Feavers, Coughs, Consumptions, Stone, Gout, Head-ach and other diseases, are things unheard of in this heavenly Country: This is good news for sickly Saints. You that [Page 28] have lain bed-rid on earth, you that have had the Cottage of the body often set on fire by burning Feavers; you that have seen the pillars of your earthly house decaying by lingring Consumptions; you that have felt the tormenting pains of Ulcers, of Stone, and other grief creating distempers, if you can but get within the bounds of this heavenly Countrie, you shall never feel any such afflictions. You shall for ever have perfect health both of bodie and mind without the least distemper. One blast of that pure Air which comes from the spicie mountains, will Antidote the craziest bodie against Diseases, and put it into a state of undecaying health.
Fifthly, It is a Land in which there is perfect peace and quietness. The Kingdoms of this world are full of strife and contention; The servants of God though they are a meek and peaceable people, desiring to follow peace with all men, yet they cannot injoy peace. Woe is me, faith David, that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwel in the Tents of Kedar, my soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace. I am for peace, but when I speak they are for War, Psa. 120. 5, 6, 7. The Nations of the world are full of tearings, tumults, seditions, emulations, variances and strifes; but now in Heaven there is none of these briars and thorns; there is neither maligning, nor undermining, nor envying one another, but perfect Amity, and perfect Charity amongst all the Inhabitants thereof. All those sinful distempers which occasion strife on earth are banished out of Heaven: Pride is one of the mothers of Variance, Onely by [Page 29] pride, commeth contention, Prov. 13. 10. In Heaven there is no Pride, and therefore no Contention. Whispering and Tale-bearing is another root of discord, Where there is no tale-bearer the strife ceaseth, Prov. 26. 20. There is not one of these kindle-coals in Heaven, and therefore no discord. Difference of judgement is another cause of variance; In heaven all the Inhabitants are of one mind, and therefore no disagreement. The Apostle tels us that wars and fightings amongst men arise from those lusts that war in their members, Jam. 4. 1. In Heaven all these lusts are perfectly mortified: All the dwellers in this Country are such as seek one anothers good as well as their own. There is no growing one upon another, no incroaching one upon another within the Bounds of this Country. Consider it.
In Heaven there is perfection of Love in the Saints, to God, and to one another. Every Saint sees the Image of God clearly, not onely in himself, but in every other Saint, which is a strong Load-stone to draw out the Affections. And besides all those imperfections, blemishes, spots, which were in the Children of God, whilst they had their abode on earth, which rendered them less lovely to one another, are now removed. The bodie ariseth out of the grave as free from sin renders Saints very lovely one to another, and because there is perfect love, there must of necessity be perfect agreement. Heaven is a place of peace, there shall never be jarring or contending to all eternity, which [Page 30] gives it the preheminence over all earthly Countries.
Sixthly, It is a Land wealth and plenty. Here is the best provision, bread of life, and water of life, The meat that indures to eternal life, Joh. 6. 27. Here is mountains of Spices, how pleasant, how plentifull is this Country? A Martyr wrote to his friend a little before his death, That he was going to that Country where Gold and Silver bore no price: And well may it be thus said of Heaven, which is the City whose streets is of pure Gold, Rev. 21. 21.
The Uses are these.
First, With what eyes do they look on Heaven that prefer their earthly Country before it? Abundance are of that prophane Cardinals mind, who would not give his part in Paris for his part in Paradise; Most prefer Egypt before Canaan; These are none of Abrahams stock, he thought Heaven better than Canaan, they judge every dirty Country better than Heaven. It is a sign these men have never travelled in this Celestial Country, it is a sign they beleeve not what they hear reported of it, that prefer House and Shop, or such Mannors in their own Country, before those rich possessions that are in Heaven.
Secondly, Be contented if God have given you an Inheritance in this Country, though you have not so great Estates on Earth as others have. One foot breadth in Heaven is worth a hundred Millions of Acres [Page 31] on Earth, if you have an interest in the body glory, honor, riches of this celestial Country, you have more than if you had ten thousand Worlds. I have all my Brother (faith Jacob) Gen. 33. 11. He had the dew of Heaven, as well as the fatness of the Earth. A man may be a Lord of many Earthly Countries, and yet live and die under the wrath of God. Ahasuerus had the command of all those Countries from Judea to Ethiopia even One hundred twenty seven Provinces, and yet, because he was not an Inheritor of the Kingdom of Heaven, he died miserable and poor.
Thirdly, You that have an interest in this Country boast of it. It is a great mercy to have our being in a wholesom Country, such is Heaven, Revel. 21. 4. What a mercy is it to have a spiritual being from Heaven, and an eternal being in Heaven. Glory in your Country, that others may be provoked to travel to it, to trade in it. This is the second Point.
The third and last Doctrine is.
A true Beleever hath strong desires after his heavenly Country
[...], faith Text, they seek it, they seek it with their strongest desires, as sick man seeks health, as a covetous man seeks money; They groan after it, so the Apostle expresseth it, 2 Cor. 5. 2. For in this we groan earnestly, desiring to be cloathed upon with our house which is from Heaven. Our [Page 32] conversation, saith the Apostle, is in Heaven, Phil. 3. 20. Their hearts were carried out aftes it, they longed to be in it. A beleever when he is under some sad darknesse of spirit, when he hath some great work to do, for the good of the Church, may be unwilling to leave the world, as Hezekiah was, Isa. 38. 2, 3. But when their work is done, when all is clear between God and their souls, then they would be in their heavenly Country.
Quest. What is implyed by this phrase, desiring a heavenly Country?
Answ. 1. To desire Heaven, is to labor to have an interest in it. To labor to make it sure to our selves that it doth belong to us, to make good our propriety in it; according to that of the Apostle, 2 Pet. 1. 10. Give all diligence to make your calling and election sure.
2. To desire every day more and more to fit our selves for it. He that saith he desires an heavenly Country, and doth not use all diligence to be made meet for it, as the Apostle speaks, Col. 1. 12. doth but mock himself.
3. To seek a heavenly Country is to long continually to be in it. This is that which was the Patriarchs seeking, they longed to be in that heavenly Canaan, of which the earthly was a pledge and seal.
Qu. 2. Why do Beleevers so desire their heavenly Country?
Ans. These desires of their heavenly Country spring from a double root.
1. The unsatisfactoriness they finde in their earthly Countries. They find nothing here but labor, sorrow, [Page 33] sin, toyl, emptiness, disappointment, vexation, &c. They have had enough of their earthly Countrie alreadie, therefore, they desire a better Country. It is enough Lord, saith Elijah, take away my life, for I am no better than my Fathers, I King. 19. 4. He had had as much of the world as he did desire, he had found it to be a lying vanity, therefore he desires to be in another place.
And then secondly, The felicity they beleeve and hope for in their Heavenly Country. They know that they shall have in that Country all that their souls can wish; They shall have Grace in perfection, Joy in perfection; I desire, saith the Apostle, to be dissolved and to be with Christ, which is best of all, Phil. 1. 23. They see that, in their heavenly Country, which will make them compleatly happy; So faith Paul, We know that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle was dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the Heavens. For in this we groan earnestly, desiring to be cloathed upon with our house, which is from Heaven, 2 Cor. 5. 1, 2.
The Uses are these.
First, It condemns them that never have any desire of this Heavenly Country. They have no serious thoughts of it, they study not how to get thither, they pray not for it, they speak not of it, they love not discourses about it; They drudge and toyl for the world, rise early, go to bed late, &c. but they minde not Heaven. This is very sad, How will such men do when they come to die: [Page 34] what comfort will they have? if Heaven be not their Country Hell must: This Country you must leave, and you know not how soon, and what will your hundreds, and thousands, your Houses, your Lands then stand you in stead? you must pack away and leave all you have scraped together behind you. When you see death at your bed side, you will wish you had minded a better Country more, and the world less. It is the complaint of the Church, Cant. 1. 6. against her mothers Children, They made me (saith she) the keeper of the vineyards, but my own vineyard have I not kept. You will another day curse all your care, and diligence about the world, which hath hindred you from seeking Heaven, and this Heavenly Country.
Secondly, Let me intreat all of you to imitate this example of the Patriarchs. Seek your better Country. It is good when men seek the good of their Earthly Countrie. You are met this day to testifie your respects towards your Native Country; It is a lawful and warrantable thing to do so. Nature commands men to desire their native Countrie; It is unthankfulnefs to forget the place which gave us breath, and provided for us our first food. The Greek Proverb is, [...], The smoak of a mans own Country is brighter than flame in a strange Land. Ulysses longed to see the smoak of his Country. It is an honorible thing for men that have Estates to consult how they may advantage their native Country. These Meetings heretofore have been very instrnmental for [Page 35] much good, in the erecting of Schools, the maintaining of Lectures, you may help to save many a soul, as you have ability and opportunity, it would do well to think on these things; But above all things be mindful of your Heavenly Countrie.
First, Never be at rest till you get good evidences of your Right to the inheritance of that Country. You will be miserable whatever outward advantages you have till you have a possession in that Country. Prove your spiritual Estate and Condition, you are all by nature of another Country; we are all born the children of wrath as well as others, Eph. 2. 1, 2. Tis Repentance, Saving Faith, the work of Grace that will witness our right to Heaven. Take heed of these false Evidences, of common Profession, Common Gifts, worldly prosperitie, on which most men build their hopes of Salvation. All these are but sandie Foundations. Consider such Scriptures as these, 2 Cor. 5. 17. Rom. 8. 10. If Christ be in you, the body is dead, &c. Better you had never been than not to have a Title to Heaven.
Secondly, When you have proved your Right to it, let your thoughts be much on it. Mind the things of your Country, the glorie, the happiness of that Country. Let your hearts dwell upon the meditation of Heaven, and the things of heaven; It is Gods command, Col. 3. 1. That we would set our affections on things above, It was the Apostles practise, Phil. 3. 20. I might use many Arguments to perswade you to these thoughts and studies. As
[Page 36]First, Your calling is a Heavenly calling, Heb. 3. 1. It is a heavenly calling in regard of the Original and Efficient Cause. It is heavenly in regard of the Object of it, it is all about things of a heavenly nature. It is heavenly in regard of the tendencie of it. It is a call to Heaven, that is the Terminus ad quem, Whom he called, them he glorified, Rom. 8. 30. Glorification is the [...] of effectual Vocation.
2. All your happiness is in Heaven, there it is that your Crown lies, there all your treasure is, and where should your hearts be, but where your treasure is? Matth. 6. 21. There is your Riches, there is your eternal abiding if you be Saints. There are your best and dearest Relations.
3 Not to mind the things of Heaven is an implicite deniall of the resurrection of Christ. See Col. 3. 1. he that doth beleeve that Christ sits at the right hand of God cannot but be often looking up that waie. It is a good evidence that Christs Resurrection and Ascention have had some spiritual power upon our hearts, when we minde the place where he is.
4. The serious minding of heavenly things, will make us less careful about all earthly occurrences. He that lives much in Heaven is prepared to entertain any Providences God pleases to produce on earth; the heart of such a Christian will be quiet and composed whatever fall out. The serious thoughts of the good things of that upper Country will make the heart patient, though it have but little, will preserve it from pride, and surfeiting of the greatest portion of the good things of these lower Countries.
[Page 37]5. It is the way to have a long Heaven. It is the way to have a double Heaven; he that lives most in Heaven on Earth, hath the longest Heaven. The serious thoughts of Heaven do after a spiritual manner translate the soul into heaven, that is a pertinent place to this purpose, 2 Cor. 3. 18. he that doth by holy meditation view the glory of the Lord, shall be visibly changed into the image of the Lord.
And then Thirdly, and lastly, Be desirous to be put into possession of it. You must staie in this lower world till God send the messenger of death for you, but yet you may long and breath for such Translation. It is the last prayer of the Spouse, Can. ult. ult. & the last prayer of the Church, Rev. 22. 20. That Christ would hasten his coming. It is a happie thing to be contented to die, twice happie to be desirous to die. Plutarch saith that the Egyptians at their feasts did usually bring in the Anatomie of a dead mans bodie. And Strabo writes that the Persians at their Feasts used Pipes made of dead mens bones. He that sets the Deaths head on his Trencher, will eat most spiritually, most soberly, most thankfully. He that is fit to die, and willing to die, is prepared for whatever shall come upon the World. We shall never be like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob till we have these desires after our Heavenly Countrie.