Last Sermon, Sermon 2
OF A HEAVENLY CONVERSATION.
PHIL. iii. 20.
For our Conversation is in Heaven.
FOR the understanding of which words we need to look back no further than the 18th verse of this Chapter, where the Apostle with great vehemency and passion speaks of some among the Philippians, who indeed profess'd Christianity but yet would do any thing to decline suffering for that profession; there are many that walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies to the Cross of Christ; they cannot endure to suffer with him and for him, they are so sensual and wedded to this world that they will do any thing to avoid persecution; so he describes them in the next verse, whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things. Now in opposition to these sensual and earthly-minded men the Apostle gives us the character of the true Christians, they are such as mind Heaven and another world, and prefer the hopes of that to all the interests of this life, our conversation is in Heaven.
For the right understanding of which phrase be pleased to observe, that it is an allusion to a City or Corporation, and to the privileges and manners of those who are free of it. And Heaven is several times in Scripture represented to us under this notion of a City, It is said of Abraham that he looked for a City which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God, Heb. 11. 10. It is called likewise the City of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, Heb. 12. 22. And the same Apostle speaking of the uncertain condition of Christians in this world says of them, that here they have no continuing City, but look for one that is to come, Heb. 14. 14.
Now to this City the Apostle alludes here in the Text, when he says our conversation is in Heaven. For the word foreign, which is rendred conversation, may either signifie the privilege of Citizens, or their conversation and manners, or may take in both these.
In the first sense of the priviledge of Citizens, we find foreign a word of near affinity with this sometimes us'd; with a great sum (says the Captain to Paul) obtained I foreign, this freedom, Acts 22. 28. According to this sense, foreign may very well be rendred, as Tertullian often does this Text, municipatus noster, our Citizenship is in Heaven; an allusion perhaps (as the learned Dr. Hammond observes) to those who though they were not born at Rome, and it may be lived at a great distance from it, had yet jus civitatis Romanae, the privilege of Roman Citizens. In like manner the Apostle here describes the condition of Christians. 'Tis true we are born here in this world and live in it, but we belong to another Corporation; we are denizens of another Country and free of that City which is above.
In the other sense of the conversation of Citizens we find the verb foreign used towards the beginning of this Epistle, Let your conversation be as it becometh the Gospel of Christ. And why may not the word foreign in the Text, Phil. 1. 27. without any inconvenience include both these? as if the Apostle had said, there are some that mind earthly things, and are so addicted to them that rather than part with them they will forsake their Religion; but as for us, we consider that we are Citizens of Heaven, and accordingly we converse and demean our selves in this world as those that are free of another City and do belong to it.
So that to have our conversation in heaven does imply these two things.
First, The serious thoughts and considerations of Heaven.
Secondly, The effect which those thoughts ought to have upon our lives.
These two things take up the meaning of my Text, and shall be the subject of the following discourse.
I. The serious thoughts and considerations of Heaven, that is, of the happy and glorious state of good men in another life. And concerning this, there are two things principally which offer themselves to our consideration First, The happiness of this state. Secondly, The way and means whereby we may come to partake of this happiness.
First, We will consider the happiness of this state. But what, and how great this happiness is, I am not able to represent to you. These things are yet in a great measure within the veil, and it does not now fully appear what we shall be. The Scriptures have reveal'd so much in general concerning the reality and unspeakable felicities of this state as may satisfie us for the present, and serve to inflame our desires after it, and to quicken our endeavours for the obtaining of it; as namely, that it is incomparably beyond any happiness of this world; that it is very great; and that it is eternal; in a word, that it is far above any thing that we can now conceive or imagine.
1. It is incomparably beyond any happiness in this world. It is free from all those sharp and bitter ingredients which do abate and allay the felicities of this life. All the enjoyments of this world are mix'd, and uncertain, and unsatisfying; nay so far are they from giving us satisfaction, that the very sweetest of them are satiating and cloying.
None of the comforts of this life are pure and unmixt. There is something of vanity mingled with all our earthly enjoyments and that causeth vexation of spirit. There is no sensual pleasure but is either purchas'd by some pain, or attended with it, or ends in it. A great estate is neither to be got without care, nor kept without fear, nor lost without trouble. Dignity and greatness is troublesome almost to all mankind, it is commonly uneasie to them that have it and it is usually hated and envy'd by those that have it not▪ Knowledge, that is one of the best and sweetest pleasures of humane life; and yet if we may believe the experience of one, who had as great a share of it as any of the Sons of men ever had, he will tell us, that this also is vexation of spirit; for in much wisdom there is much grief, and he that encreaseth knowledge, encreaseth sorrow, Eccl. 1. 17, 18.
Thus it is with all the things of this world; the best of them have a mixture of good and evil, of joy and sorrow in them: but the happiness of the next life is free from allay and mixture. In the description of the new Jerusalem it is said, that there shall be no more curse, and there shall be no night there, Rev. 22, 3, 5. nothing to imbitter our blessings, or obscure our glory. Heaven is the proper region of happiness, there onelyonly are pure joys and an unmingled felicity.
But the enjoyments of this world as they are mix'd, so they are uncertain. So wavering and inconstant are they that we can have no security of them, when we think our selves to have the fastest hold of them they slip out of our hands we know not how. For this reason Solomon very elegantly calls them things that are not, Why wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make to themselves wings and flie like an Eagle towards heaven. So fugitive are they, that after all our endeavours to secure them they may break loose from us and in an instant vanish out of our sight, riches make to themselves wings, and flie like an Eagle, intimating to us that riches are often accessary to their own ruin. Many times the greatness of a mans estate, and nothing else, hath been the cause of the loss of it, and of taking away the life of the owner thereof. The fairness of some mens fortune hath been a temptation to those who have been more powerful to ravish it from them, thus riches make to themselves wings. So that he that enjoys the greatest happiness of this world does still want one happiness more, to secure to him for the future what he possesses for the present. But the happiness of Heaven is a steady and constant light, fixt and unchangeable as the fountain from whence it springs, the father of lights, with whom is no variableness nor shadow of turning.
And if the enjoyments of this life were certain, yet they are unsatisfying. This is the vanity of vanities, that every thing in this world can trouble us but nothing can give us satisfaction. I know not how it is, but either we, or the things of this world, or both, are so phantastical, that we can neither be well with these things, nor well without them. If we be hungry, we are in pain; and if we eat to the full, we are uneasie. If we be poor we think our selves miserable, and when we come to be rich we commonly really are so. If we are in a low condition we fret and murmur, and if we chance to get up and to be rais'd to greatness we are many times farther from contentment than we were before So that we pursue the happiness of this world just as little children chase birds, when we think we are come very near it and have it almost in our hands it flies farther from us than it was at first.
Nay, so far are the enjoyments of this world from affording us satisfaction, that the sweetest of them are most apt to satiate and cloy us. All the pleasures of this world are so contriv'd as to yield us very little happiness. If they go off quickly they signifie nothing, and if they stay long we are sick of them: After a full draught of any sensual pleasure we presently loath it, and hate it as much after the enjoyment as we courted it and long'd for it in the expectation. But the delights of the other world, as they will give us full satisfaction so we shall never be weary of them. Every repetition of them will be accompanied with a new pleasure and contentment. In the felicities of Heaven these two things shall be reconcil'd, which never met together in any sensual delight, long and full enjoyment and yet a fresh and perpetual pleasure. As in Gods presence there is fulness of joy, so at his right hand there shall be pleasures for evermore.
2. The happiness of the other life is not onelyonly incomparably beyond any happiness of this world (that, it may be, is no great commendation of it) but it is very great in it self. The happiness of Heaven is usually in Scripture describ'd to us by such pleasures as are manly and excellent, chast and intellectual, infinitely more pure and refin'd than those of sense; and if the Scripture at any time descend to the metaphors of a feast, and a banquet, and a marriage, it is plainly by way of accommodation to our weakness and condescention to our capacities.
But the chief ingredients of this happiness, so far as the Scripture hath thought fit to reveal it to us, are the perfection of our knowledge, and the height of our love, and the perpetual society and friendship of all the blessed inhabitants of those glorious mansions; and the joyful concurrence of all these in chearful expressions of gratitude, in the incessant praises and admiration of the fountain and author of all this happiness. And what can be more delightful than to have our understandings entertain'd with a clear sight of the best and most perfect Being, with the knowledge of all his works and of the wise designs of his providence here in the world? than to live in the reviving presence of God, and to be continually attending upon him whose favour is life, and whose glory is much more above that of any of the Princes of this world than the greatest of them is above the poorest worm? The Queen of Sheba thought Solomons Servants happy in having the opportunity by standing continually before him to hear his wisdom; but in the other world it shall be a happiness to Solomon himself, and to the wisest and greatest persons that ever were in this world, to stand before this great King to admire his wisdom and to behold his glory. Not that I imagine the happiness of Heaven to consist in a perpetual gazing upon God, and in an idle contemplation of the glories of that place. For as by that blessed sight we shall be infinitely transported, so the Scripture tells us we shall be also transform'd into the image of the divine perfections; we shall see God and we shall be like him, and what greater happiness can there be than to be like the happiest and most perfect Being in the world? Besides, who can tell what employment God may have for us in the next life? We need not doubt but that he who is happiness it self, and hath promis'd to make us happy, can easily find out such employments and delights for us in the other world as will be proper and suitable to that state.
But then besides the improvement of our knowledge there shall be the most delightful exercise of love. When we come to heaven we shall enter into the society of the blessed Angels and of the spirits of just men made perfect, that is, freed from all those passions and infirmities which do now render the conversation, even of the best men, sometimes troublesome to one another. We shall then meet with all those excellent Persons, those brave Minds, those innocent and charitable Souls whom we have seen, and heard, and read of in this world. There we shall meet with many of our dear relations and intimate friends, and perhaps with many of our enemies, to whom we shall then be perfectly reconcil'd notwithstanding all the warm contests and peevish differences which we had with them in this world, even about matters of Religion. For Heaven is a state of perfect love and friendship, there will be nothing but kindness and good nature there, and all the prudent Arts of endearment and wise ways of rendring conversation mutually pleasant to one another. And what greater happiness can be imagin'd than to converse freely with so many excellent persons, without any thing of folly or disguise, of jealousie or design upon one another? For then there will be none of those vices and passions, of covetousness and ambition, of envy and hatred, of wrath and peevishness, which do now so much spoil the pleasure and disturb the quiet of mankind. All quarrels and contentions, schisms and divisions will then be effectually hinder'd not by force but by love, not by compulsion but by that charity which never fails; and all those controversies in Religion which are now so hotly agitated will then be finally determin'd, not as we endeavour to end them now by Canons and Decrees, but by a perfect knowledge and convincing light.
And when this blessed society is met together and thus united by love, they shall all joyn in gratitude to their great Patrons and Benefactors, to him that sits upon the Throne and to the lamb that was slain, to God even our Father, and to our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath lov'd us and wash'd us from our sins in his own blood. And they shall sing everlasting songs of praise to God for all his works of wonder, for the effects of that infinite goodness, and admirable wisdom, and almighty power, which are clearly seen in the creation and government of the world and of all the Creatures in it; particularly for his favours to mankind, for the benefit of their beings, for the comfort of their lives, and for all his mercifull providences towards them in this world: But above all for the redemption of their souls by the death of his Son for the free forgiveness of their sins, for the gracious assistance of his holy Spirit, and for conducting them safely through all the snares and dangers, the troubles and temptations of this world to the secure possession of that glory and happiness which then they shall be partakers of, and are bound to praise God for to all eternity. This, this shall be the employment of the blessed spirits above, and these are the chief ingredients of our happiness which the Spripture mentions. And if there were no other as there may be ten thousand more for any thing I can tell, yet generous and vertuous minds will easily understand how great a pleasure there is in the improvement of our knowledge, and the exercise of love, and in a gratefull and perpetual acknowledgement of the greatest benefits that creatures are capable of receiving.
3. This happiness shall be eternal. And though this be but a circumstance and do not enter into the nature of our happiness, yet it is so material a one that all the felicities which heaven affords would be imperfect without it. It would strangely damp and allay all our joys to think that they should sometime have an end. And the greater our happiness were, the greater trouble it would be to us to consider that it must have a period. It would make a man sorrowfull indeed to think of leaving such vast possessions. Indeed if the happiness of heaven were such as the joys of this world are, it were fit they should be as short; for after a little enjoyment it would cloy us, and we should soon grow weary of it: But being so excellent, it would scarce be a happiness if it were not eternal. It would imbitter the pleasures of heaven, as great as they are, to see to an end of them, though it were at never so great a distance; to consider that all this vast treasure of happiness would one day be exhausted, and that after so many years were past we should be as poor and miserable again as we were once in this world. God hath so order'd things, that the vain and empty delights of this world should be temporary and transient, but that the great and substantial pleasures of the other world should be as lasting as they are excellent. For Heaven as it is an exceeding, so it is an eternal weight of glory. And this is that which crowns the joys of heaven and banishes all fear and trouble from the minds of the blessed. And thus to be secur'd in the possession of our happiness is an unspeakable addition to it. For that which is eternal as it shall never determine, so it can never be diminish'd; for to be diminish'd and to decay is to draw nearer to an end, but that which shall never have an end can never come nearer to it.
O vast eternity! how dost thou swallow up our thoughts and entertain us at once with delight and amazement? This is the very top and highest pitch of our happiness, upon which we may stand secure and look down with scorn upon all things here below; and how small and inconsiderable do they appear to us, compar'd with the vast and endless enjoyments of our future state? But oh vain and foolish souls! that are so little concern'd for eternity; that for the trifles of time, and the pleasures of sin which are but for a season, can find in our hearts to forfeit an everlasting felicity. Blessed God! why hast thou prepar'd such a happiness for those who neither consider it, nor seek after it? Why is such a price put into the hands of fools, who have no heart to make use of it; who fondly chuse to gratifie their lusts rather than to save their souls, and sortishly prefer the temporary enjoyments of sin before a blessed immortality?
4. And lastly, This happiness is far above any thing that we can now conceive or imagine. It is so great that is cannot now enter into the heart of man. We cannot from the experience of any of those pleasures and delights which we have been acquainted withall in this world frame an equal Idea and conception of it. So that when we come to Heaven we shall be ready to say of it as the Queen of Sheba did of Solomon's wisedom and prosperity, that half of it hath not been told us; that the felicities and glories of that state do far exceed all the fame which we heard of them in this world▪ For who can say how great a good God is? and how happy he who is the fountain of happiness can make those souls that love him, and those whom he loves?
In this imperfect state we are not capable of a full representation of those glories. We cannot now see God and live. A full description of Heaven and of the pleasures of that state would let in joys upon us too big for our narrow capacities, and too strong for weak mortality to bear. We are now but Children, and we speak as Children, and understand and think as Children concerning these things; but in the other state we shall grow up to be men, and then we shall put away these childish thoughts; now we know but in part, but when that which is perfect is come, that which is imperfect shall be done away; now we see through a glass darkly (foreign, in a riddle) but then we shall see face to face; now we know in part, but then we shall know even as also we are known, as the Apostle discourseth excellently concerning this very matter, 1 Cor. 13. 9, 10, 11.
No sooner shall we enter upon the joys of the other world, but our minds shall be rais'd to a strength and activity as much above that of the most knowing persons in the world as the thoughts of the greatest Philosopher and wisest man upon earth are above the thoughts of a child or a fool. No man's mind is now so well fram'd to understand any thing in this world, as our understandings shall then be fitted for the knowledge of God and of the things that belong to that state. In the mean time let us bless God that he hath reveal'd so much of this happiness to us as is necessary to excite and encourage us to seek after it.
The Second thing to be consider'd concerning our future happiness, is the way and means whereby we may come to be made partakers of it. And that in short is by the constant and sincere endeavours of a holy life, in and through the mercies of God in our Lord Jesus Christ. Christ indeed is the author of our salvation, but obedience is the condition of it; so the Apostle tells us, that Christ is the author of eternal salvation to them that obey him, Heb. 5. 1. It is the grace of God in the Gospel which brings or offers this salvation to us, but then it is by the denying of ungodliness and worldly lusts, and by living soberly, and righteously, and godly in this present world that we are to wait for the blessed hope, Tit. 2. 11, 12. Our Saviour promises this happiness to the pure in heart, Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God; and elsewhere the Scripture doth exclude all others from any share or portion in this blessedness▪ so the Apostle assures us that without holiness no man shall see the Lord, Heb. 18. 14.
And holiness is not onelyonly a condition but a necessary qualification for the happiness of the next life. This is the force of St. John's reasoning, we shall be like him, for we shall see him. To see God is to be happy, but unless we be like him we cannot see him. The sight and presence of God himself would be no happiness to that man who is not like to God in the temper and disposition of his mind. And from hence the Apostle infers in the next verse, every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure. So that if we live wicked lives, if we allow our selves in the practice of any known sin, we interrupt our hopes of Heaven and render our selves unfit for eternal life. By this means we defeat all the designs of God's grace and mercy towards us, and salvation it self cannot save us if we make our selves incapable of that happiness which God offers. Heaven is in Scripture call'd an inheritance among them that are sanctified, and the inheritance of the Saints in light; so that it is not enough that this inheritance is promis'd to us, but we must be qualifi'd and prepar'd for it, and be made meet to be made partakers of it.
And this life is the time of our preparation for our future state. Ours souls will continue for ever what we make them in this world. Such a temper and disposition of mind as a man carries with him out of this life he shall retain in the next. 'Tis true indeed, heaven perfects those holy and vertuous dispositions which are begun here; but the other world alters no man as to his main state, he that is filthy will be filthy still, and he that is unrighteous will be unrighteous still. If we do not in a good degree mortifie our lusts and passions here death will not kill them for us, but we shall carry them with us into the other world. And if God should admit us so qualifi'd into the place of happiness, yet we shall bring that along with us which would infallibly hinder us from being happy. Our sensual inclinations and desires would meet with nothing there that would be suitable to them, and we should be perpetually tormented with those appetites which we brought with us out of this world, because we should find nothing there to gratifie them withall. For as the Apostle says in another sense, The kingdom of God is not meats and drinks, but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. The happiness of heaven consists in such things as a wicked man hath no gust and relish for. So that if a covetous, or ambitious, or voluptuous man were in Heaven, he would be just like the rich man in Hell, tormented with a continual thirst, and burnt up in the flames of his own ardent desires, and would not be able, amidst all the plenty and treasures of that place, to find so much as one drop of suitable pleasure and delight to quench and allay that heat. So likewise our fierce and unruly passions; if we should carry them with us into the other world, how inconsistent would they be with happiness? They would not onelyonly make us miserable our selves, but be a trouble to all those with whom we should converse. If a man of an envious and malicious, of a peevish and passionate temper, were admitted into the mansions of the blessed, he would not onelyonly be unhappy himself, but would disturb the quiet of others, and raise storms even in those calm regions. Vain man! that dreamest of being happy without any disposition or preparation for it. To be happy, is to enjoy what we desire and to live with those whom we love. But there is nothing in heaven suitable to the desires and appetites of a wicked man. All the joys of that place, and the delights of that state are purely spiritual, and are onelyonly to be relish'd by those who have purified themselves as God is pure. But if thou be carnal and sensual, what are these things to thee? What happiness would it be to thee to see God, and to have him always in thy view who was never in all thy thoughts; to be tied to live for ever in his company who is of a quite contrary temper and disposition to thy self, whose presence thou dreadest, and whom whilst thou wast in this world thou couldst never endure to think upon? So that the pleasures of Heaven it self could signifie no good or happiness to that man who is not so dispos'd as to take pleasure in them. Heaven is too pure an air for corrupt souls to live and breath in, and the whole employment and conversation of that place, as it would be unsuitable, so would it also be unacceptable to a sensual and vicious person.
From all this it appears how necessary it is for us to prepare our selves for this blessed state, by the constant and sincere endeavours of a holy life, and by mortifying every lust and inordinate passion in our souls. For till this be done we are not meet to be made partakers of the felicities of the other world. And thus I have done with the first thing imply'd in this phrase of having our conversation in heaven, viz. the serious thoughts and considerations of heaven; or the happiness of that state, and of the way and means whereby that happiness is to be attained.
II. The having our conversation in heaven does imply likewise the effect which those considerations ought to have upon our hearts and lives: As,
1. To convince us of the vanity of this world. God hath on purpose made this world troublesome and uneasie to us, that there might be no sufficient temptation to reasonable and considerate men to take them off from the care and thought of their future happiness; that God and heaven might have no rival here below; that there might be nothing in this world that might pretend to our affection or court us with any advantage in comparison of everlasting life and glory.
When we come to die and eternity shall present it self to our serious and waking thoughts, then things will put on another face, and those things which we valued so much in this life will then appear to be nothing worth; but those things which we neglected, to be of infinite concernment to us, and worthy to have been the care and endeavour of our whole lives. And if we would consider these things in time, while the opportunities of life and health are before us, we might be convinc'd at a cheaper rate, and come to be satisfi'd of the vanity of this world before we despair'd of the happiness of the other.
2. To make us very active and industrious to be as good, and to do as much good as we can in this life, that so we may be qualifi'd and dispos'd for the happiness of the next. Men are usually very industrious for the things of this life, to be rich and great in the world; did we but value heaven half as much as it deserves we should take infinitely more pains for that. So often as we consider the glories that are above, how does it accuse our sloth and condemn our folly that we are less concerned for our souls than most men are for their bodies, that we will not labour half so much for an eternal inheritance as men ordinarily do for these corruptible things?
Let us remember that we are hasting apace to another world, and that our eternal happiness now lies at the stake. And how should it quicken our endeavours to have such a reward set before us, to have Crowns and Scepters in our eyes? would we but often represent to our minds the glorious things of another world, what fervours should we feel in our hearts? we should be all life, and spirit, and wing; and should do Gods will, almost with the same readiness and delight, as the Angels do who continually behold the face of their Father. The consideration of heaven and the firm perswasion of our future happiness should actuate all the powers of our souls, and be continually inspiring us with new vigour in the ways of holiness and vertue. How should this thought swell our resolutions and confirm our purposes of obedience, that if we have our fruit unto holiness our end will be everlasting life.
3. To mitigate and lighten the evils and afflictions of this life. It is no great matter how rough the way be provided we be sure that it leads to happiness. The incomparably greater good of the next life will to a wise and considerate man weigh down all the evils of this. And the Scripture tells us that there is no comparison between them. The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us, Rom. 8. 18. The evils of this life afflict men more or less according as the soul is fortified with considerations proper to support us under them. When we consider that we have but a little while to be here, that we are upon our journey travelling towards our heavenly Countrey where we shall meet with all the delights we can desire, it ought not to trouble us much to endure storms and foul ways, and to want many of those accommodations we might expect at home. This is the common fate of Travellers, and we must take things as we find them and not look to have every thing just to our mind. These difficulties and inconveniences will shortly be over, and after a few days will be quite forgotten, and be to us as if they had never been. And when we are safely landed in our own Country, with what pleasure shall we look back upon those rough and boisterous Seas which we have escap'd? The more troubles we have past through the kinder usage we shall find when we come to our Fathers house. So the Apostle tells us, that our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. When we come to heaven our happiness shall then be as real as our miseries were here upon earth, and far greater and more lasting. And what great matter is it though we suffer a while in this world, provided we escape the endless unsufferable torments of the next; though we have not our good things in this life, if infinitely greater be reserv'd for us and we shall receive them with interest in the other?
Several of the evils and calamities of this life would be unsufferable indeed, if there were nothing better to be hoped for hereafter. If this were true, Christians would not onelyonly be of all men but of all creatures the most miserable. But our Religion hath abundantly assur'd us to the contrary. And the assurance of this was that which made the primitive Christians to embrace sufferings with so much cheerfulness, to glory in tribulation, and to take joyfully the spoiling of their goods, knowing that in heaven they had a better and more enduring substance. The seven brethren in the History of the Maccabees upon this perswasion would not accept deliverance that they might obtain a better resurrection. That storm of stones which was pour'd upon St. Stephen was no more to him than a common shower when he saw the heavens open'd, and Jesus (in whose cause he suffered) standing on the right hand of God.
4. To make us sincere in all our professions, words and actions, did men firmly believe the rewards of another world their Religion would not be onelyonly in shew and pretence, but in life and reality, no man would put on a form of godliness that were destitute of the power of it; we should do nothing for the opinion of others, but all with regard to God and our own Consciences; and be as curious of our thoughts, and most retir'd actions, as if we were in an open theatre and in the presence of the greatest assembly. For in the next life men shall not be rewarded for what they seem'd to be, but for what they really were in this world. Therefore whatever we think, or speak, or do, we should always remember that the day of revelation is coming, when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclos'd, when all disguises shall be laid aside, and every ones mask shall be taken off, and all our actions and designs shall be brought upon the publick stage and expos'd to the view of men and Angels. There is nothing now hidden which shall not then be reveal'd, nor secret which shall not be made known.
5. To arm us against the fears of death. Death is terrible to nature, and the terrour of it is infinitely encreas'd by the fearful apprehensions of what may follow it. But the comfortable hopes of a blessed immortality do strangely relieve the fainting spirits of dying men, and are able to reconcile us to death, and in a great measure to take away the terror of it. I know that the thoughts of death are dismal even to good men, and we have never more need of comfort and encouragement than when we are conflicting with this last Enemy, and there is no such comfortable consideration to a dying man as the hopes of a happy eternity. He that looks upon death onelyonly as a passage to glory, may welcome the messengers of it as bringing him the best and most joyful news that ever came to him in his whole life, and no man can stay behind in this world with half the comfort that this man leaves it.
And now I have done with the two things implyed in this phrase, of having our conversation in heaven, viz. the serious thoughts and considerations of heaven, and the effect of these thoughts and considerations upon our hearts and lives.
I crave your patience but a little longer, till I make some reflection upon what hath been deliver'd concerning the happiness of good men after this life. I have told you that it is incomparably beyond any happiness of this world, that it is great in it self, and eternal in its duration, and far above any thing that we can now conceive or imagine. And now after all this, I am very sensible how much all that I have said comes short of the greatness and dignity of the thing▪ So that I could almost begin again and make a new attempt upon this subject. And indeed who would not be loth to be taken off from so delightfull an argument? Methinks 'tis good for us to be here, and to let our minds dwell upon these considerations. We are unworthy of heaven and unfit to partake of so great a glory, if we cannot take pleasure in the contemplation of those things now the possession whereof shall be our happiness for ever.
With what joy then should we think of those great and glorious things which God hath prepar'd for them that love him, of that inheritance incorruptible, undefil'd, which fadeth not away, reserv'd for us in the heavens? How should we welcome the thoughts of that happy hour when we shall make our escape out of these prisons, when we shall pass out of this howling wilderness into the promis'd Land, when we shall be remov'd from all the troubles and temptations of a wicked and ill-natured world; when we shall be past all storms, and secur'd from all further danger of shipwreck, and shall be safely landed in the regions of bliss and immortality?
O blessed time! When all tears shall be wiped from our eyes, and death and sorrow shall be no more; When mortality shall be swallowed up of life, and we shall enter upon the possession of all that happiness and glory which God hath promis'd, and our faith hath believ'd, and our hopes have rais'd us to the expectation of; when we shall be eas'd of all our pains, and resolv'd of all our doubts, and be purg'd from all our sins, and be free'd from all our fears, and be happy beyond all our hopes, and have all the happiness secur'd to us beyond the power of time and change: When we shall know God and other things without study, and love him and one another without measure, and serve and praise him without weariness, and obey his will without the least reluctancy; and shall still be more and more delighted in the knowing, and loving, and praising, and obeying of God to all eternity.
How should these thoughts affect our hearts, and what a mighty influence ought they to have upon our lives? The great disadvantage of the arguments fetch'd from another world is this, that those things are at a great distance from us, and not sensible to us; and therefore are not apt to affect us to strongly, and to work so powerfully upon us. Now to make amends for this disadvantage we should often revive these considerations upon our mind, and inculcate upon our selves the reality and certainty of these things together with the infinite weight and importance of them. We should reason thus with our selves; If good men shall be so unspeakably happy, and consequently wicked men so extreamly miserable in another world: If these things be true and will one day be found to be so, why should they not be to me as if they were already present? why should not I be as much afraid to commit any sin as if Hell were naked before me, and I saw the astonishing miseries of the damned? and why should I not be as careful to serve God and keep his commandments, as if Heaven were open to my view, and I saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God with crowns of glory in his hand ready to be set upon the heads of all those who continue faithfull to him?
The lively apprehensions of the nearness of death and eternity are apt to make mens thoughts more quick and piercing, and according as we think our selves prepar'd for our future state to transport us with joy, or to amaze us with horrour. For the soul that is fully satisfi'd of his future bliss is already entred into heaven, has begun to take possession of glory, and has (as it were) his blessed Saviour in his arms, and may say with old Simeon, Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation. But the thoughts of death must needs be very terrible to that man who is doubtfull or despairing of his future condition. It would daunt the stoutest man that ever breathed, to look upon death when he can see nothing but hell beyond it. When the Apparition at Endor told Saul, to morrow thou and thy Sons shall be with me, these words struck him to the heart, so that he fell down to the ground, and there was no more strength left in him. It is as certain that we shall die as if an express messenger should come to every one of us from the other world and tell us so. Why should we not then always live as those that must die, and as those that hope to be happy after death? To have these apprehensions vigorous and lively upon our minds this is to have our conversation in heaven, from whence also we look for a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working of that mighty power whereby he is able even to subdue all things to himself.
FINIS.
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End of the text · John Tillotson, Last Sermon (1695)