Gods Sovereignty Displayed from Job 9:12, Treatise 2

Gods Sovereignty Displayed from Job 9:12 · Treatise 2

p. 185NO Abiding City IN A Periſhing VVorld.

Heb. 13.14.

For here we have no continuing City, but we ſeek one to come.

CHAP. I.

THe Particle [for] invites me to look back upon the verſes foregoing. The Apoſtle tells us, ver. 12. that Jeſus, that he might ſanctifie the people with his own blood, ſuffered without the gate: Then he exhorteth. ver. 13. Let us go forth therefore unto him without the Camp, bearing his reproach. Chriſt was figured by the Sacrifices under the Law; as the Beaſts were burnt without the Camp, ſo Chriſt ſuffered without the gate, being caſt out of the world as an accurſed thing: if Chriſt ſuffered without the gate, how ſhould the Saints be content to go out of the world, and bear p. 186the reproach the world caſteth upon them, knowing that they ſhall be graciouſly received, not only into the Camp of Chriſt, but into his Royal Court; the world ſhall not caſt ſo much ſcorn upon them, as Chriſt will ſhew them love and favour: it is better to be out of the Camp with Chriſt, than without Chriſt, at the worlds head Quarters. Moſes choſe to forſake all rather than not to follow Chriſt: So let us willingly bear the reproach of Chriſt, and know that he will willingly receive all thoſe that for his ſake are content to bear the reproach that the world caſteth upon them. This exhortation of the Apoſtle is directed

1. To the Jews; to bid an eternal farewel to all the Levitical Ceremonies and Ordinances, and to go to Chriſt who ſuffered without the gate: his ſuffering there was to put an end to Temple-worſhip in Jeruſalem. Calvin thus paraphraſeth it;Calvin ad loc. Think not that God will now be pleaſed with this typical worſhip; but now he expecteth that you ſhould go to Chriſt, and ſuffer injuries, baniſhment, and all manner of perſecutions for his ſake.

2. To Chriſtians: to bid an adieu to p. 187the cuſtomes, to the faſhions, to the courſes, to the luſts of this world, and to reſolve to go forth to Chriſt, and follow him, notwithſtanding the vile reproaches, cruel mockings, that ever did, and ever ſhall fall upon all, both Hebrews and Chriſtians, who ſincerely follow and cleave to Chriſt: for the Ceremonious Jews did reproach ſuch as did ſhake off the yoke of Moſaical Rites, and obſerve the Evangelical Ordinances of Chriſt: and the wicked among Chriſtians do to this very day load ſuch with reproaches, who caſt off the yoke of worldly luſts and practiſes, and walk as becometh the Goſpel of Chriſt: Now he that will go forth to Chriſt, muſt reſolve to bear his reproaches; which are better than all the magnificent Titles of Honour, the vaſt treaſures of wealth the world can give; and though they render us ignominious before the world, yet they render us as honorable before God.

My Text is a reaſon of the Apoſtles exhortation, or a ſtrong motive to encourage us to go forth to Chriſt bearing his reproach; For, or becauſe, we have here no continuing City, but we ſeek one to come: Wherefore ſlight the reproaches p. 188of the world (as Travellers do the barking of dogs) in your journey to the City of glory.

It is a probable conjecture made by ſome,Eſtius Expoſit. in loc. as Eſtius obſerveth, that S. Paul ſpeaks Prophetically of the deſtruction of the City of Jeruſalem, which was then at hand, and that in a ſhort time neither that City nor the Country about it, would be an abiding place for them, but driven from thence they ſhould be, and be forced to wander up and down, and therefore they were to look for no other abiding place but heaven.

CHAP. II.

IN the words of my Text you have a Poſition, and an Oppoſition, or a Poſition, and a Concluſion.

1. The Poſition is; Here we have no continuing City.

2. The Oppoſition or Concluſion is, But [or therefore] we ſeek one to come: for the preſent we have no abiding City, but there is an abiding City to come which we ſeek. This earthly Jeruſalem is no abiding City for p. 189you Hebrews: this world is no abiding City for you Chriſtians. But Jeruſalem that is above, the heavenly City, the City of the King of Kings, that is an abiding City, that let us diligently ſeek after. This world is to believers, as the Wilderneſs was to the Iſraelites, they were Pilgrims in it: So are believers in the world, ſtrangers and Pilgrims; they abode not long in the Wilderneſs, but paſſed through it to Canaan, there they made their abode: ſo this world is not a place for believers to abide in, but muſt paſs thorow it to an heavenly Canaan, that is an abiding Country, an abiding City, and there all believers ſhall abide to eternity.

The general point of inſtruction to be drawn from hence is;Obſerv. That the conſideration that there is no abiding place in this world, ſhould forcibly move us to ſeek out for heaven. This was that which moved Abraham, Iſaac and Jacob, thoſe renowned Candidates of Eternity, to be as Pilgrims in the world, wandring from place to place, now ſojourning here, then ſojourning there, but abode no where; and whereſoever they went, they dwelt not in Palaces or p. 190Fortreſſes ſtrongly built, but in Tabernacles, which they could pitch down, and take up, and carry them whether they pleaſed: and ſo they uſed to do, to mind them that there was no abiding for them here, but they muſt look after a City, wherein they ſhould abide for ever. Heb. 11.9, 10, 14, 16. By faith Abraham 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: for he looked for a City which hath foundations, whoſe Builder and Maker is God. They confeſſed they were ſtrangers and pilgrims on the earth; for they that ſay ſuch things, declare plainly that they ſeek a Country. But now they deſire a better Country (than that from whence they came out) that is, an heavenly. Here ye have a full proof of the point; the Holy Ghoſt calling believers ſojourners, pilgrims, ſtrangers, what is it but to convince them, that there is no abiding for them in this world? this world is not their Country, their City, their home, their habitation; here they are not to place their hopes, to ſet their affections, to ſeek a laſting happineſs; but heaven is p. 191their City, their Country, their home, their habitation: there all our hopes ſhould be placed, thither ſhould all our deſires aſpire, there we are to ſeek everlaſting happineſs, there we ſhall be ſure to find it, and to abide in the poſſeſſion of it to eternity.

CHAP. III.

FOr the better proſecution of this point, I ſhall draw from it two Propoſitions, and make uſe of them.

Prop. 1. That here is no abiding City. I need not ſeek proof for this, for there is none of us, but his experience evidenceth it.

1. Take City here, for our houſes we dwell in; they are no abiding places for us: death turneth every man out of his own doors, and carrieth him from his houſe to the grave; it turneth Princes out of their ſtately Palaces, and great men out of their ſtrong-built houſes and Caſtles, and poor men out of their Cottages. The poor mans Cottage, the rich mans Houſe, and the Princes Palace, are of no continuance; how many ſtately Houſes, Edifices, and p. 192Caſtles have we ſeen in our daies to be made ruinous heaps, and conſumed to aſhes? your continual repairing them ſheweth them to be of no long continuance.

2. Take City, for the Towns and Cities wherein we inhabit with others, they are no continuing places for us to abide in for ever: See we not, how one Generation paſſeth, and another cometh? and the Generation that is coming is going: and though the Stages ſtand a while when the Actors are gone off, yet at length the Stages are taken down. What is now become of Jeruſalem, of Athens, of Corinth, and of thoſe famous Cities of Aſia? How many famous Towns and Cities are become ruinous heaps?

Jam ſeges eſt ubi Troja fuit.

Behold there now is good Corn-land,

Where once the City Troy did ſtand.

The like may be ſaid of many Towns and Cities in the world. Cato the Cenſor boaſted that he had taken more Towns and Cities in Spain, than he had been daies in it;Plutarch. Plutarch ſaith he took four hundred. Sempronius Gracchus, p. 193deſtroyed in Spain three hundred more, as Polybius relateth. Pliny ſaith,Polyb. Hiſtor. that Coneys deſtroyed a great City in Spain, and that Moles deſtroyed another in Macedonia: Many have been deſtroyed by fire, many by inundations of water, and others have been ſwallowed up by earthquakes: here we have no abiding City. We read, Gen. 19.24. That the Lord rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah brimſtone and fire from the Lord out of heaven, and he overthrew thoſe Cities, and all the Plain, and all the inhabitants of thoſe Cities, and that which grew upon the ground. Joſeph. de bello Judaico, lib. 5.Joſephus ſaith, that five Cities periſhed: and we read of five Cities of that Region named, Gen. 14.2. viz. Sodom, Gomorrha, Admah, Sebojim, and Bela, which is Zoar. Moſes, beſides the two principal Cities, mentioneth the place of their ſcituation, but Admah and Sebojim were deſtroyed by fire as well as Sodom and Gomorrah, Deut. 29.23. theſe the Lord overthrew in his anger and fury: As for Zoar, Theodoret, Lyra, and others, think it was preſerved upon the requeſt of Lot, Walther. Harmon. Biblic. in Gen. 19Gen 19but that after Lot went out of it, it was utterly over hrown. But this cannot be made p. 194evident from Scripture, that this fifth City was either overthrown together with the reſt; or a little afterward; but the contrary rather appeareth from the ſpeech of the Lord to Lot, Gen. 19.21. He ſaid unto him, ſee, I have accepted thee concerning this thing, that I will not overthrow this City, for the which thou haſt ſpoken. And mention is made of it, Iſa. 15.5. where it is ſaid, that the Moabites being overcome by the Aſſyrian, ſhould flye unto Zoar, Babylon, and Nineveh; thoſe great Cities, are long ſince utterly laid waſte.

3. Take City, for the Countries wherein we live; they ſhall not abide, neither ſhall any man continue in them for ever: Fruitful Canaan is now become a barren wilderneſs: how hath the Country caſt out all her Inhabitants? Kingdomes, Countries, Nations, Common-wealths, have their deaths and burials, as well as the Inhabitants of them.

4. Take City, for the world it ſelf, and this is no continuing place. Though it hath continued a moſt ſix thouſand years, yet 2 Pet. 3.10. The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in the which the heavens ſhall paſs away p. 195with a great noiſe, and the elements ſhall melt with fervent heat, and the works that are therin ſhall be burnt up. Here you have a full deſcription of the Worlds deſtruction: it is above all humane determination, whether this fire ſhall be a fire of utter abolition of the world, or a fire of purgation to refine it: when theſe things come to paſs, then Heaven and Hell will divide the whole world between them.

CHAP. IV.

SECT. I.

Queſt. HOw is it that nothing here is of continuance?

Reſp. 1. The very law of their Creation ſubjecteth the world, and all creatures therein, to diſſolution and corruption: Every creature, qua creature, is corruptible; look but upon their compoſition, the materials, the principles are corruptible; and there is a contrariety and oppoſition between them: how can creatures ſtand and continue which are divided within themſelves? p. 196look upon the things we are moſt apt to dote upon; our Cities, Houſes, are they not made of diſſoluble materials? though ſome continue for many generations, yet either water, fire, or war, or if none of theſe, their age conſumeth them. We ſee how among men, ſome dye of old age; ſo age ruineth Cities, Towns, and all other things: the heavens, which of all creatures are the moſt durable, yet ſaith the Pſalmiſt, they ſhall wax old like a garment, Pſa. 102.26. which Text is enough to confute the Philoſophical opinion, that maintaineth the heavens to be made of incorruptible matter.

2. Mans rebellion againſt his Lord and Creator, hath put the whole creation in ſubjection to great vanity and corruptibility, Rom. 8.20, 21. The creature was made ſubject to vanity, not willingly, but by reaſon of him who hath ſubjected the ſame in hope. By the creature there, is meant, the heavens and the earth, with all the creatures in them, Angels excepted, who are only ſpectators of this vanity, not vaſſals to it, as all other creatures are. By vanity] we are to underſtand a ſtate of imperfection, oppoſite to their created condition p. 197and perfection; they have loſt much of their Primitive excellency and perfection. And they are made ſubject to vanity, which denoteth, that they are unavoidably in a ſtate of vanity; they cannot help themſelves. But yet not willingly.] Here the Apoſtle continueth his Proſopopeia, attributing will to inanimate and ſenſitive creatures, which have no will at all: It ſheweth, that this vanity that is upon the creature, is againſt the natural inclination of the creature. Creatures by natural inſtinct do abhor corruption: all creatures are ſtrongly carried with a deſire of ſelf-preſervation, to preſerve their own perfections. Moreover, it noteth, that all the vanity in the creature is not from it ſelf, but it is meerly adventitious; mans rebellion, and Gods curſe, is the cauſe of all their vanity: As Death paſſed on all men, becauſe all had ſinned, ſo Vanity and Corruption hath paſſed upon the whole Creation, becauſe man hath ſinned. — But by reaſon of him who hath ſubjected the ſame.] Theſe words clearly ſhew, how and by whom this yoke of vanity came to be laid on the creatures; not by themſelves, but by him who hath ſubjected the ſame, viz. p. 198God; who being provoked by the ſin of Adam, layes this bondage of vanity on the creature, as part of the penalty of mans diſobedience. Cameron paſſionately contendeth, that it muſt be meant of man, not of God; becauſe the Apoſtle doth not mention the Name of God; but the following words ſufficiently confute him, and evince, it is God who ſubjecteth the creature to vanity; becauſe though he hath powred forth vanity on them, yet he hath left in them a hope of reſtitution.Cameron Praelect. And to reconcile Cameron with other Interpreters, this diſtinction may be uſed: Man is the procuring and deſerving cauſe of the creatures ſubjection unto vanity; and God is the efficient or impoſing cauſe of this ſubjection unto vanity. All creatures in their own being were by nature corruptible, but our ſin makes them two-fold more the Children of vanity and corruptibility: Mans ſin and Gods curſe on the creature for ſin, haſteneth the creatures to their diſſolution. As the houſe of the Leper was in it ſelf not unclean, but the walls thereof being once infected with Leproſie, it was the ſooner pulled down.

p. 199SECT. II.

I know it is a Diſpute among Divines, whether there be a decay of Nature in all creatures: Some ſtrongly affirm, that yet there is no decay, but they are as vigorous now as they were in their firſt Creation. Others (and I think more truly) affirm, a decay in Nature, both in the Heavens and the earth; the Sun and the Heavens have not thoſe vigorous influences as formerly. What meaneth the curſe upon the earth; (thorns and bryars ſhall it bring forth) but a decay of its Nature? What is meant by vanity and corruption under which it groaneth, but their natural decay? Why are not the lives of men of that duration▪ as formerly? One reaſon given is, becauſe the fruits of the earth are not ſo nouriſhable and healthful as before the flood? A general Deluge brought ſaltneſs and barrenneſs upon the earth: ſo that now there is a gradual privation of the creatures of their original beauty, goodneſs, pleaſantneſs, ſweetneſs, which they received from God in their Creation, by which privation they are rendered unable to p. 200perfect the particular uſes for which they were created. The Sun, Moon and Stars, though ſtill they remain excellent creatures, yet it is ſuppoſed by ſundry Divines, they have loſt much of their Primitive ſplendour, and that they ſhine not ſo bright as at their firſt Creation: The Moon hath her ſpots; it is diſputable, whether ſhe had them from the beginning: Some Stars (though great bodies) yet are ſcarce perceptible by the eye: The ayr, the waters, have loſt much of their ſweetneſs, pleaſantneſs and clarity; the earth hath loſt much of her beauty; the herbs, plants, fruits, trees, have loſt much of their virtue; all the living creatures have loſt much of their created goodneſs. All men ſee with what art, toyl and labour, the husbandman provokes the earth to its preſent fruitfulneſs, ſeeing the whole earth was naturally propenſe to bring forth fruits of all kinds in great abundance▪ but for our ſakes it is ſubject to much barrenneſs; all the Heaths and wilder waſts in the world, are marks of this curſe of vanity on the earth: had not the ſoul of man become a Wilderneſs in reſpect of grace and holineſs, there had been no p. 201Wilderneſs in the earth in reſpect of barrenneſs. All mans labour and ſweat to make the earth bring forth, is a part of mans puniſhment alſo: Had not man ſinned (though Adam in Innocence ſhould have laboured) yet it ſhould have been without ſorrow, ſweat, and weariſomneſs: Men may thank their own ſin for every drop of ſweat that trickleth down their face, and for every miſcarrying of the earth.

SECT. III.

Moreover, it conſiſteth in a poſitive malignity, which through ſin and the curſe of God is now caſt upon the whole Creation; the Sun it ſelf worketh deliquia, eclipſes, it ſuffereth, it worketh a contrary evil to the good for which it was created: the heat thereof ſcorcheth the earth, and maketh it to become iron under our feet, whoſe light and heat was created to comfort and cheriſh the earth, it now ſcorcheth the creatures, yea man himſelf: the Ethiopians are ſo ſcorched with it, that for anger they ſhoot arrows againſt the Sun. —The Moon, beſides her Eclipſes and Changes, doth alſo emit ſad influences p. 202on the creatures below, witneſs the Lunatick, the Paralitick; the Moon cauſeth many humors in the body to ſtir: You read in the book of Job of the ſweet influences of Pleiades, but theſe alſo do ſometimes ſend out their maligne influences: the ayr is oftentimes very contagious and peſtilential, as we have ſeen by ſad experience of late; and yet is manifeſt in many Towns and Cities, and other leſſer places of this Kingdome at this day: Now the ayr ſcorcheth, then it cooleth; now it is calm, then boiſterous: The earth bringeth forth bryars and thorns, and unwholeſome weeds, inſtead of wholeſome fruit. In all living creatures, you ſhall ſee how ſin hath put into them an hatred, and antipathy, and oppoſition, the one ſeeking to deſtroy each other▪ the curſe of vanity hath put the whole Creation out of order: Hence are all thoſe mutations, alterations, corruptions, and deſtructions among the creatures, and of the creatures.

Queſt. Here it may be demanded, Why doth God inflict this puniſhment of vanity and corruption on the creature for mans ſin, without any fault in the creature?

p. 203Reſp. 1. It is no injury to the creature at all. Chryſoſtome ſaith well,Chryſoſt. Ratio aequi & iniqui non ad creaturas inanimatas transferenda eſt. The conſideration of right and wrong, juſtice and injuſtice, is not to be transferred to the creatures void of life, but only to the rational, who were ſubjects capable of both.

2. Becauſe the creatures were made for man; therefore if man rebelled againſt his Soveraign Lord, they ſhall ſuffer for man alſo. Chryſoſtome ſaith, Si propter me factae ſint, nihil admittitur injuſtitiae, ſi propter me patiantur: If they were made for my uſe and ſervice, there is no injuſtice if they ſuffer for me to my ſhame and vexation; and the reaſon is, becauſe ſeeing they were made for the uſe and ſervice of man, therefore the change to the worſe, which is now come upon them, is not their puniſhment, but a part of the puniſhment of man.

CHAP. V.

R. 3. A Third reaſon why we have no abiding City here, nor p. 204any thing of long continuance, is taken partly from the love of God to his people, and partly from his wrath to the wicked. The wicked ſhall not have a continuance here, and nothing durable, becauſe God will put an end to ſin and ſinners, and clear the world of ſin and ſinners, wherefore he will diſſolve all theſe things. As long as wicked men live they will continue in ſin; ſhould a wicked man live a thouſand years, ſo long would he live in ſin; a drunkard would continue in his drunkenneſs, a ſwearer in his ſwearing, ſo long as there is any continuance of his City. Oh to what an height of wickedneſs would men arrive, if they and their Cities were of long continuance on the earth; they forget God already, and ſhould God lengthen out their time to continue for ever, or for ſome thouſands of years, they would be ready to think themſelves were Gods, and not dying men: therefore the Lord doth not ſuffer ſinners nor their Cities to be of long continuance; and many times he cuts off notorious ſinners in the midſt of their daies: Bloody and deceitful men ſhall not live out half their daies; God ruineth their Cities and habitations, p. 205they moulder away, and are not of long continuance.

It is likewiſe in love to the godly, that neither they nor their Cities ſhall be of long continuance here, becauſe God will quickly put an end to their ſufferings, their reproaches, their perſecutions, their calamities, and deliver them from the body of death which makes them miſerable, and will ere long take them up to their deſired and expected happineſs, laid up in heaven for them. In a word; God will have no long laſting worldly City, or other worldly thing, that the miſeries of his children may be ſhort, and their happineſs may be of eternal duration; and that the joy and proſperity of the wicked may be ſhort, and their ſorrow and torment may be eternal.

CHAP. VI.

SECT. I.

IF here we have no continuing City; Ʋſe 1 then be exhorted in the firſt place, not to fix the eyes of your ſouls upon theſe tranſitory things. Wilt thou ſet thine p. 206eyes upon that which is not? Prov. 23.5. for riches make themſelves wings, and flee away toward heaven. All fleſh is graſs, and all the glory of man is but as the flower of the field; the graſs withereth, the flower fadeth. 1 Pet. 1.24. All fleſh is as graſs; it is but as the Earths Summers garment, put off before winter cometh; and all the glory of man (or whatſoever man is apt moſt to glory in) is but as the flower of the field, a fading ornament, that within a day or two withereth and cometh to nothing: We look not at the things which are ſeen, but at the things which are not ſeen, for the things which are ſeen are temporal, but the things which are not ſeen are eternal, ſaith S. Paul, 2 Cor▪ 4.18. We are not reſtrained from the ſeeing of theſe things; for the ſenſes were made for uſe, and their uſe is to be applied to their ſeveral objects; the words there uſed by the Apoſtle are [foreign.] We look not at the things that are ſeen as at a mark: the word foreign ſignifieth a mark, and the word foreign, to look at things as at a mark. Now when a man aimeth at a mark, he ſeeth many things between his eye and the mark, but he ſlightly p. 207looks upon them, but he looketh fully upon the mark; his eye ſtaieth at, and is fixed upon the mark: now the mark that the Apoſtle profeſſed hee looked at, was Jeſus Chriſt, Phil 3.14. I forget that which is behinde, I preſs toward the mark for the price of the high calling of God in Chriſt Jeſus. I conceive he alludeth to thoſe games and acts of hoſtility uſed among the Greeks, where there was firſt, a mark, ſecondly, a price; a mark which they look'd at, a price which they aimed at, in their exerciſes of ſhooting, wreſtling, running on foot, or on horſe-back, &c. So the Apoſtle, he had his mark that he aimed at, that was the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, that hee might know him, and be found in him, and be made conformable to him: and the price that he ran for, was the high calling of God in Chriſt Jeſus, the Crown of eternal life and glory, that high price to which Chriſtians are called of God in Chriſt Jeſus. Now on the contrary, the Apoſtle ſheweth, that theſe viſible and temporal things were not the mark that he aimed at, that was but a poor low thing, in compariſon of eternal glory. Do not therefore make theſe p. 208tranſitory things, your mark and ſcope, make them not the ſcope of your intentions; you cannot level at them; they are tranſient, and will ſoon have an end. I know no ſuch beauty in the face of this fading world, ſo as to draw the eyes of our ſouls to fix upon it; the houſe of this world is a ſmoaky houſe, and it bloweth upon our eyes; Oh then let us pluck up the ſtakes of our tent, and take our tent upon our back, and repair to our beſt home, for here we have no continuing City.

SECT. II.

IITake heed you do not entertain too high thoughts of theſe periſhing things, let us learn to eſteem them as wiſe Solomon did, Vanity of vanities, Eccleſ. 1.2. as he found them by experience, which coſt him dear. I conceive that the Lord by his wiſe counſel, left him to plunge himſelf into ſenſual delights, having ſuch a large underſtanding, to contrive what was in the creature to the uttermoſt, that he might teach the Church the nature of them, to the end of the world from his own experience. Now, ſaith he, Eccleſ. 2.12. p. 209what can a man do that cometh after the King? Is it not a madneſs for any man to think to finde more ſatisfaction in them than King Solomon did? If any man hath higher thoughts of theſe things, it is not becauſe he ſeeth more into them than Solomon did, but becauſe he dotes ſo much upon them, ſo as to be beſotted with them. Judge not according to appearance, ſaith our Saviour, Joh. 7.24. He that will judge of theſe fading things by their outſides, may well expect to be deceived; but the immortal ſoul of man being of an intellectual nature, and having an underſtanding faculty, being far above ſenſe, ſhould look more inwardly into them, and ſee what they are all in compariſon to the true happineſs of the ſoul of man; they bring not the ſoul one ſtep the neerer to true happineſs: Now it is as impoſſible for the outward man to be happy, while the inner man is miſerable, as for the outer part of the body to be in health, while the heart is ſick unto death. Let us therefore value theſe tranſitory things at a low rate, eſteeming them as vain things that cannot profit, 1 Sam. 12.21. as nothing, leſs than nothing, and vanity it p. 210ſelf, Iſai. 40.17. Oh let us compare our inch of time with vaſt Eternity, and the eſteem that we have of this now flouriſhing and green world, with the eſteem we ſhall have of it, when worms and corruption ſhall make their houſes in our eye-holes, and our fleſh and body ſhall be conſumed (then our light of this worlds vanity ſhall be more clear than now it is) then ſhall we ſee, that though the world makes men believe, that whatſoever things it offereth them it is of good ſubſtance, and may well ſuffice to ſatisfie our hungry appetites yet when tryal is made, there is nothing to be found but winde and vanity, and that they that feed upon theſe Husks, feed upon nothing but the winde, as the Prophet ſpeaks of Ephraim, Hoſ. 13.1. wouldeſt thou not take him for a fool, that when he is hungry, would open his mouth, and gape, and take in the ayr to ſatisfie his hunger withall? Thy folly, O man is nothing leſs, if thou thinkeſt to ſatisfie the appetite of thy ſoul with the wind of things viſible and temporal, neglecting things eternal. Such a fool was that rich man, Luk. 12.16, 17. (for ſo the Holy Ghoſt calls him) wherein did p. 211he play the fool, but in ſuffering his thoughts wholly to run after outward periſhing things? Therefore he thus complaineth; I want room to lay up my fruits; but never thinketh what room there is for him in heaven; be cries out: What ſhall become of my goods? but never thinketh, oh what ſhall become of my poor ſoul? Then he cometh to this reſolution; I will build my Barns to lay up my fruits in.] But no ſuch thought as this, I will lay up for my ſelf treaſure in heaven, and labour to have a Manſion in heaven for my immortal ſoul: Thou haſt goods laid up for many years in ſtore.] but no ſuch thought as this; Thou knoweſt not whether thou ſhalt enjoy them one day more; for thy ſoul may be taken away before one night be at an end: Soul, take thine eaſe, eat, drink, and be merry; but no ſuch thought as this: Soul, what eaſe ſhall I find in eternal torments? What if my preſent mirth and jollity ſhould deprive me of that fulneſs of joy that is in the preſence of God, and thoſe pleaſures that are for evermore, and end in howling, and weeping, and gnaſhing of teeth?

p. 212SECT. III.

IIISet not your hearts upon theſe unſtable things: O yee ſons of men, how long will ye love vanity? Pſal. 4.2. All the goods of mortals are mortal; whatſoever it is that you entitle your ſelves Lords of, it is with you but for a time, it is not yours to continue with you; there is nothing firm, eternal, and incorruptible, that weak and corruptible men do poſſeſs; it will as neceſſarily periſh, as we muſt neceſſarily loſe it; and this if we well underſtand, is a great ſolace, to loſe that indifferently, which muſt periſh neceſſarily; the only help therefore that wee ſhall finde againſt theſe loſſes, is not to love them too dearly, becauſe in a ſhort time they muſt bee loſt: Lift up your ſoul above humane felicities, caſt it not away for thoſe things that are below, and without it ſelf. The ſoul of man cometh of a more Noble and Divine Stock, than to be enamoured with fading and periſhing things: O what vanity is it ſo much to dote upon theſe ſhadows? how fondly do we love them p. 213while we have them? and how paſſionately do we lament their loſs?

We part with many things in grief;

Becauſe we loved them in chief.

O the unhappineſs of mankind, ſaith S. Auguſtine; The world is bitter, Auguſt. Tom. 10. Serm. de Temp.and yet we love it: if it were ſweet indeed, how ſhould we then dote upon it? it is very troubleſome, yet we love it; how ſhould we affect it, if it were altogether quiet and peaceable? how eagerly then ſhould we gather the flowers of it, ſince we ſo greedily catch up the thorns? Now if, as Chryſoſtome ſpeaks,Chryſoſt. ad Pop. Antioch. Homil. 6. notwithſtanding all the evils which compaſs us about in this world, we deſire to live long in it, when, oh when (were it free from all diſturbances) ſhould we ſeek for any thing elſe? we are ſo bewitched with theſe vanities, that we prefer our Pilgrimage before our Country; and hence it is, that God either imbitters our Cups, and mingleth our pleaſures with vexations, leſt we ſhould miſtake Wormwood and Vinegar for true Nectar; or elſe he takes away theſe outward comforts from us, that we may ſee our folly in p. 214placing ſo much of our affections upon things that were of no continuance: Ah! how much do we ſmell of the ſmoak of this lower houſe of the earth, becauſe our heart and thoughts are here? and how unwilling are we to go out of it, albeit we are in danger of being ſuffocated with the ſmoak of it? It is a great folly ſo eagerly to love fading and unſtable things: Gregory ſpeaks well to this purpoſe;Gregor. Moral. lib. 1. ca. 3. We never forego any thing willingly, but what we poſſeſs inaffectionately; and ſpeaking of Job, he ſaith, He parted with all with a willing mind, which he poſſeſſed without inordinate delight. You now ſee the beſt of this world to be but a Moth-eaten thred-bare Coat; reſolve now to lay it aſide, being old and full of holes, and look after that houſe above, not made with hands, eternal in the heavens: Set not your heart upon the world, ſince God hath not made it your portion, and your inheritance. What miſery of miſeries is it for the immortal ſoul of man to be enſlaved to the world, which is but an heap of fuel kept in ſtore, reſerved unto fire againſt the day of judgement, and perdition of ungodly men,2 Per. 3.7. eſpecially now p. 215in this age of the world when it is ready for the fire? but in that day, when the perdition of the ungodly ſhall be, then ſhall the world be deſtroyed, the world and all its fond lovers ſhall periſh together in one day: How ſhall this make for the glory of Gods Juſtice, who ſhall bring deſtruction upon them that love the world above himſelf, on that day wherein the world it ſelf ſhall be deſtroyed? Let us therefore endeavour daily to curb and reſtrain this exorbitancy of affection; as King Tarquinius walking in his garden, whipped off the tops and heads of the talleſt flowers with his ſtaff; ſo muſt we cut off theſe riſing affections, as ſoon as they begin to peep forth, and put up head in our hearts; this world which God will not have to be yours, O Chriſtians, is but the droſs and ſcum of Gods Creation, the portion of the Lords poor hired ſervants, the moveables, not the heritage of the Sons of Zion: It is but an Offal or hard bone, caſt to the dogs that are thruſt out from the new Jeruſalem, upon which they rather break their teeth, than ſatisfie their appetite: Keep your love and your hope in heaven; it is not good p. 216your Love and your Lord ſhould be in two ſundry Countryes, as one excellently ſpeaketh; he is ſemper idem, alwayes the ſame, yeſterday, to day, and for ever: Keep at a diſtance from the walls of this Peſt-houſe, even the pollutions of this defiling and fading world.

SECT. IV.

IVDo not muſe too much upon theſe tranſitory things; do not let your thoughts dwell too much upon them; do not mind the things that are beneath; do not think often, nor think ſeriouſly of them, ſo as to ſay, It is good for us to be here, let us here build Tabernacles; as they are tranſitory in their own nature, ſo they muſt be lookt upon in tranſitu: As a Traveller in a Journey, may ſee many fine Towns, and ſtately Edifices with his eye, but he mindeth his way, he will not ſtay his horſe to take a view of them: So he that hath heaven in his thoughts, and will ſeek after a City that is to come, muſt not ſuffer theſe fading things to ſtay him in his courſe heaven-ward: It is the vanity of our ſpirits that enclineth p. 217us to muſe upon theſe tranſitory things; and on the other ſide, the more we dwell upon them in our thoughts, the more light and vain our ſpirits are; the more you muſe upon them, the more you will be enſnared by them. What is a ſoul the poorer to want the luſts and periſhing vanities of this preſent evil world? Certainly we have no cauſe to weep at the want of ſuch toyes as theſe; we have nothing to do in this priſon except to take meat, drink and houſe-room in it for a time only: this world is not yours; let not your heaven be made of ſuch poor mettal as mire and clay. Oh where are thoſe heavenly-minded ſouls, that have nothing but their bodies of earth walking up & down upon the Superficies of it, whoſe ſouls, and the powers of them, are up in heaven? Oh mens ſouls have no wings, and therefore they keep their Neſt, and fly not to that upper Region. Could we be deaf and dead to this worlds charms, we might deride at the folly of thoſe who are wooing this world for their match, and ſcorn to Court ſuch a withered Princeſs, or buy this worlds kindneſs with a bow of our knees: Alas! it is little the world can p. 218take from us, and it is not much that it can give us; but the worſt of Chriſt is better than the worlds beſt things; his Chaff is better than the worlds Corn. Oh let your thoughts dwell much upon that bleſſedneſs that abideth you in the other world, and upon that continuing City that is to come.

SECT. V.

VLabour not much for theſe tranſitory things: Labour not for the meat that periſheth, Joh. 6.27. Our Saviour therein teacheth us, to look upon all things here below whatſoever, but as meat that goes into the belly, and is caſt out of the draught to the dunghill, and exhorts us to labour after that meat that ſhall endure to eternal life: Do not then toil and moil for ſuch uncertainties; all earthly things are very mutable, they are like a Land-flood which faileth in a time of drought, when we have moſt need of water: S. Peter tells us,1 Pet. 4.7.1 Pet 4:7 The end of all things is at hand. It is true in a two-fold ſenſe.

1. In a relative ſenſe, in relation to every particular, perſon, and his intereſt p. 219in them; in relation to thee and me, and every one of us; when our end cometh, then the end of all things is come unto us: when thy life endeth, then the world, and all the things of the world do end to thee; it is as much to thee as if all the world were at an end.

2. It is true in an abſolute ſenſe, 2 Pet. 3.10. The day of the Lord cometh as a thief in the night, in the which the heavens ſhall paſs away with a great noiſe, and the Elements ſhall melt with fervent heat, the earth alſo, and the works that are therein, ſhall be burnt up: So that all theſe viſible things are temporal, and ſhall have an end. Now theſe viſible things are of two ſorts; either firſt, The ſubſtances, or ſubjects: Or ſecondly, The accidents; though in a proper ſenſe, the accidents are viſible, and the ſubſtances cannot be diſcerned but by their accidents. You ſee not the ſubſtance of the world, but the colour, the form and figure of it, the foreign, and even this alſo is temporal, and the faſhion of it paſſeth away, 1 Cor. 7.31. All viſible things, though never ſo pleaſing to us, as health, wealth, honours, pleaſures, riches, beauty, ſtrength, all the outward p. 220and natural perfections that are in any creatures, are not abiding, they are temporal only, though never ſo pleaſant to us. On the other ſide, all miſeries, deformities, pains, ſickneſſes, ſhall all be aboliſhed; the ſubſtance (that is, the foundation) being taken away, the accidents that cleaves to them (whether ornaments or blemiſhes) muſt needs vaniſh with them. When a goodly Palace is on fire, the beauty of it, the painting, the engraving, the carved work, and alſo the decayes and ruines of it, will be aboliſhed with it: So the ſubſtance of theſe things being deſtroyed, all the materials (whether beautiful or uncomely) ſhall be deſtroyed together. As the iron naturally hath its ruſt to conſume it,Lipſ. lib. 1. de conſtant. ca. 15. and each tree its worm and rottenneſs, ſo all living creatures, all Cities, Kingdomes, have their internal cauſes of decay: Conſider things above or below, all Trades or Liberal Sciences, they all ever had, and ever ſhall have their periſhings; and as the rivers by a continual courſe do empty themſelves into the Ocean, ſo all worldly things do ſlide into the Channel of deſtruction, as to their mark they aim at: therefore p. 221labour not after theſe periſhing things.

SECT. VI.

Do not expect much from theſe unſtable VIthings; do not build your hopes upon them; ſuch hopes are but Cobweb hopes, as Bildad ſpeaks, Job 8.13, 14, 15. Such a man may lean upon his houſe, but both he and his houſe will fall together; he may hold it faſt, but his hope will deceive him: Every thing under the Cope of Heaven is but ill ground, and an ill foundation, every thing except God wanteth a bottom; and cannot ſtand alone of it ſelf, and therefore can give no ſupport to any one that ſhall reſt or lean upon it. Oh how many are there in the world whoſe hearts would die within them, were theſe temporal things taken from them? take away theſe temporal things from thoſe that have made them their confidence, and they have nothing elſe to reſt upon. All theſe viſible things have miſcarrying wombs and dry breaſts, that will deceive thoſe that look for much from them: the world ſtill makes many fair promiſes of much p. 222good to us, and of long continuance with us, but in performances proveth contrary; it promiſeth joy, but cometh accompanied with ſorrow, and when we have moſt need of its help, it will be fartheſt from us: Grapes never grew out of theſe thorns, nor figs out of theſe thiſtles: It is not good to truſt to lying vanities, which ever deceive thoſe that truſt unto them; and God often ſtrips us of theſe uncertain things, theſe fading helps, and weak-hearted runawayes, that we might place all our hope and truſt in him, who never leaveth nor forſaketh them that truſt in him.

CHAP. VII.

I Come now to handle the ſecond Propoſition, which is this.

Prop. 2. That Heaven is a continuing City. In the proſecution of this point, I will ſhew you firſt how it is a City, then how it is a continuing City: That it is a City, will appear by theſe demonſtrations.

1. In a City there be divers ſtreets, divers houſes in thoſe ſtreets, wherein p. 223ſome are bigger, ſome are leſſer; a City is large and ſpacious; ſo our Saviour ſaith, In my Fathers houſe (the City of the great King) are many Manſions, Joh. 14.2. It is a moſt magnificent City, no greatneſs in the world can be compared with the greatneſs of it; it is the Royal Palace of the great God, who inhabiteth Eternity, whom the Heaven and the Heaven of Heavens are not able to contain, there he vouchſafeth to dwell, and in a moſt glorious manner to communicate himſelf to his Angels, and his Saints.

2. Heaven is populous as a City: If you deſire to know the number of the Inhabitants of this City, S. John will tell you, Revel. 7.9. that he ſaw in Spirit ſuch a great company of bleſſed Saints (that no man was able to reckon them) gathered together of all kinds of Nations, people and tongues, which ſtood before the Throne of Almighty God, and of the Lamb, apparrelled in white garments, and with Triumphant Palms in their hands, ſinging praiſe unto Almighty God. Hereunto doth that of the Prophet Daniel agree, Dan. 7.10. Thouſand thouſands miniſtred unto him, and ten thouſand-times p. 224ten thouſand, stood before him.

3. It is full of glorious riches as a City: It is ſaid of Tyre, that the Merchants thereof were Princes; ſo all the Inhabitants of this City are Noble Perſonages, there is no one among them of baſe Lineage or extraction, foraſmuch as they be all the Sons and Daughters of the Lord God Almighty, and inſtated into a rich and glorious Inheritance.

4. It is a City compact, and at unity within it ſelf: We muſt not think that the greatneſs of the number of theſe Citizens cauſeth any diſorder among them; for there the multitude is no cauſe of confuſion, but of greater order; there muſt needs be good agreement, there being none but God and good company there; there is no matter of diſcontent or diſcord among the Citizens; for theſe commonly ariſe about partition and diviſion either of honors or offices; here is ambition: or elſe of goods or poſſeſſions; here is covetouſneſs: Now neither of theſe ſhall ever come there; for heavens happy exceſs ſhall not be diminiſhed, nor any whit impaired by reaſon of the multitude of ſharers in it; for as S. Auguſt. p. 225tells us, the glory of heaven ſhall be, Tanta ſingulis, quanta omnibus, ſuch to every one in particular, as it ſhall be to all in common; and although there ſhall be diſpar gloria ſingulorum, yet there ſhall be communis laetitia omnium; they all live ſo lovingly together, that they are all as it were one heart, and one ſoul. All the Citizens of heaven live ſo harmoniouſly and peaceably together, that the very City it ſelf is called Jeruſalem, the Viſion of Peace. Although all the Saints ſhall be like Chriſt in glory, yet one Saint will exceed another in glory. God will cloathe all his children alike, yet their garments ſhall be made proportionable to their ſtature; all the Saints ſhall be Veſſels of Mercy, yet one Saint ſhall be a larger and a more capacious Veſſel than another. Chriſt in his anſwer to that curious requeſt of Zebedees wife, Mat. 20.23. Granting that ſome ſhall ſit at his right hand, and others at his left in his Kingdome, implieth, that there ſhall be degrees of glory, to ſome more, to others leſs; they all ſhall have the ſame glory and happineſs, Ratione objecti faelicitat is & gloria non ratione participationis: In p. 226regard of the object of happineſs (God in Chriſt is the object of happineſs) they ſhall all enjoy God; but in regard of the participation of the object, one may and ſhall ſee him more clearly than another. In my Fathers houſe are many Manſions, ſaith our Saviour. Patris Domus, the Fathers Houſe is put for one and the ſame object of glory: Pluralitas Manſionum; there be many Manſions, that ſheweth there are divers degrees of glory, ſaith Aquinas. Aquinas.This is his compariſon; there is but one Center unto which all things tend, but ſome bodies are neerer than other bodies; ſo God in Chriſt is the Center of all our happineſs (Seneca calleth God,Seneca. Animae Centrum, the Center of the Soul.) But one Saint tendeth more neer to God than another; one ſhall partake more of glory than another,Carent omni invidia, & …arent omni rerum ad beatitudinem neceſſariarum indigentia. Danae …8. yet notwithſtanding they ſhall be all full of glory and happineſs, as Chriſt is; Chriſt will give to every Saint his meaſure of glory. Danaeus ſaith well; the Saints in heaven ſhall want envy; one Saint ſhall not envy another Saints greater meaſure of glory, becauſe they ſhall be all full of glory; and there ſhall be no want of whatſoever p. 227pertaineth to make a creature happy: Every Saint ſhall have and enjoy ſuch fulneſs of happineſs, that nec plus quaeret quam habebit, nec minus habere ſe dolebit, quam habet: He that hath the leaſt meaſure of glory ſhall ſeek for no more, nor grieve that he hath ſo little.

5. The end of building Cities was, that people might be free from the fear of their Enemies abroad, and live quietly among themſelves at home: Now this heavenly City is too high for any Adverſary to approach to, and therefore free from being aſſaulted with any Forreign Enemy: There is no Enemy can ſhoot an arrow into this City, nor ſcale the walls, nor incamp againſt it, nor make any battery in it, nor ſet it on fire, nor ſo much as draw a line about it; great is their peace, and nothing ſhall offend them.

6. It is a City in reſpect of its Government: A City is a Corporation of men enjoying the ſame priviledges, living under the ſame Government. Heaven is a City, ſaith St. Auguſt. whereof the holy Angels and Saints are the Citizens, the Eternal Father the Temple, the Son the Brightneſs, the p. 228Holy Ghoſt the Love: How can it be ill in that City where God himſelf is the Governour, his will and pleaſure the Law, and none but the good Angels and Saints the Inhabitants thereof? In this City God manifeſteth himſelf gloriouſly, and ruleth immediately, not by outward compulſion, but by taking full poſſeſſion of the ſoul and body of every Saint and Citizen; they eſteeming it to be their glory and happineſs to be ſubject to him fully, he ruling in love, and they obeying in love; he governing them as a Father, and they yeelding filial ſubjection to him.

CHAP. VIII.

NOw this City hath a high priviledge above all other Cities, it is a continuing City. The Apoſtle gives the reaſon why it is a continuing City, becauſe it is a City which hath foundations, whoſe builder and maker is God, Heb. 11.10.

1. It hath foundations in the Plural number; it hath many foundations, firm and immoveable, foundations that cannot be ſhaken.

p. 2291. It is built upon the foundation of Gods eternal good will and pleaſure to his people.

2. It is builded upon the foundation of Gods Election to eternal glory.

3. It is built upon the foundation of Chriſts Eternal Merits and Purchaſe.

4. It is built upon the foundation of Gods everlaſting Covenant of Grace.

5. It is built upon the foundation of Gods great and faithful promiſes: Oh what a continuing City is heaven, that is founded upon ſuch ſtrong immoveable rocks and mountains of love.

II. It is ſaid, Whoſe builder and maker is God.] All other Cities are builded by mortal, corruptible,Coeli conditor eſt Deus, quoad formam naturae, & Artifex ejus quoad formam gloria. Gorran in Heb. vid. Perrer. in Gene…in. & Polan. Syntagm. p. 274. dying men: but this City is made and builded by the eternal and immortal God, who will uphold it by the word of his power for ever and ever; it is the place where he will dwell, where he will govern for ever. The Pſalmiſt tells us, God by his excellent wiſdome made the heavens, Pſa. 136.5. There is no tongue able to expreſs the workmanſhip of that curious building: for if that work that appeareth outwardly to our mortal eyes be ſo goodly and glorious, p. 230what is there to be ſuppoſed of all the reſt, that is there reſerved for the ſight of immortal eyes? And if certain works of mortal men are made here ſo beautiful and ſightly, that they do even amaze the Spectators; what a work then muſt that be, that hath been wrought by the immediate hand of God himſelf, in that Magnificent Houſe, that Royal Palace, that City of joy and comfort, which he hath built for the glory of his choſen Ones? This City therefore ſhall continue for ever, and they that are once in poſſeſſion thereof, ſhall never be caſt out of thoſe Manſions, which God hath appointed them in this heavenly City.

CHAP. IX. Uſe 1.

Ʋſe 1 THeſe things being ſo, let us not think our ſelves Coſmopolitae, Citizens of the world, as the Heathen Phyloſophers did, but Our anopolitae, Burgeſſes of heaven, as all the faithful have done, and carry our ſelves as S. Paul profeſſeth of himſelf, and all his fellow-believers, ſaying, Our converſation is in heaven. foreign, our p. 231City-like Converſation.Nos ut municipes Coelorum gerimus. Beza in Phil. 3.20.Phil 3:20 Phil. 3.20. We carry our ſelves as the free Denizons and Inhabitants of Heaven; ſo Beza renders it. In a word; as Engliſh Merchants or Citizens of London, travelling in France, Spain, Italy, Venice, have their hearts and minds at home with their Wives and Children, where their friends and freedomes be; ſo ſhould we from theſe and the like examples, learn to have heavenly minds in our earthly Manſions, and to fix our hearts and hopes upon our heavenly City, even while we be finiſhing our earthly Pilgrimage: The hopes of this happineſs ſweetens our preſent diſcontents; and there is not any holy Pilgrim on earth, who takes not courage, when he thinketh that after his tedious Pilgrimage, he ſhall enjoy an endleſs felicity in that heavenly City. What was a ſtation in the Wilderneſs among Sands, and fiery Serpents, to a ſettled abode in Canaan? What is an Inne upon earth, to a mans own home in the City of the great King? How ſhould every one of us haſten to this City, travelling thither with all his might, and longing to be there? Labour with a ſpiritual eye to take an exact view of p. 232this heavenly City, and of the beautiful order that is therein; walk about this Celeſtial Sion daily in thy Contemplations, go round about her, tell the Towers thereof, walk thorow all the ſtreets and wayes therein, conſider well the beauty and glory of this City, the nobleneſs and worthineſs of the Inhabitants thereof; ſalute this ſweet and pleaſant Country, the Land of Immortality, the glory of all Lands, the Haven of Security, the Houſe of Eternity, the Garden of never-fading Flowers, the Store-houſe of all Treaſures, the Crown of the Bleſſed. Ah dear City! for thee have I ſighed, after thee have I thirſted for a long time, for thee have I often wept and mourned, in thee have I a treaſure more worth than the whole world, which all the world is not able to deprive me of. I have long fate weeping by the waters of Babylon, my Harp hangs upon the Willows, and is now ſilent; my mind now is all upon that heavenly City; Lord I am greatly deſirous to be with thee: Thy Court and Houſe, O Lord, is ſafe enough, and large enough, out of which all griefs and ſorrows, all pains and dolours are p. 233baniſhed, where there is no place for fears and terrours, for diſeaſes or death, but all is full of joy and pleaſure. Happy are they who have paſſed their hard and weariſome time of Apprenticeſhip, and are now Freemen and Citizens in that joyful high and continuing City, the new Jeruſalem!

CHAP. X. Uſe 2.

THe ſecond uſe that I ſhall make of Uſe 2 this point, is that of the Apoſtle in my Text; ſeeing Heaven is a continuing City, let us therefore ſeek this City that is to come. You ſee by experience, that we are not to abide for ever in this world; neither are men, nor any creature of long continuance; your health, your ſtrength, your life, your eſtate, your houſes, your Lands, your City, your Country, are of no duration; your pains, your aches, your weakneſſes, your ſickneſſes, your Funerals frequently before your eyes, do preach that we are not to continue here. Oh then make it your work, your care, your buſineſs, your one thing neceſſary to ſeek after the heavenly City: p. 234Will ye have everlaſting life? then ſeek after this City: will ye have happineſs that ſhall continue for ever? then ſeek heaven: will ye have pleaſures, riches, honours, manſions, that ſhall continue for ever, then ſeek this continuing City that is to come.

SECT. I.

Now ſeek after this heavenly City.

1. It ſuppoſeth a ſenſe and apprehenſion that we have loſt heaven: we were driven out of heaven, when we were driven out of Paradiſe; loſing Communion with God we loſt heaven: Sin hath made a wide Gulf between every ſon of Adam and heaven: now till men are under conviction of this loſs, they will never ſeek after heaven. When the woman in the Parable was convinced of the loſs of her groat, ſhe made earneſt and diligent ſearch after it. The Pſalmiſt tells us plainly, that men ſeek not God, becauſe they underſtand not, they do not underſtand they have loſt him, Pſal. 14.2. Many a poor creature never cometh to the knowledge of their loſs of heaven, till they have loſt both heaven and their ſouls p. 235for ever; and their firſt entrance into hell, is the firſt tidings of their loſs of heaven.

2. It implieth a trouble of mind for the loſs of heaven: it is the fear of hell that puts men upon the diligent ſeeking after heaven; if men were not troubled for the loſs of any thing, they would never ſeek after it: Let it go, ſay they, we care not for it: If a man be not troubled for the loſs of a friends favour, he will never ſeek to regain it: This is one reaſon why ſo few ſeek heaven, becauſe few are troubled at the loſs of it. Oh where is the man that ſigneth and crieth out, woe is me, I am undone, for I have loſt heaven, and am in danger of hell▪ I can lay no claim to heaven, but hell layes claim to me▪ Where is the man that is troubled in ſpirit, that he is without God, without Chriſt, without hope? therefore it is that this heavenly City is ſo little ſought after: it is only the troubled ſpirit that is an heaven-ſeeking ſoul.

3. It ſuppoſeth a knowledge of the worth and neceſſity of the thing we ſeek for: No man will ſeek for a thing of no value; let it go, will men ſay, ſuch a thing is not worth a ſeeking after, p. 236we can do well enough without it; but when men are once convinced of the worth and neceſſity of a thing, which they cannot be without, they will earneſtly ſeek after it: Now if there be any thing worth ſeeking for, it is this heavenly City: Who can be without heaven? Is there any thing more precious than God? Is there any poſſibility for our ſouls to be happy without enjoying God? Is not eternal life of unſpeakable worth? What more precious in this world than life? Is not life eternal in heaven moſt precious? O who can ſuffer the pains of eternal death? That man will never be perſwaded to ſeek heaven, who never thinks it worth the having and enjoying.

4. It implies vehement deſires of heaven: what a man deſireth not, that he ſeeks not: earneſt longings will put us upon ſeeking for every thing: in other things deſires are not ſeekings; but in ſpiritual things, earneſt deſires of God and heaven, are ſeekings of God and heaven: For, what are heavenly deſires, but the reachings of the ſoul after heaven, purſuings after God? O God, thou art my God, early will I ſeek thee: my ſoul thirſteth for thee; p. 237my fleſh longeth for thee; my ſoul followeth hard after thee, Pſa. 63.1.8.

SECT. II.

In the ſecond place I will ſhew you, wherein this ſeeking doth conſiſt.

1. It conſiſteth in an earneſt enquiry after the way to heaven. Iſai. 55.6.Qui quarit, vult ſcire, aut obtinere. Lamb. in Plaut. Seek ye the Lord while he may be found; the word in the original ſignifies, quaerere interrogatione & verbis, to ſeek by words and interrogation; as a wandring traveller will be enquiring of all he meeteth the way to ſuch a City: So they who ſeek after this City that is to come, they will be very enquiſitive about the way to heaven, very deſirous to be directed in the right way. How did divers perſons come to Chriſt, Good Maſter, what ſhall I do to inherit eternal life? What ſhall I do to be ſaved? O that my feet were directed into the wayes of thy teſtimonies, ſaith David: The greateſt fear of holy men, is, leſt they ſhould be out of the way; therefore none more ſcrupulous and leſs confident than they; none fuller of holy doubts than they, and more frequently putting forth holy queſtions. Uſually men are very confident p. 238that they are in the right way to heaven, therefore they never ſeek out after it: It vexeth them very much, when they are put to the queſtion; are ye ſure that ye are in the right way to heaven? I know not any thing in all the world, wherein the generality of men are more contentedly cheated, than about their ſtate of Grace, and their title to Heaven, few there be who have a care to buy gold tryed in the fire.

2. It conſiſteth in a diligent and induſtrious application of our ſelves to the uſe of all appointed means leading and directing us to this heavenly City: He that diligently prayeth, diligently ſeeketh heaven: he that diligently heareth the Word, diligently ſeeketh heaven▪ Hence in the New Teſtament the Goſpel is often called the Kingdome of Heaven, and ſeeking God is frequently put for the worſhipping of God: Gods Ordinances are a Jacobs Ladder, the top whereof reacheth to heaven, though the foot thereof be on earth; for by it we ſcale heaven: The Miniſtery of the word are a light and a Lanthorn to our ſteps, to guide our feet in the way to heaven: God hath ſet up the Miniſtery as way-marks to direct Travellers p. 239in the right way; thoſe that neglect Gods faithful Miniſters, do neglect the ſeeking heaven. Take this rule or caution; when you come to Gods Ordinances, make heaven and ſalvation, and ſeeking God the end of your coming to them, Pſa. 42.1, 2. My ſoul thirſteth for God, for the living God, when ſhall I come before God. i. e. To enjoy God in his Ordinances; ſeek not ſo much the enjoyment of Ordinances, as of God in them.

3. It implies an application of our ſelves to an holy and heavenly converſation: An holy life is the ſtrait way which leadeth to heaven; heaven is the reward of an holy and heavenly Converſation; it is not every foul dog with his ſoul feet that ſhall tread upon the pure pavement of the New Jeruſalem: He that doth not ſeek holineſs, doth not ſeek heaven; heaven is to be ſought for in an heavenly manner; heaven is a City hard to be won, the righteous wil ſcarcely be ſaved; hell is prepared for unholy perſons, forus canes, without ate dogs.

4. It conſiſteth in a conſtant uſe of all means, all holy duties, without fainting or deſiſting, until you have found a title, and obtained a claim to heaven. p. 240The woman in the Parable did not deſiſt from ſeeking, till ſhe had found her groat; and the Spouſe in the Canticles never gave over ſeeking Chriſt, till ſhe had found him whom her ſoul loved: He that is ſlothful in ſeeking, may never find heaven.

5. It conſiſteth in an early and timely ſeeking; begin to day while it is called to day: The greateſt part of the world do but play with Religion, they think it an eaſie thing to be a Chriſtian, and that to ſeek God and heaven is at the next door, and that they will be found at any time: No, no; the fooliſh Virgins loſt heaven by ſeeking it too late: Many do eternally loſe heaven by delay of ſeeking. I make no doubt, but all do deſire heaven, nor do I make any queſtion but all or moſt of us do purpoſe to ſet ſome time apart to ſeek heaven: Why then not preſently? who knoweth what a day may bring forth? who knows how ſoon death may arreſt him? heaven is not eaſily found, it is not gotten with a few words or faint wiſhes.

p. 241SECT. III.

Conſider, I beſeech you,Mot. 1. your continuance here is but ſhort: By what elegant compariſons doth the Scripture ſet forth the ſhortneſs of mans life: it is but a vapour, ſaith S. James; it is but a dream, it is but the ſhadow of a dream, ſaid an Heathen: It is as graſs, or as a flower; it is as a tale, as a thought, as a bubble, it is but a Race, but as a Weavers Shuttle▪ but for a little moment, all which things are of a very ſhort continuance. Have we not need then to day, while it is called to day, without delay to ſeek heaven, and life which continueth for evermore? But the miſery of man is great upon him, becauſe we flatter our ſelves with a kind of immortality: none ſo ſick and weakly, but hopeth for a recovery, none ſo aged, but thinketh he ſhall live a while longer.

2. How long you ſhall continue here is uncertain; who knoweth when and how ſoon he ſhall depart hence? It may be to morrow, it may be this night, or this hour, who can tell? We do not … …ither the day nor the hour when p. 242death will come, therefore ſeek heaven. We have need to make haſte; the time preſent is yours only, the time to come is uncertain, the time paſt is irrecoverably gone: who can tell what to morrow will bring forth? Peradventure death and damnation.— The preſent time is thine only, this hour, this Sermon, this opportunity, this call from heaven, this very exhortation to ſeek heaven preſently.

3. Or ſuppoſe our continuance upon earth to be long, even as long as Methuſaleh continued; ſuppoſe thou hadſt the Reign of Time in thy hands, and couldſt ſlack the pace of Time at thy pleaſure, yet there were no continuance for thee alwayes here, but die you muſt, and die you ſhall: But certainly you have not Time at your command; you cannot command the Sun of Time to ſtand ſtill one moment, nor to go back fifteen degrees; time is irrecoverable if it be loſt: Loſt money may be recovered, but occaſions neglected are irrecoverable, and will never return again.

4. Conſider that properly we have no continuance here, becauſe our lives do not ſtand at a ſtay, but like … p. 243we are continually going to our graves, as faſt as the wings of Time can carry us: No motion more ſwift than that of the Sun; our lives do run away as ſwift as the Sun it ſelf. The Sun (that is the meaſurer of time) once ſtood ſtill in Joſhua's daies, and returned ten degrees in Hezekiah's ſickneſs, yet time it ſelf ever paſt forward, and did never ſtand with the Suns ſtanding, nor return with his returning.

5. Conſider what is the reward of our neglect of ſeeking heaven; even an eternal abode in hell? For as heaven is a continuing City, ſo hell is a continuing Fiery Dungeon; theſe flames are of eternal continuance; theſe Chains of darkneſs are everlaſting Chains; there is the Worm that never dies, the Fire that never goes out; there is everlaſting deſtruction. Iſai. 30.33. Tophet is ordained of old.] Hell is as old as ſin; God made hell, as ſoon as the creature became ſinful: He hath made it deep and large] here is the vaſtneſs of this priſon: it is large enough to hold all wicked men and Angels: it is deep, there is the impoſſibility of eſcaping, of getting out of it; it is ſo deep, that it hath no bottom, p. 244therefore it is called the Bottomleſs Pit: the Pile thereof is fire and much wood; there is the ſuper-abundance of puniſhment, and the extremity of torment; and the breath of the Lord, like a river of brimſtone doth kindle it. Here is the Eternity of torment, while God breathes, the fire of hell ſhall burn. Now if you will eſcape hell, ſeek heaven while you may find it: we are all haſtening to a continuing City, or to a continuing priſon, to an everlaſting heaven, or an everlaſting hell: this glorious City, and that burning Priſon, will ſhortly divide the whole world of men and women between them: beware of too earneſt ſeeking riches, they have wings, and will flee away from you; ſeek not houſes and Lands, for they will not abide for ever; let not your inward thought be,Pſa. 49.11▪Ps 49:11 that your houſes ſhall continue for ever, and your dwelling places to all Generations: Go to Chriſt, walk in heavens way, get an entrance into that everlaſting Kingdome, for that and that only is the continuing City.

Now my Brethren, up and be doing; ſeek ye firſt the Kingdome of God, ſeek heaven firſt of all; it is p. 245worth finding, worth enjoying, it will make amends for all your toil and labour; heavenly ſeeking is a comfortable kind of life, there is no comfort like that which is to be found in ſeeking heaven: What comfort will it yeeld to a Chriſtian in the hour of death, who can ſay, I have ſought, and I have found heaven? and what horrour will it be to a dying ſinner that hath neglected to ſeek after heaven, when he ſhall cry out, O I have loſt heaven, becauſe I neglected to ſeek after it, I might have found it, had I ſought it: Oh what a fool was I, ſo willingly to deprive my ſelf of this endleſs glory for a few ſtinking luſts, and periſhing vanities! Oh what a mad man was I to bereave my ſelf of a room in this City of Pearl, for a few carnal and momentany delights! Oh what Bedlams are they, and Beaſts in humane ſhape, who for a little tranſitory traſh, do ſhut themſelves out of theſe everlaſting habitations! What intollerable Sots and ſenſleſs wretches are all ſuch who wilfully bar themſelves out of this Palace of everlaſting pleaſure, for the ſhort fruition of worldly trifles? Therefore as the Rabbin ſaid to his Scholars, ſo p. 246ſay I to you; Tempus breve, opus multum, operarii pigri, pater familias urget. We have a great work in hand, viz. our ſalvation, we have a ſhort time to do that great work in, viz. this preſent life; we are ſlow workers in the work, and God earneſtly calls upon us to give all diligence to work out our ſalvation: All that is here is condemned to die, and to paſs away like a Snow-ball before a Summer-Sun; labour to wean your hearts from the breaſts of this fading world, and do not make it your Patrimony, carry your ſelves like the Heirs of heaven, let the moveables go, and faſten your hold upon that immortal, incorruptible heritage that fadeth not away: Conſider well that our great Maſter, Eternity, and Judgement, and the laſt reckoning will be upon us after a few moments, and there will ſhortly be a Proclamation by one ſtanding in the Clouds, that time ſhall be no more; this worlds ſpan-length of time is now drawn to leſs than half an inch, and even to the point of the evening of the day of this old and grey-haired world, then a ſight of him that is inviſible will obſcure and darken all the glory of this p. 247world: Oh mend your pace, and go on more ſwiftly towards your heavenly City; you have need to make haſte, becauſe the inch of your life that remaineth will quickly ſlip away.

FINIS.