Two Treatises, Treatise 1 · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI. How the Saints have their Converſation in Heaven, Opened in Nine Particulars.
BUt now, our Converſation ſhould be anſwerable; and now we come more fully up to the ſcope of the Apoſtle; But our Converſation is in Heaven.
The Converſations of the Saints that are free Citizens of Heaven ought to be anſwerable; though their Co-habitations be in this world, yet their Converſation it ſhould be in Heaven; in the 7. of Dan. 10. 18. there you reade of the excellent eſtate of the Saints, But the Saints of the moſt High ſhall take the kingdom, and poſſeſs the kingdom for ever: That that is tranſlated here, The Saints of the moſt High, it is not only meant of the Moſt High God, but the Saints of the high Places, ſo 'tis tranſlated by ſome, for the Saints are the Saints of high places in regard of their intereſt in Heaven, and in regard of their Converſations ſutable to the place, in the 2. Ephe. 6. And hath raiſed us up together, and made us ſit together in Heavenly places in Chriſt Jeſus. The Saints are ſet in Heavenly places, Heavenly dignitie, Heavenly privileges, Heavenly prerogatives, yea, and they themſelves may be ſaid to be in Heavenly places though their bodies be upon the earth, their ſouls are in Heavenly places, their Converſation is in Heaven, They are the Saints of the High God, and they are ſet in high places.
You will ſay, What is this Converſation that is in Heaven that is here ſpoken of. I ſhall open it in theſe particulars.
The firſt is, The aim and ſcope of their hearts, it is Heaven-ward that the Saints look at, as their aim and ſcope is Heaven, they look upon themſelves in this world as pilgrims and ſtrangers, Heaven's their home, and their eye is there, their end, their ſcope, whatſoever they do it is for Heaven ſome way or other to fit them for Heaven, and to lay in for Heaven againſt they ſhall come and live there, their Converſation therefore is in Heaven: All that they do, eating, drinking, going about their buſineſs, yet I ſay their aim it is Heaven. I remember it's reported of Anaragorus a Philoſopher, that being asked wherefore he liv'd, he ſaid, he was born to contemplate the Heavens, he made it the end of his life for which he was born to contemplate Heaven; Being a Phyloſopher and having underſtanding in the motions of the Heavens, he took ſuch delight in it, that he accounted it the end for which he was born. So the Saints look at Heaven as their Center that they aim at, that's their ſcope: we (ſaith the Apoſtle) do not look at things that are ſeen, but at things that are not ſeen, nothing in the Earth is our ſcope, but Heaven is our ſcope, and ſo their Converſations may be ſaid to be in Heaven in that reſpect.
Secondly, Their Converſations are in Heaven, for they are acted by Heavenly principles in all their waies.
Heavenly principles you will ſay, What are they?
This is a Heavenly Principle, That God is all in all: that's a Principle that the Saints are guided by, in Heaven they look upon God to be all in all unto them, ſo do the Saints here, in what they do, in what they are, in what they enjoy, they act upon this Principle, that it's God that is all in all, whatſoever I ſee in the creature, yet it's God that is all in all to me, I act by vertue of this Principle.
That God the infinite Firſt-being, is infinitely worthy of all love for himſelf, that's a Heavenly Principle: the Saints that are in Heaven, they look upon the infinite excellencie and glorie of God, they look upon him as the Firſt-Being of all things, having all excellencie, and glorie enough to ſatisfie all creatures for ever, and look upon him as infinitly worthy of all love and ſervice for himſelf; know this is a heavenly Principle: So the Saints their converſation is in Heaven, they are acted by heavenly principles; I look upon ſuch and ſuch things in the world whereby I may go in credit, encreaſe, or comfort, this is an earthly principle: But when my heart is ſo upon God, that it looks upon him as infinitly excellent and worthy of all love, ſervice, fear, honor, and worſhip for himſelf alone, whatſoever becomes of the creature God is worthy of all for that infinite excellencie in himſelf; this is a heavenly principle: and for one to be acted in his life by ſuch a principle as this is, this is to be acted by heavenly principles, not by ſuch low, and baſe principles as the men of the world are, but by heavenly principles.
Thirdly, Their Converſations are in Heaven. For here though they live in the world, they have communion with the God of Heaven that is above in the whol courſe of their lives. In the 1. Epiſtle by John 1. chap. you have divers excellent expreſſions about our communion with God. In the 3. verſe, That which we have ſeen and heard declare we unto you, That ye alſo may have fellowſhip with us, and truly, our fellowſhip is with the Father, and with his Son Jeſus Chriſt. And then in another Scripture we reade of the Communion of the holy Ghoſt, Thereis Communion with the Father, Son, and holy Ghoſt. Now what makes Heaven but God? we ſay, where the King is there's the Court, where God is there's Heaven, let God be where he will. There is ſome controverſie among ſome, where the Saints ſhall be after the Reſurrection; ſome think it ſhall be ſtill here, and yet with all the glory that the Scripture ſpeaks of. Now it's no great matter where it be, ſo it be where God is, thoſe that have Communion with God, they are in Heaven, their Converſation is in Heaven: now it's that that is the life of the Saints, their Communion with God; thy life it is to have communion with the Creature, that is for thee to cloſe with the contents of the Creature, and the faculty that is in man to taſt any thing, or to have any delight in any thing in this world, when there is a ſutable object to the facultie, that's his Communion with the Creature; As now a Drunkard, there is a kind of Communion that he hath meerly with lude company, and with the creature to pleaſe his ſence for a while, there's all the communion that he hath: But what a different Converſation is this, for one meerly to pleaſe his ſence in meat and drink a little while, and another to have communion with Father, Son, and holy Ghoſt? The Saints here in this world have not an Imaginary but a Real Communion with the Father Son and holy Ghoſt.
Communion, you will ſay, what's that?
By Communion with God we mean this, The acting of the ſoul upon God, and the receiving in the influence of the goodneſs and love and mercy of God into the ſoul: When there is a mutual acting of the ſoul upon God and God upon the ſoul again; as when friends have Communion one with another, that is, that one acts for the Comfort of the other, there is a mutual imbracing and opening of hearts one upon another for the ſatisfying of the Spirits one of another: So communion with God is the mutual actings of the ſoul upon God, and God upon the ſoul again: The Saints they ſee the face of God, and God delights in the face of the Saints: And they let out their hearts to God, and God lets out his heart to them. We cannot expreſſe this to ſtrangers, a ſtranger ſhall not meddle with this joy, this is a myſtery, a riddle to the carnal world. Do but you conſider this, that what Communion you have with your lude company, to ſit, and eat, and drink, and play, and tell ſtories all day long, this you think is a brave life; but now, that the communion of the Saints is raiſed higher, and the comfort of the Saints is not in ſuch poor, low, baſe things as thine is, the Saints have comfort in God the Father, Son, and holy Ghoſt, in an infinite higher way, and in that reſpect their Converſations are ſaid to be in Heaven: And eſpecially when they are with God in his Ordinances they cannot be content except they have Communion with God there, it's notenough for them to call upon the Name of God, to kneel down and to uſe ſome humble broken hearted expreſſions; Oh but, what communion have I with God and Jeſus Chriſt and the holy Ghoſt in my duties at this time! I come to the Word and other Ordinances, Oh! but what communion have I with God in them? I cannot be ſatisfied except I taſt and ſee how good the Lord is; I cannot go abroad about my buſineſſe but with a heavy heart except I hear ſome thing from Heaven this morning; all the comfort of their lives do depend upon this, in having communion with Father Son and holy Ghoſt.
Fourthly, Their Converſation may be ſaid to be in Heaven, Becauſe they do live according to the Laws of Heaven: They do not here in this world live according to the Laws of men, & the luſts of men, but they look for their direction from Heaven, What rule is there from Heaven to guide me? There muſt be ſome word from the God of Heaven to order and guide them in their waies, or elſe they cannot tell how to ſute with them; Indeed while they live in the Cities of the world they muſt obey the Laws of men, but ſtill it is in order to the Laws of Heaven, the main thing that they ſubmit to, is the Statute Laws of Jeſus Chriſt the great Law giver; becauſe there is a Law of Heaven that doth require them for to obey the Laws of men that are according to thoſe Laws of Heaven, therefore they do obey them; but the Laws of Heaven are thoſe that the Saints look after for their direction in all their waies, 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 ſuch a way? I dare not do otherwiſe than according to the Will and Scepter of Chriſt, they muſt be my rule in all my waies: whereas before thy luſt was thy rule, and thy own ends thy rule; and the common courſe of the world thy rule; but now the Laws of Heaven are thy rule; and therfore their Converſations are in Heaven becauſe they are guided by the Laws of Heaven: Heaven is their aim, They are acted by heavenly Principles, They converſe with the God of heaven, And then fourthly, They live according to the Laws of heaven.
Fiftly, Their thoughts and hearts are ſet upon heaven, as he ſaith, The ſoul is where it loves rather than where it lives; where the heart is there's the ſoul, there the man may be ſaid to be. Now the Saints have their hearts in heaven, their thoughts in heaven, their meditations in heaven, working there, When I awake I am alwaies with thee (ſaith David.) And Oh how ſweet are the thoughts of heaven unto the Saints! While thou art mudling in the world, and plodding for thy ſelf in the things of this world, If God ſhould come to thee and ſay, Where art thou? as he ſaid to Adam; yea ſometimes while thou art at prayer and hearing the Word, Where are thy thoughts, and about what? even as we ſay in the proverb, are running about a Wool-gathering.
But now come to one whoſe Converſation is in Heaven, he keeps his thoughts and meditations there continually, meditating on the glorious things that are reſerved in Heaven. As I remember I have read of that holy man, Mr. Ward that being in the midſt of a dinner, and people wondering what he was a muſing about, he preſently breaks out, For ever, for ever, for ever, for almoſt half a quarter of an hour he could not be ſtill'd, but he cries, for ever, for ever, for ever. So far as any man or woman hath their Converſation in Heaven their thoughts are there, thinking Oh eternity, eternitie, to be for ever in Heaven, to live for ever with Chriſt and God, and Oh the Crown of glory that is there! when will that bleſſed day come when I ſhall come to enjoy thoſe good things that are there? his thoughts will be there, and he is longing to be there, his love and deſires and affections will be working there. It's ſaid of the people of Iſrael, Acts, 7. 39. That their hearts turned back again to Egypt; they never returned in their bodies to Egypt, but their hearts were there, they would fain have the Onions and Fleſh-pots that were in Egypt, their hearts were there. So it may be ſaid of many, that though they come and hear the Word, yet their hearts are in their ſhops, their hearts are after their covetouſneſs; but it's contrary with the Saints, Though they live here in this world, yet their hearts are in Heaven: As I remember it's written of Queen Mary, that ſhe ſaid, If they rip'd her open they ſhould find Callis in her heart; And ſo it may be ſaid of Saints, whoſe Converſations are in Heaven; I ſpeak not of all Profeſſors of Religion, for it's ſaid of bodies, (when Paul ſpeaks of the reſurrection) there are bodies Celeſtial, and bodies Terreſtial, ſo I may ſay, There are Profeſſors Celeſtial, and Profeſſors Terreſtial, but as for ſuch whoſe Converſations are in Heaven, who walk with God, and live here the lives of Heaven upon Earth, If they were rip'd up, you ſhould find Heaven in their hearts; un-rip many mens hearts, and there's nothing but the earth, uncleanneſs, and baſeneſs; ſuppoſe God ſhould come this moment, and rip up all your hearts, and diſcloſe them to all the men of the world, what a deal of filthy ſtuff would be found in many of your hearts? but for ſuch whoſe Converſations are in Heaven, they would be ready to have God unrip their hearts when he pleaſeth, Lord, try, Lord, ſearch me, Lord, examine and ſee what is in my heart; I'le but put this now to you as in the Name of God, and let conſcience anſwer, What do you think would be found in your hearts if they ſhould be unrip'd now? and if your conſciences tell you, Oh Lord! if my heart ſhould be rip'd up now, there would be a filthy deal of ugly and abominable ſtuff there, ſurely I have not had my Converſation in Heaven, my heart hath been ſinking even down to low, and baſe things: but now, for thoſe whom this text concerns, it will be an exceeding comfort to them; and I hope that there are divers of you that may be able to ſay, if the Lord ſhould at this preſent rip our hearts and ſhew them to all the world, I hope the world ſhould ſee that Heaven is ſtamped upon our hearts. We account it ſad weather when we cannot ſee the Heavens for many daies, when we cannot ſee Heaven many times for a week together; and we account it an ill dwelling where men dwell in narrow lanes in the City, ſo that they can ſcarce ſee the Heavens except they go abroad in the fields. My brethren, ſurely it's a ſad time with a gracious heart when any one day paſſes without converſe with Heaven, without the ſight of Heaven, and meditations of Heaven, and having their hearts there. Thus it ſhould be with Chriſtians whoſe Converſations are in Heaven, they ſhould never love ſuch dwellings wherein they cannot ſee the beams of the Sun; It's a moſt comfortable thing for to ſee the light, a man that dwels in ſome dark houſe, it's very comfortable for him to walk out into the open air, and to behold the Heavens; Oh my brethren! our ſouls dwell in dark houſes every one of us; for our bodies are to our ſouls like a dark and low celler, but the Lord gives us liberty to go abroad, to be converſing with the things of Heaven that he hath revealed in his Word and in his Ordinances: And as many Citizens that live in dark rooms & keep a long time cloſe to their work, yet at ſuch times as they cal days of Recreation, they walk abroad in the Fields and take the freſh air, and oh how delightſom is it to them! The ſame ſhould be to a gracious heart that hath a great many buſineſſes (indeed) in the world, I but on the Lords day, Oh that he may now enjoy God in his Ordinances more than before; his thoughts are upon thoſe waies wherein he may come to have more of Heaven, Oh! that I may come to converſe more with God than at other times! And upon that the Sabbaths are the joy of his ſoul, his delight, he longs after the Sabbath, he thirſts after Ordinances, for indeed his heart is in them, for he finds there is more of Heaven in them than in other things; and in that regard the Saints having their thoughts and hearts in Heaven, thus he proves to have his Converſation to be in Heaven. Moſes never came to Canaan, and yet God gave Moſes a ſight of it, carried him up to mount Nebo. Heavenly meditations are as it were mount Nebo, whereby when the heart is raiſed a little upon the mount, it's able to ſee Heaven, & behold the glorious things there. The Scripture ſpeaks of Lucifer, that he had his neſt among the ſtars: A Saint hath as it were his neſt, his dwelling among the ſtars, yea, above the ſtars in the higheſt Heavens. As 'tis with wicked men, that when they ſeem to draw nigh to God, yet their hearts are far from him; then they are in their ſhops, they are among their ſhips when they ſeem to be worſhipping of God: So when the Saints ſeem in regard of their bodies to be far from God, yet their hearts are in Heaven in the mean time.
Sixtly, For the opening of a Heavenly Converſation, it conſiſts in this, When in the courſe of mens lives they do converſe and delight in the ſame things that are done in Heaven, they make their happineſs the ſame happineſs that is in Heaven, and make their exerciſe to be the ſame exerciſe that is in Heaven: As for inſtance, What is there in Heaven? There is the fight of the face of God; Bleſſed are the pure in heart, for they ſhall ſee God. And the Angels, Alwaies behold the face of God. So the Saints may be ſaid to have their Converſations in Heaven becauſe their exerciſe here while they live, it is in the beholding the face of God, in ſtanding before God ſeeing his face; the greateſt delight and contentment of their ſouls, it is, that they can ſee ſomewhat of God,
What's to be done further? The Work of Heaven, it is in the Praiſings and Bleſſings of God. What do the Saints and Angels of Heaven, but continually bleſſe, and magnifie, and praiſe the Name of that God whom they ſee to be ſo infinitly worthy of all praiſe, and honor from his creatures? Then is a mans Converſation in Heaven when as he doth the ſame things, when he joyns with Angels & Saints in doing of the ſame work, of magnifying and bleſſing and praiſing God.
What's done in Heaven, but the keeping of a perpetual Sabbath? Then are our converſations in Heaven, when we delight in Gods Sabbath, yea and indeed to keep a conſtant Sabbath unto God, though buſied about earthly things, yet ſtill we keep a Sabbath to God, in reſting from ſin, and being ſpiritually imployed. And that's a Sixth thing.
Seventhly, Then our Converſation is in Heaven, When in Earthly imployments, yet we are Heavenly: when we uſe earthly things after a heavenly manner; it is not the place that God looks at ſo much, where his Saints are, But what they do: Though while we live in the earth we uſe earthly things, yet when we can uſe them in an heavenly manner, then our Converſation may be in heaven though we upon earth.
As thus firſt, When in the uſe of earthly things, we do quickly paſſe through earthly things to God, we make uſe of them, but we do not ſtick in them; we make them the means to paſſe through to God, and get quickly through: a carnal heart ſticks in the things of the earth, mingles with the earth; but a ſpiritual, and heavenly heart makes earthly things but as Conduit… for conveyance of him to heaven, we here carry about with us the fleſh, and becauſe we have ſo much earth, we have need of theſe earthly things, I but they are means of conveyance to Spiritual and Heavenly things.
And then, When we uſe Earthly things as Heavenly, that is, we take a riſe of earthly things to meditate of Heaven; upon the enjoyment of any thing in this earth we raiſe up our thoughts to the things of Heaven; when we ſee the light, to remember then the glorious light of Heaven, and of the inheritance of the Saints which are in light; when we caſt any ſweetneſſe in the creature, If theſe things be ſo ſweet, Oh what is heaven and God then that is the Fountain of all good things! Thus to make all earthly things to be but as heavenly riſes to us, That's a heavenly Converſation, that in the uſe of earthly things doth quickly paſſe through to God, and that makes ſpiritual and heavenly riſes of earthly things.
Eightly, Then is our Converſation Heavenly when the Saints in their Converſe together are Heavenly: when the Saints in their converſe do look upon themſelves as the Citizens of Heaven, and converſe as it beſeems thoſe of ſuch a Country. When as Country men are abroad in forreign parts and they meet together, and there be conferring about the ſtate of their country in their own language, and aboue their friends, and what things there are there among them, they will ſay one to another, (as Engliſh men) me thinks we are in England now; our converſe is as if: we were in England. So when the Saints in their meetings, they do not meet to jangle, and wrangle, but they meet to converſe of Heaven, and to confer about their Country, and every one telling news of Heaven, there's none of the Saints that walk cloſe with God, but when they meet together may tell one another ſome tidings of Salvation from above. When Country men meet together in any place commonly the firſt queſtion is, What news is there from our Countrey, from England; So the Saints when they meet together if they be of Heavenly Converſations, They will be talking ſomwhat of Heaven before they go: what news of our Countrie? what news from Heaven? though they may have leave to refreſh themſelves being poor earthlie creatures here, with ſomthing of the earth, yet they will have ſome talk of Heaven before they part one with another: This is a Heavenlie Converſation when the Communion of the Saints of Heaven is in Heavenlie things.
The ninth and laſt thing wherein the Converſation of the Saints in Heaven is, is this, That their great trade while they are upon the earth it is for Heaven: Though they be not in their bodies there, yet their trading is there, and that's the ſpecial thing that ſeems to be noted in the verie word in the text; now their chief trade it is in Heaven, the Saints foreign.that have Heavenlie Converſations they do not trade for trifles as other men do, but they trade for great things, for high things, in the 3. of Colloſ. ſaith the Apoſtle there, If ye be riſen with Chriſt, ſeek thoſe things that are above where Chriſt ſitteth at the right hand of God: ſet your affections on things above and not on things on the earth. They ſeek the things of God, even thoſe things where Chriſt ſitteth at the right hand of God, ſet your affections on things above and not on things on the earth; they ſeek after theſe things, they merchandize for thoſe goodlie Pearls.