Looking Unto Jesus, Book 8 · Chapter 2 · Section 9
SECT. IX. Of conforming unto Jeſus in that reſpect.
9. LEt us conform to Jeſus in the aforeſaid reſpects. A ſerious beholding of Jeſus in his Aſcenſion, Seſſion, and Miſſion of his Spirit, is enough to change us into the ſame Image from glory to glory. It was the ſweet ſaying of an experienced Saint, View a glorified Chriſt, ſee him as in that relation and condition, and you will ſoon have the ſparkles of the ſame glory on your hearts. Chriſt is now exalted, he is now in glory at the right hand of God,Col. 3.1, 2. O let all our actings be glorious, let all our walkings, joys, breathings be as in glory, If ye be riſen with Chriſt, ſeek thoſe things which are above, where Christ ſitteth at the right hand of God; ſet your affections on things above, and not on things on the earth. I ſhall not in this tranſaction lay out many particular conformities to Chriſt's actings, but gather all into one, contained in this Text, which is heavenly converſation; ſeek things above, ſet your affections above; Chriſt is gone up, and Chriſt is ſet down at God's right hand; and herein if you will conform, let your hearts be in Heaven, let your affections be in Heaven, let your converſations be in Heaven: it is the Apoſtles own practiſe wherein ſtood his conformity to Jeſus Chriſt for our converſation is in heaven. Phil 3.20.I do not know any one thing wherein we can be more like to Chriſt exalted, whiles we are upon earth, than to have our hearts, our affections, our converſations with Chriſt where he is: now then if we be vertually riſen with Chriſt, and aſcended with Chriſt, and ſet down with Chriſt in heavenly places, let us ſpiritually aſcend, and ſit down with him in theſe reſpects; certainly there is a proportion in our heavenly converſation; oh let our converſations be in Heaven?
In proſecution of this I ſhall examine theſe Quaeries.—
1. What do we mean by our converſation in heaven?
2. Why muſt our converſation be in heaven?
3. By what means muſt we come up to this converſation in heaven;
1. By our converſation in heaven I mean our aim at heaven; as heaven is our home, ſo our eye is there; whatever we do, our end, our ſcope is to fit us for heaven, and to lay in for heaven, We look not (ſaith the Apoſtles) at the things which are ſeen, but at the things which are not ſeen, 2 Cor. 4.18.for the things which are ſeen are temporal, but the things which are not ſeen are eternal. We look not] that is, we aim not at things which are ſeen; inviſible things are the only ſcope and aim of a gracious ſoul.
2. By our converſation in heaven, I mean our communion with Chriſt in heaven. Truly our fellowſhip is with the Father, 1 John 1.3.and with his Son Jeſus Chriſt. As it is amongſt friends that converſe together, they act mutually for the comfort one of another, there is a mutual embracing and opening of their hearts to one another at every turn; ſo in our converſings with Chriſt there is a communion, or a mutual acting of the ſoul upon Chriſt, and of Chriſt upon the ſoul; we let out our hearts to Chriſt, and he lets out his heart to us; eſpecially when we are with Chriſt in his Ordinances; it's not enough to call upon God, and to uſe ſome broken-hearted expreſſions, but oh, what communion have I with Jeſus Chriſt? I cannot be ſatisfied except I taſte and ſee how good the Lord is; I cannot be quiet, except I hear ſomthing from Heaven this morning. Why, this is an heavenly converſation.
3. By our converſation in Heaven, I mean our living according to the Laws of Heaven; in all our ways we muſt ſtill enquire, What rule is there from Heaven to guide me in theſe ways? ſuch and ſuch a thing I have a mind to, but will the Law of Heaven juſtifie me in this? have I any word from Jeſus Chriſt to guide me in this? ſometimes indeed my luſt, my own ends, and the common courſe of the world was my rule; but now I dare not act but according to the Will and Scepter of Jeſus Christ, now I am guided by the Laws of Heaven. Why, this is an Heavenly converſation.
4. By our converſation in Heaven; I mean our thoughts, and meditations of Heaven and heavenly things; When I awake (ſaith David) I am always with thee; Pſal. 139.18.the hearts of believers are frequently upon their heavenly treaſures; as it is ſtoried of Queen Mary, that a little before her death, ſhe told them, if they ript her open they would find Call is in her heart; ſo it may be ſaid of them whoſe converſation is in Heaven, if you rip them up, you ſhall find Heaven in their hearts; not a day paſſes over their heads without ſome converſe with Heaven, without ſome thoughts or meditations of heaven, and heavenly things.
5. By our converſation in heaven, I mean our affections on heaven, or on Chriſt in heaven; Set your affections on things above, (i.e.) ſet your deſires, loves, hopes, joys,Col. 3.2. breathings on heavenly things; our affections are precious things, and are onelyonly to be ſet on precious objects; oh what a ſhame is it to ſet our affection on the things of this life! have we a Kingdom, a God, a Chriſt, a Crown in Heaven to ſet our affections upon? and ſhall we ſet them upon droſs, and dung, and ſuch baſe things? are not all our pleaſures and vanities baſe in compariſon of Chriſt? O be not we ſo baſe to ſet our affections on earthly things, but rather on God and Chriſt; and this is our heavenly converſation.
6. By our converſation in Heaven, I mean our tradings, our negotiations for Heaven, even whileſt we are upon Earth: the word in the Original points at this, foreign, our trading is in Heaven; though our bodies be not there, yet our tradings are there; we carry and behave our ſelves in this life as free Denizons of the City of Heaven; our City whereof we are Citizens, and whereunto we have right, is in Heaven above; in this reſpect we trade not for ſtrifles, as other men do, but we trade for great things, for high things; we merchandize for goodly pearls, even for God, and for Chriſt, who ſitteth at the right hand of God. We ſee now what is meant by our converſation in Heaven.
2. Why is the converſation of the Saints in Heaven?
1. Becauſe they know full well, that the Original of their ſouls came from God and Heaven; the body indeed was of the duſt of the ground, but the ſoul was the breath of God; ſo it is ſaid of the firſt man, God breathed into his noſtrils the breath of life, Gen. 2.7.and man became a living ſoul. The ſoul had a more heavenly and divine Original than any of the other creatures that are here in this neather World; and when God works grace in the ſoul, and ſo it begins to know it ſelf, and to return to it ſelf, it then looks on all things here below as vile, and as contemptible things; it then looks upward, and begins to converſe with things ſutable to its Original. As it is with a child that hath a noble birth; if tranſported into another Country, and there uſed like a ſlave, there ſet to take channels, or (as the Prodigal) to feed ſwine; while he is there, and knows not his Original, he minds nothing but to get victuals, and to do his work that he is ſet about; but if once he come to know from whence he was, that he is indeed born heir to ſuch a Prince, in ſuch a Country; O then his thoughts, and mind, and longings will be altered; O that I were in my own Country! O that I were with my Father in his Court! Even ſo it is with the ſouls of the Sons of men, they are the birth (as I may ſo ſpeak) of the great King of Heaven and Earth; and though by the fall of man they came to be as ſlaves to Satan, yet when God is pleaſed to convert the ſoul; then he diſcovers thus, Oh man, thou art born from on high, thy ſoul is (as it were) a ſparkle of God himſelf, thou art come from God, and thou art capable of communion with God, even with God the Father, and God the Son, and God the Holy Ghoſt. O conſider of thy Country whence thou cameſt at firſt, certainly thou never hadſt ſuch a divine and excellent being given thee to delight only in the fleſh, to be ſerviceable only to thy body; O look up unto Jeſus! why, this it is that turns the heart and ſets the converſation on heavenly things.
2. Becauſe their beſt and choice things are already in Heaven, As their Father is in Heaven, and their Saviour is in Heaven, thither he aſcended, and there now he ſits at the right hand of God; their Husband is in Heaven, their Elder Brother is in Heaven, their King is in Heaven; their Treaſure is in Heaven, their Inheritance is in Heaven, their Hope is in Heaven, their Manſion is in Heaven, their chief Friends are in Heaven, their Subſtance is in Heaven, their reward is in Heaven, their Wages are in Heaven: and all theſe things being in Heaven, no marvel their converſations be in Heaven.
3. Becauſe they are going towards Heaven even whiles yet they are on Earth. If the Nobleman (as we formerly ſuppoſed) do once know his condition, and begins his travel homeward towards his Fathers Court, will he not every morning that he riſes, converſe with them that come from his father to conduct him home? doth it not do him good to hear any man ſpeak of his fathers Country? is it not in his thoughts, in his talk, in his eye, in his aim, at every ſtep? O my ſoul, if thou art indeed travelling towards Heaven, how ſhouldſt thou but have it in thy motions, affections, converſations? how ſhouldſt thou but daily commune with thy own heart? Heaven is the place that I ſhall come to, ere long I ſhall be there; I know that in this world I am but for a while, but in Heaven I ſhall be for ever and ever; 1. Theſ. 4.17.we ſhall be caught up into the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air, and ſo ſhall we be ever with the Lord. Our very travel towards Heaven implies an heavenly converſation,Pſalm 84.7. They go from ſtrength to ſtrength, till every one of them in Zion appears before God.
Luke 17.21. Heb. 10.34.4. Becauſe much of Heaven is already in the Saints: The Kingdom of Heaven is within you, ſaith Chriſt; And knowing in your ſelves that ye have a better and an enduring ſubſtance. Surely if the Saints have much of Heaven within them, it muſt needs be that their converſation is in Heaven; but they know this in themſelves; they know it by what God hath revealed in their own hearts; eternal life is already begun in the ſouls of God's people; Heaven is in them, and therefore no marvel if their converſation be in Heaven. My meaning is not as if the Saints had no other Heaven but that within them; I know there is an Heaven above; but ſome pieces, or earneſts, or ſeeds, or beginnings of that Heaven above is within them. Is there not a renewed nature, an Image of God, a ſpark of life, a drop of glory in God's people? Surely yes; And if ſo, all theſe will work heaven-ward; principles of grace will have ſome actings of grace till we come to glory.
3. By what means ſhould we attain, or come up to have our converſation in Heaven?
1. Let us watch opportunities for heavenly exerciſes. God now by his Miniſters calls,Iſa. 55.1, 3. 2 Cor. 6.2. Come ye to the waters, come ye, buy and eat; come, buy wine, and milk without money; come to me, and your ſouls ſhall live. Why now is the accepted time, behold now is the day of ſalvation: whiles Miniſters call, and we live under the droppings of the Word, theſe are opportunities for Heaven; O then he that never prayed, let him now pray; and he that never heard, let him now hear; the Lord is now come near to us; Chriſt Jeſus is calling, and mercy is entreating, and love is beſeeching, and wiſdom is even hoarſe with crying after us; O lay hold on theſe opportunities for heavenly exerciſes, and then we ſhall come up to heavenly converſations.
2. Take heed of reſting in the formality of duties; many ſouls that have enlightnings of conſcience, dare not but take opportunities for heavenly duties; but then comes in the temptations of the Devil, and corruptions of their own hearts, and they ſay, now duty is done, or our task is over, and what needs more? Alas, alas! It is not what have we done? but where have we been? what, have our ſouls been in Heaven, with God, and with Chriſt? have we had any communion with the Father, and with the Son in our duties? O take heed of formality! it will exceedingly hinder our converſation in Heaven; O keep our eye ſtill upon our heart! ask in duty, what affections have been acted? how much are we got nearer Heaven thereby? and by this means we ſhall come to an heavenly converſation.
3. Let us look up unto Jeſus as hanging on the Croſs, and as ſitting on the Throne: this is the Apoſtles rule, Looking unto Jeſus the Author and Finiſher of our faith, Heb. 12.2.who for the joy that was ſet before him endured the Croſs, deſpiſing the ſhame, and is ſet down at the right hand of the Throne of God. Theſe two are the objects of a Chriſtians look who ſtudies an heavenly converſation, viz. Chriſt's Croſs, and Chriſt's Seſſion; by the Croſs he is Author, and by the Throne he is the Finiſher of our faith; in the firſt is ſet down his love to us, in the ſecond is ſet down our hope of him; with high wiſdom hath the Holy Ghoſt exhorted us with theſe two motives to run, and not to faint: firſt, here is love, love in the Croſs, Who loved us, Eph. 5.2.and gave himſelf for us, a ſacrifice on the Croſs: ſecondly, Here is hope, hope in the Throne, To him that overcometh, will I give to ſit with me in my Throne. Rev. 3.21.After Chriſt's death he roſe again, aſcended, and is now ſet down at the right hand of the Throne of God; and the ſame is our bleſſed hope, Chriſt's Throne is not onelyonly his place, but ours alſo; the love of his Croſs is to us a pledge of the hope of his Throne, or of whatſoever elſe he is worth. Come then, and ſettle your thoughts and looks on this bleſſed object; a ſight of Chriſt's Croſs, but eſpecially of Chriſt's Throne, is a bleſſed means to wean us from the World, and to elevate and raiſe up our affections to things above, yea to form and frame our converſation towards Heaven.
4. Let us wait for the appearing of Jeſus Chriſt,Phil. 3.20. Our converſation is in Heaven (ſaith the Apoſtle) from whence alſo we look for the Saviour the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. Where a man's converſation is, there his expectations may be; and where his expectations are, there a man's converſation is, and will be; if we expect ere long, that the Lord Jeſus will appear in glory, and that we ſhall ſee him not with other, but with theſe ſame eyes, the very waiting for theſe things will help our converſation to be heaven-ward. Certainly the day is a coming, when Jeſus Chriſt ſhall come with his Angels in his glory, and then ſhall the bodies of the Saints ſhine gloriouſly before the Face of God, and Jeſus Chriſt: O the wonder of this day! the glory of Chriſt ſhall then darken the glory of the Sun and Moon, and Stars; but my body ſhall not be darkned, but rather it ſhall ſhine like the glorious body of Chriſt Jeſus; if a candle ſhould be raiſed to have ſo much luſtre and beauty, as if you ſhould put it into the midſt of the Sun, yet it would ſhine, you would think it a ſtrange kind of light; ſurely it ſhall be ſo with the bodies of Saints, for though they are put into the midſt of the glory of God, and of his Son Jeſus Chriſt, yet their bodies ſhall ſhine in beauty and luſtre there; now did we believe this, and wait for it every day, How would it change us? how would it work us to an heavenly converſation? I have a diſeaſed and lumpiſh body; and my body hinders me in every duty of God's worſhip, but within a while Chriſt will come in his glory, and then he will make my body like unto his glorious body, ſo that I ſhall be able to look upon the face of God, and to be exerciſed in holy duties to all eternity without wearineſs, without intermiſſion: I have many things here that trouble my mind and ſpirit, and that hinder me in my converſe with Heaven, and heavenly things; but within a while, Chriſt will appear with his mighty Angels, to be admitted of his Saints, and then ſhall I ſit as an aſſeſſor on the Throne, with Jeſus Chriſt to judge the world, and then ſhall I live for ever with him, to be where he is, and enjoy all he has, yea all that he hath purchaſed for me by his blood; oh let me wait for this! let me look for it every day! God hath but a little work for me here on Earth, and when that is done, this ſhall be my condition. Chriſtians! if but every day we would work theſe things on our ſouls, it would be a mighty help to make our converſations heavenly converſations.
5. Let us obſerve the drawings, and movings, and mindings of the Spirit, and follow his dictates; to this purpoſe Chriſt aſcended, and ſate down at God's right hand, and ſent down the holy Spirit, that the Holy Ghoſt being come down, he might do his office in bringing on our ſouls towards ſalvation; and if ever our ſouls get above this earth, and get acquainted with this living in Heaven, it is the Spirit of God that muſt be at the chariot of Elijah, yea the very living principle, by which we muſt move and aſcend; O then take heed of quenching its motions, or reſiſting its workings, take we heed of grieving our guide, or of knocking off the chariot-wheels of this holy Spirit. We little think how much the life of graces, and the happineſs of our ſouls doth depend upon our ready and cordial obedience to the Spirit of God; when he forbids us our own known tranſgreſſions, and we will go on, when he tells us which is the way, and which is not, and we will not regard, no wonder if we are ſtrangers to an heavenly converſation; if we will not follow the Spirit, while it would draw us to Chriſt, how ſhould it lead us to Heaven, or bring our hearts into the preſence of God? O learn we this leſſon, and let not only the motions of our bodies; but alſo the very thoughts of our hearts be at the Spirits beck! do we not ſometimes feel a ſtrong impulſion to retire from the world, and to draw near to God? O let us not deſpiſe, or diſobey, but take we the offer, and hoiſe up our ſail, while we may have this bleſſed gale; if we cheriſh theſe motions, and hearken to the Spirit, O what a ſupernatural help ſhould we find to this heavenly mindedneſs, or heavenly converſation?
Thus far we have looked on Jeſus, as our Jeſus in his Aſcenſion, Seſſion, and Miſſion of his holy Spirit, our next work is to look on Jeſus carrying on the great work of our ſalvation for us in his Interceſſion, which he makes, and will make to his Father on our behalf, till his ſecond coming to judgment.