hearts though not with their feete So the godly though on earth yet they are in heaven have their conversation there because they bee gone up thither in their hearts and affections This people saies the Prophet drawes nigh unto mee with their lips but their hearts are farre from me So here on the contrary This people is farre from mee with their bodies but their hearts draw nigh unto me and are continually in heaven with me And as they are thus in heaven by their affections and desires so unto this head may bee joyned that they are in heaven in regard of their meditations and contemplations He that ascends and frequently goes up into heaven may be said to have his conversation there Now by meditation a Christian hath his ascensions into heaven by it hee goes up and there surviews the joyes and the glories in A more poâ—eâ— asâ—endeâ—e Anima quae 〈…〉 〈…〉 teâ—per plâ—teuâ— ecclestâ—s Ierusalem August heaven and so in that regard he converses in heaven Moses did not goe bodily and personally into the land of Canaan but yet see Deut. 34. 1 2 3 4. And Moses went up from the plaines of Moab unto the Mountaine of Nebo to the toppe of Pisgah and the Lord shewed him all the Land of Gilead unto Dan and all the Land of Iudah to the utmost Sea and the South c. And the Lord said unto him This is the Land which I sware unto Abraham c. I have caused thee to see it with thine eyes So that when Moses went up into Mount Nebo and there saw all the Land to the utmost Sea he was in a manner in Canaan Meditation is a Mount Nebo and from the top of that Pisgah God shewes his people heaven the glory and the joyes of it and so they converse in Canaan being in that Mountaine top When Daniel was in Babylon Dan. 6. 10. Hee opened his window in his chamber towards Ierusalem and looked that way and so in his meditations was in Ierusalem and conversed there whilest he was in Babylon So by meditation a godly heart opens a window towards heaven and looketh thither and so converseth in heaven when he is on earth A godly man is so conversing in Heaven when hee is on earth as Paul conversed at Colossus when he was at Rome How Paul was at Colossus being at Rome we see Col. 2. 5. For though I be absent in the flesh yet I am with you in the spirit joying and beholding your order and the stedfastnesse of your faith in Christ Hee was present with them in spirit and by contemplation represented unto himselfe the assemblies of the Colossians and beheld their holy order and rejoyced therein So the godly though they bee absent from heaven in their bodies for whiles wee are in the body wee are absent from the Lord 2 Cor. 5. yet in their spirit that heavenlier and diviner part they are by meditation ascended thither and there they behold the face of God and the blessednesse of the Saints in glorious communion with him Fourthly they are in heaven here because heaven is here in them What shall they have in heaven for the maine and substantials that they have not here That they have here differs from that they shall have hereafter not in kind but only in degree They have the happines of heaven here That they have the happinesse of heaven here will appeare in five things First it is a great part of the happinesse of heaven to have the sight of Gods face Math. 18. 10. In heaven their Angels doe alwaies behold the face of my father which is in Heaven That is a great part of the happinesse of heaven to the Angels the seeing and beholding of Gods face in Heaven That is to be in heaven and to have the happinesse of heaven to behold the face of God and to see him And so is Christs happinesse after his resurrection set forth Acts 2. 28. Thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance And thus David sets out the happinesse of heaven Psal 17. 15. As for me I shall behold thy face in righteousnesse And so the Apostle sets it out 1 Cor. 13. 12. Wee shall then see face to face A great part also of the happinesse of heaven is in having fellowship and communion with God That communion which the Saints have with God in heaven is the very heaven of heaven the maine happinesse of heaven Now this happinesse have the Saints here on earth in their degree Here they see Gods face Stephen saw heaven opened and Christ standing at the right hand of glory so also doe all Gods people with spirituall eyes see heaven opened and see Gods face Math. 5. 8. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God not onely hereafter but in this life not onely shall see God but doe see God Gods face is to be seene in his ordinances Seeke my face Psal 27. Lord thy face will I seeke And as his face is to be sought so his face is to be seene in his ordinances See how David speakes Psal 63. 2. my flesh longeth to see thy power and thy glory so as I have seene thee in thy sanctuary 3. Iohn 11. Hee that doth evill hath not seene God he saies not he shall not see but hath not seene That implies that good and godly persons they doe see and have seene God in the Word Prayer and Sacraments Godly people see God and behold his face Apoc. 22. 4. And they shall see his face But when is it they shall see it Lay the latter end of the former verse to it And his servants shall serve him and they shall see his face That is even then when whilest they serve him even in their services in Prayer the Word and the Sacrament In these holy services Gods servants see his face And so also they have heavenly and sweete fellowship with God 1 Iohn 1. 3. Our fellowship is with the father and his Sonne Jesus Christ Cant. 1. 4. The King hath brought me into his chambers not the King will bring me into his chambers but he hath brought me in It is spoken of that sweet and secret communion which the Saints here have with God The publique assemblies are Gods house and his Pallace but heaven is Gods chamber Now the godly are not onely admitted into the publique assemblies unto holy duties but in the publique assemblies in the duties of praying hearing and receiving the Sacrament God takes them into his chamber into heaven in regard of that sweet and secret fellowship that he vouchsafes theÌ„ in holy duties And so they being in Gods chamber in Gods privy-chamber in his bedchamber Also our bed is greene where are they but in Cant. 1. 16 heaven They that have their conversatioÌ„ in Gods chaÌ„ber in his very bed-chamber they have their coÌ„versation in heaveÌ„ And thus the godly here seeing Gods face here having communion with God they have here
of Spirit in the contemplations of their present and view of their eternall blessednesse Now even thus have the Saints on earth an happinesse like that in heaven For the Saints on earth have their raptures their heavenly extasies and ravishments of spirit Luke 9. 29. As Christ prayed the fashion of his countenance was changed and hee was transfigured So Act. 10. 9. As Peter prayed he fell into a trance and saw heaven opened Nay Paul 2 Cor. 12. 3 4. was rapt was caught up into the third heavens caught up into paradise and heard words which were not lawfull or possible to be uttered A man caught up into heaven hee is in heaven and truely converses in heaven So Apoc. 1. Iohn was ravished in spirit on the Lords day either in the time of his prayers or meditations on that day Thus had all these their raptures and extasies And though these were all extraordinary cases and not common to all Gods people yet are not the godly without raptures of spirit in their kinde They have their spirituall transfigurations and in their prayers and meditations when they have their hearts in speciall manner enlarged they have their spirits rapt and caught up into the third heavens and there have sweete and comfortable converse with God above He that knowes what speciall enlargements of heart are in holy duties knowes better by experience what these ravishments meane then any man knowes how to expresse them Fourthly it is a great part of the happinesse of heaven that there the Saints live separated from all evill and wicked company There the Wheate is separated from the chaffe there the sheepe are separated from the Goates To live and converse in the company and society of wicked and ungodly men and to see their filthy conversation their conversation in hell it is a little piece of hell it is a living in the suburbs of hell It is to a godly heart a kinde of hellish torment 1 Pet. 2. 7 8. vexed his righteous soule from day to day vexed or tormented It is the same word that is used of the rich man being in the torments in hell Luk. 16. But whether a man be tormented or not it is the having of a mans conversation in hel to live familiarly and to converse in inward familiar society with ungodly and prophane persons To bee all one with them and to take delight in their company is for a man to have his conversation in hell To have ones conversation in drunken houses with drunken persons to have ones conversation with swearers and godlesse persons what is it better then conversing in hell Now this is an happinesse in heaven that there a man is separated from all familiarity company and society of ungodly ones There is no Canaanite in that house of the Lord there is no hurtfull beast in that mountaine of the Lord. And this is a great part of the happinesse of heaven It is to live in heaven to live separated from wicked ones And thus here have the godly their conversation in heaven by living separated from ungodly ones in the world Though this separation bee not a locall separation yet it is a morall separation a separation in manners in affection in society and this morall separation prepares for that locall separation And thus are Gods people in a manner in heaven and have their conversation there by not having conversation and society with such as have their conversation in hell It is in heaven to live separated from evill ones Fiftly it is a great part of the happinesse of heaven that there a man hath sweet and comfortable society with the Saints of God This is made a great happinesse of heaven Math. 8. 11. Many shall come from the East and the West and shall sit downe with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdome of God There the Saints of God shall have blessed society each with other shall rejoyce together in communion each with other There shall be an happinesse not onely in communion with God but also in communion with the Saints And it is an unspeakeable sweetnesse that shall arise from the society of the Saints in heaven This happinesse and comfort have the godly here now begun on earth It is an heavenly contentment an heavenly delight that they have in and from the society of Gods people All my delight is in the Saints on earth Psal 16. 3. I am companion of all them that feare thee Psal 119 63. Thus by delighting and rejoycing themselves in the society of the Saints sorting with them and conversing with them in the duties of the communion of Saints they doe live in heaven and have their conversation there It is to have ones conversation in heaven to have conversation with the Saints in the duties of their communion Fiftly the godly live in heaven whilest they are here because whilest they are here they live as the Saints and Angels in heaven doe They live in holinesse and in obedience to God as the Saints and Angels in heaven doe Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven now they that live holily and obediently on earth they doe Gods will on earth as it is in heaven and they that doe Gods will on earth as it is in heaven they live as they doe that be in heaven and they that live like the spirits in heaven they have their conversation in heaven They may be truely said to have their conversation in heaven that live an heavenly life and they live an heavenly life that live an holy life What be the men that be in heaven All men that are in heaven are Saints holy persons Now then when men be Saints they be inhabitants of heaven The Apostle makes a distinction of bodies 1 Cor. 15. 40 There are celestiall bodies and bodies terrestriall So I may say there are celestiall hearts there be hearts terrestriall Now when men have holy hearts set upon holinesse sanctified spirits and lives conformable to Gods will and truth such holy hearts are heavenly and celestiall hearts and when men have celestiall spirits then they live in heaven A maine thing in heaven is the perfection of holinesse that there the Saints shall be perfectly holy Now therefore the more holinesse wee have the more wee are in heaven The way to live in to converse there now is to live an holy life Saints on earth as David cals them Ps 16. are already Saints in heaven Saints that have their conversation there The Turkes if they see a mad man they honour him as a Saint and judge him a Saint as one that hath his minde abstracted from and elevated above things below as one who in his spirit converses with God But many amongst us are in another extreame If we see a man a Saint one of an holy godly life wee count him a mad man Turkes honour mad men under the notion of Saints we hate and despise Saints under the notion of mad men But let
of the Lord encampeth round about them that feare him and delivereth them A mans enemies become his friends Prov. 16. 7. When a mans waies please the Lord hee maketh even his enemies his deadly profest enemies to bee at peace with him The rest of the creatures become his friends Iob 5. 8. I would seeke unto God I would seeke to be friends with him but what shall be gotten by it Amongst other things that vers 21 22 23. Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue neither shalt thou bee afraid of destruction when it comes at destruction and famine shalt thou laugh neither shalt thou bee afraid of the beasts of the earth for thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field and the beasts of the field shall bee at peace with thee Yea God will make a covenant for his people with the beasts of the fields and with the fowles of Heaven and with the creeping things of the ground Hos 2. 18. Yea all these shall not onely lay aside their enmity but shall be ready to bee serviceable to them When Ahab and Iehosaphat had made a league of friendship each with other see how Iehosaphat speakes to him 1 King 22. 4. I am as thou art my people as thy people my horses as thy horses So when once God and we are in league of friendship hee will say unto us my servants are your servants mine Angels are your Angels mine hosts are your hosts my creatures are your creatures Al things are yours 1 Cor. 3. 21. And all things shall work together for good to them that love God and are his friends If a man be a traytor the Kings enemy every man not onely estranges but sets himselfe against him but let the King but pitch upon a man to make him his friend and favourite how then doth every one seek to him smile upon him happy is he that can ingratiate himself with him and doe any service to him that is the Kings favourite A man that is once the Kings friend shall be sure to want no friends no respect no service Zabud was the Kings friend 1 King 4. 5. and who then would not be a friend to Zabud full glad was hee that could bee Zabuds servant So if once we be Gods friends God will raise us up friends enow Eliphaz his argument was good Iob 22. 21. Acquaint thy selfe now with him and be at peace Get to be Gods friend and one of his inward acquaintance Well suppose we doe vvhat shall we get by it And thereby shall good come unto thee And this good amongst the rest that the creatures shall bee in a league of friendship with thee Indeed some creatures there are that the more we are Gods friends the more they will bee our enemies yea therfore our professed enemies because wee are Gods friends Satan and his sworne servants will bee the more bitter enemies against us because God ownes us for his friends as Esau hated Iacob for the blessing But yet the Angels in Heaven that rejoyce at the conversion of a sinner on earth and that hee becomes friends vvith God all good men and the creatures will be our faithfull friends yea and many times hee vvill make vvicked men doe his people many a friendly turne or at least vvill make their emnity beneficiall and advantagious to them And these be the benefits that Gods people have by having God their friend Come vve now to the uses of this point And they are these The honour and happinesse of being Vse 1 Gods friends being so great and beneficiall withall it should stirre up every man to get this happinesse of being the friends of God Zabud was the Kings friend 1 King 4. 5. Now when people saw how familiar Zabud was with the King what communion was betweene him and Salomon how hee communicated to him his secret counsels how potent he was with him in all suites how close Salomon stood to him upon all occasions how serviceable all the Courtiers and Subjects were to him did they not thinke wee all thinke his condition happy Did they not secretly wish Oh that I were in his case oh that I were as Zabud is that I had the Kings heart the Kings eare the Kings hand as he hath And if they had knowne of any project of any course by which they might have advanced themselves to Zabuds condition would they not speedily have set upon it would they not have strained and tentred their wits to the utmost would they have spared for any cost or paines to have gotten into Zabuds condition Wee now therefore seeing what the happy condition of Gods people is that they are Gods friends and have all those great priviledges thereby how should it stirre up our hearts to looke and labour for this happinesse of being Gods friend And that so much the rather Because God may have and hath many friends at once that are his inward entire familiars not so alwayes amongst men Affection is sometimes so pitcht upon some one that that one engrosses all a mans affections and they are so caried wholly upon some one that there is scarce any roome in the heart left for any other The whole streame of some mens affections is so carried in one channell that there is no over float to any other All their water is little enough to drive one mill Kings use not to have many favourites but pitch upon some one But now it is otherwise with God hee hath many friends and favourites and all his friends are favourites Gods heart and his love is so large that there is roome enough in it for a multitude of favourites at once Because there bee projects and courses to be used that will effect and compasse this for us to make us Gods friends Some policies men have and use to get the friendship and favour of Princes great ones but yet their projects alwayes take not their policies speed not they doe not compasse the thing they desire but for the getting of Gods favour and friendship there be waies to be used that will surely doe the deed and will worke us in to be Gods friends and favorites What then bee those waies by which Quest we may get this honour to have God our friend and to be his friends First the way to get in with God is by Answ 1 faith We are by nature strangers to God nay enemies Col. 1. 21. Now God of his infinite mercy though hee bee the party wronged and offended yet he is pleased thus much to forget himselfe and to stoope thus low as not onely to offer us peace and friendship but hee entreates and beseeches us to bee reconciled and become friends 2 Cor. 5. 20. Now then if wee will believe the Gospell and the words of Reconciliation that 's the chiefe condition that God requires and upon that he will take and owne us for his friends That 's here in the text Abraham was called
in degree the happinesse of heaven Secondly the happinesse of heaven stands in the peace of conscience and joy in the holy Ghost This is heaven and hee that hath this in him hath heaven in him and he that hath heaven within him may bee well said to be in heaven Rom. 14. 17. The Kingdome of God and so the Kingdome of heaven is peace and joy in the holy Ghost where these are there heaven is That looke as on the contrary where there is an accusing conscience that filles the heart with feares affrightments horrour and anguish there are the very flashings of hell fire and such a man may be said to be in hell in the belly of hell as Ion. 2. so here where there is joy of the holy Ghost sweete peace arising from faith and the assurance of Gods love in pardon of sinne there is heaven and such a man truely lives in heaven The joyes of heaven in Scripture are often set forth by a feast Luke 14. 15. Blessed is he that eates bread in the Kingdome of God And so the rich man saw Lazarus in Abrahams bosom that is he saw him at the blessed feast in heaven set at Gods Table in an high place next to Abraham as Iohn leaned in Christs bosome at the last supper Iohn 13. 23. Thus also is the peace of a good conscience set forth Prov. 15. 15. by a feast A good conscience is a continuall feast what is it to be in heaven but to be as at a blessed feast at a blessed feast are they that have peace of conscience as they are that are in heaven Here is a sitting a lying in Abrahams nay in Christs bosome And therefore we shall see the same thing spoken of peace and joy in this life that is of that peace and joy that is in heaven What is the peace that is in heaven At the utmost no more can bee sayd of it then that it is a peace that passes all understanding And so much is said of the peace of God and the peace of conscience that here the Saints have on earth Phil. 4. 7. The peace of God that passes all understanding This peace they have here transcends all comprehension No understanding is able to understand the comfort of the peace of a good conscience it passes all understanding A mans understanding can understand great comfort it must needs therefore be a great comfort indeed which no mans understanding can conceive If a man would strive to covet no covetous man can covet more riches then his understanding can conceive If a man should strive to be ambitious no ambitious man can desire more preferments and honours then his understanding can conceive The conceiving of the understanding is the utmost bounds of all desires But the peace of God surmounts these bonds It passes all understanding A man strives to get a good living to get a good revenew and maintenance now I can easily understand how much thou gettest It may be twenty pounds or an hundred or a thousand or an hundred thousand by the yeere I can easily understand all this Nay if it were as many thousands by the yeere as there bee haires on thine head which no man hath yet all this I can easily understand but now I cannot so much as conceive with mine understanding the worth and happinesse of the peace of a good conscience This passes all understanding not onely the understanding of men but the understanding of Angels Eye hath not seene nor eare heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things that God hath prepared for them that love him 1 Cor. 2. 9. It is spoken not of the joyes of heaven but of the comforts of the Gospel which it brings to the conscience as appeares by the context Now thine eye saies Chrysostome hath seene many things and thine eare heard more then thou hast seene and thine heart can imagine more then thou hast heard and yet neither eye hath seene nor eare heard neither can it enter into thine heart to imagine what God hath provided for thee in the peace of a good conscience A man may suppose what hee could imagine hee might imagine a man to have a thousand worlds if there were so many and to have the command over all the men in the world A man may imagine that he hath Kings and Princes to serve him you may imagine a man to live millions of yeeres without sicknesse without grievances without any discontent yee may imagine such a man but yee can never imagine what is the happinesse and comfort of that man that hath the peace of God that passes all understanding What now can bee said more of the peace in heaven So likewise what is the joy that is in heaven what kinde of joy is it It is a joy exceeding glorious an unutterable ineffable unspeakeable joy Such is the very joy that Gods people have in this life There is a twofold joy A joy of faith here and a joy of fruition hereafter Now as the joy of fruition is glorious is unspeakeable so is the joy of faith here 1 Pet. 1. 8. Yee believing rejoyce with joy unspeakeable and full of glory What more glorious thing can be spoken of the joyes of heaven what can a man have in heaven more then glorious joy more then unspeakeable joy the grace of joy is a glorious joy They that have glorious and unspeakeable joy where live they but in heaven It is true there is some difference betweene joyes here and in heaven Now this joy is in us then we shall be in it now this joy enters into us then wee shall enter into it enter into thy masters joy All the difference is onely the measure and the degree there wee shall have more but it is all of one kind Thus the Saints have heaven within them and so having the happinesse of heaven here they have their converse in heaven Thirdly a great part of the happinesse of heaven is in those blessed raptures of spirit and Ravishing extasies that the blessed Saints in heaven have Whilest they are taken up with the contemplation of Gods infinit wisedome and mercy in Christ they are quite carried out of themselves The wisedome and mercy of God in Christ shall bee a speciall theame and subject of the meditations and contemplations of the Saints in heaven unto all eternities They shall be taken up with the contemplation of their owne happinesse now they shall be so taken up with these things that they shall have blessed ravishments of their spirits in these contemplations That looke as the damned in hell under the sense of present wrath and in the contemplation and expectation of the eternity of it and under the feare of future wrath are swallowed up in despaire in horrour and consternation of spirit a thing that addes extremely to their hellish torments so there is a thing in the happinesse of heaven contrary to that and that is incomprehensible glorious ravishments
and our strength a very present helpe in Trouble If a person had slaine a man at unawarres hee was to flee unto one of the cities of Refuge and the reason is given Deut. 19. 6. why God would have three of those cities in three seveverall parts of the Land Least the avenger of bloud pursue the slayer whilest his heart is hot and overtake him because the way is long and slay him Therefore would God have them in divers places because a man slaying another at unawares might bee neere to one of those cities and so prevent danger by getting into one of them for sanctuary Now if once a man were within the walls or gates of one of those cities of Refuge then hee was safe Let the Avenger of bloud follow as hard as he would and let his heart bee as hot as it would yet if once within the city of Refuge the man was safe When the Avenger of bloud pursued hotly a man was in present danger but if he got but the city of Refuge over his head though the Avenger pursued at his very heeles yet the city of Refuge was a very present helpe in that time of danger So saith the Psalme God is our Refuge our city of Refuge Suppose troubles and dangers should pursue a man as close at the heeles as the Avenger of bloud did the man slayer it may bee in such a case of danger there was no possibility of escape yes that there were God is our Refuge and our strength a very present helpe in trouble let dangers be as present as may be yet hee is a very present helpe There is an All-sufficiency in God both for defence and offence There is no danger so great or present from which his power is not able to rescue No power so great which he is not able to crush and breake The safety of a strong Tower stands in two things 1. That it is for Defence so as to keepe an enemy off and to defend a man within it from the danger of enemies without 2. That it is for offence so as to hurt and spoyle an enemy without A Tower not onely guards and keepes a man safe but it hath ordnance and ammunition with which it keepes off and beats off and beates away enemies A weake person from a strong Tower may doe a great deale of mischiefe to a strong enemy Abimeleck and a sorry woman were an unequall match what was a weake woman to him And yet a weake woman having the advantage of a strong Tower proved too good for him for a woman from the Tower casts a piece of a milstone upon abimelecks head and brake his skul Iudg. 9 53. Now such a strong Tower is the Lord. He hath All-sufficiency of strength to defend free and protect from all dangers whatsoever and hee hath All-sufficiency of Power to beate and batter and spoyle all such adversaries as shal assault any within this Tower Hee is a strong Tower both to keep such safe as are within it and a strong Tower able to batter with his cannon and ordnance such as shall offer to assaile and besiege it Hee is such a Tower as that Cant. 4. 4. Thy necke is like the Tower of David builded for an Armory wherein there hangs a thousand bucklers all sheilds of mighty men In Davids Tower there were shields and bucklers for defence and protection and there was Thalpijoth an Armory a word that comes of Thalah to hang and Pijoth two edged swords all Instruments of offence and weapons of death to doe executions on enemies so that hee that makes choyse of God for his safety goes wisely to worke in provision for his security for he pitches upon a Tower upon a strong Tower He is a Tower unquestionably sufficient for safety This is an impregnable fort Psal 20. 1. The Name of the God of Iacob set thee on an high place Therefore Psal 46. 1. * Deus noster Refugiam virtus Sunt quaedam refugia ubi non est virtus quo quisque cum fugerit magis infirmatur quam confirmetur Confugis ad aliquam insaeculo magnum ut facias tibi potenteâ—â—micum Refugiam tibi videtur Tanta tamen huius saâ—â—li incerta sunt â—â—â— ut cum ad tale Refugium confugeris plus ibi â—imere incipiâ—â— Non est refugium nostrum tale sed refugium nostrum virtus est Cum illuc confugeimus fâ—râ—i erimus August in Psal 43. God is our Refuge and our strength Such a refuge in which there is strength There be Refuges in which no strength to which when a man betakes himselfe hee is rather weakned then strengthned Ahaz makes the king of Assyria his Refuge but hee was not his strength 2 Chron. 28. 20. The King of Assyria came unto him and distressed him but strengthned him not But God is not such a refuge he is our Refuge our strength the name of the Lord is a strong Tower 2. In Running unto and into this Tower in betaking a mans selfe unto God there is safety The Righteous Runs into it and is exalted or is safe wee shall finde it true in some examples Iehoshaphat was in great danger and in great feare 2 Chron. 20. 1. 2. Then there came some that told Iehoshaphat saying There commeth a great multitude against thee what that multitude was wee see vers 1. And what doth Iehoshaphat in this feare and danger See vers 3. 4. Hee set himselfe to seeke the Lord and proclaimed a fast throughout all Iudah and Iudah gathered themselves together to aske helpe of the Lord even out of all the cities of Iudah they came to seeke the Lord. And vers 12. wee know not what to doe but our eyes are upon thee Iehoshaphat and the people in their danger and their feare run to this strong tower of the name of the Lord they betake themselves to God and what was the issue see it vers 22 23 24. All the huge host of their enemies proves in heap of dead karcases when they came to the watch-tower in the Wildernes they then found that the Name of the Lord which they had run unto proved indeed a Tower of safetie Hezekiah was in a great danger and feare Senacherib comes against him with an armie of an hundred fourscore and five thousand sends him railing messages threatning letters what course takes Hezekiah in this danger Hee runnes to this strong tower 2 Chron. 32. 20. For this cause Hezekiah the King and the Prophet Isaiah prayed and cryed to heaven See also 2 King 19. 1. 14. 15. All this was running to this tower and what was the speed and the sequell That we find 2 Chron. 32. 21. 22. 23. Thus the Lord saved Hezekiah and hee was magnified amongst all nations So that Hezekiah ran to this Tower and was not onely safe but was exalted and magnified So that the Name of the Lord is not onely a strong Tower but a saving Tower and a man by betaking himselfe
to it takes a wise course for safetie and protection It serves to teach us what to do in case Vse of fears dangers and what course to take for our safetie and good When men are in temporall feares and dangers they are ready to say as the Jaylor in his spirituall feares Act. 16. 30. Sirs what must I doe to be saved So in cases of outward danger and trouble men are ready to cry out Oh good sirs what shall we do what course shall we take Is there any course to bee thought upon and to bee taken that may bee conducent unto and wherein wee may provide for our safety yes there is a course a way to be taken for safetie in the greatest feares that can befall us I but what is that course and what may that way bee This is the course The Name of the Lord is a strong Tower the righteous run unto it and are safe In fears and dangers then make me unto this tower get me unto into it we take the right course for our safety Davids heart was overwhelmed full of feares by reason of dangers and hee takes this course Psal 61. 2. 3. I will cry unto thee when my heart is overwhelmed leade mee to the Rocke that is higher then I for thou hast beene ashelter for mee and a strong Tower from the enemy The course to be safe is to be set aloft to bee placed on high out of the reach of a danger The Name of the Lord is a strong Tower the righteous run into it is set aloft 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is he is safe because when a man is set aloft out of the reach of a danger then he is safe But how shall a man bee set aloft By running into this Tower of Gods Name Psal 46. 7. The God of Iacob is our Refuge is an high place for us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a place to bee set aloft in the same word that is here in the text So that when a man runnes unto Gods Name he is in an High place when in an high place hee is aloft and when he is a loft hee is Safe It is strange to see how full of feares mens hearts are when they are apprehensive of dangers and are sensible of approaching evils and yet in the meane time how little care they take how little provision they make for their safety and security That same in the generall was a wise course of them Gen. 11. 4. Let us build a city and a Tower whose top may reach to heaven least we be scattered abroad upon the face of the earth Thus farre they went wisely to worke that being in a feare they would provide for their safety that being in a feare they would builde a tower for their defence It is certainely a good piece of wisdome when men feare troubles and dangers to fall a building of towers for safety The course in the generall was a wise course though in particular they plaide the fooles to think that their safety did lye in a tower of bricke Thus farre let us imitate their wisdome as to worke prospective worke and to build a Tower into which wee may be take our selves to save our selves from the surprisall of evils and dangers of which at any time we stand in feare Well but what Tower should we build Not a Tower of bricke whose top may reach to Heaven but this Tower that Salomon speakes of A Tower which is in heaven The Name of the Lord is a strong Tower Let us make this our Tower and make to and get into this Tower for our safety when ever our hearts are in feare of any dangers when the men of Thebez were in danger of Abimeleck see what course they tooke and how they provided for their safety Iudg. 9. 50. 51. Then went Abimeleck to Thebez and encamped against Thebez and tooke it But there was a strong Tower within the city and thither fled all the men and women and all they of the city and shut it to them and gate them up to the top of the Tower Marke there was a strong Tower thither they all fled and gate them up to the top of the Tower and so they were safe from Abimelecks rage yea and from that Tower did a woman breake the skull of Abimeleck There was a great deale of disparity and oddes betweene Abimeleck and a poore weake woman and yet a woman in a tower may be too good for an Abimeleck The Tower fenced her from Abimeleck and she from the tower banes and braines him and crownes him with a piece of a milstone that was so ambitiously and bloudily bent upon a kingdome It is a great deale of Advantage and safety to a weak woman to be within a Tower Follow we their wisdome If at any time we feare dangers loe here in this text a strong Tower Thither let us flee thither let us run let us shut it to us let us goe to the top of this Tower the higher the safer And though dangers may come as nigh us as Abimeleck did to those men of Thebez hard to the doore of the Tower Iudg. 9. 52. yet this tower is a place of defence and of offence There bee not pieces but whole milstones in this tower that can dash and crush all dangers in the head at the very doore of the Tower And that we may the better bee stirred up to seeke our safety when need is in this Tower consider these three things 1. That though it be lawfull and requisite to use all meanes and outward helpes for our safety yet there is no safety in any meanes or helpes till this be done There is a vanity in all meanes and courses for safety and they prove but shifts unlesse a man have first betaken himselfe to this Tower There is no safety in any meanes unlesse a man seek his safetie in betaking him to God we shall see the truth of it in all those kind of Towers that men in their fears do usually betake themselves unto and put their trust in for protection First it is a great deale of confidence that men put in materiall Towers Castles strong holds in time of danger and feare Those people Gen. 11. made account that if they built them an high brick tower they should bee safe from dispersion And yet that tower saved them not from dispersion yea that tower which they thought should save them from dispersion was the very cause of their dispersion The men of Penuel by reason of their tower thought themselves so safe that they durst flout Gideon but Iudg. 8. 17. hee brake downe their tower and slew the men of the Citie The strongest towers that men have are easily flatted and beat downe when God is not their strong tower The Citie of Tyrus gloried much in the strength of her towers Ezek. 27. 11. The Gammadims were in thy towers they hanged their shields upon thy walles round about They had
towers and those towers were mand and furnished with stout and resolute Gammadims Gammadims in their Towers But though they had such Towers and Gammadims in their Towers yet because they had not God in their towers because God was not their strong tower therefore their strong Towers and their Gammadims could not keepe out Nebuchadnezzar but he came and brake down her towers Ezek. 26. 4 He shall set engines of war against thy walls and with his axes shall hee breake downe thy Towers It was a great deale of confidence that Niniveh put in her strong holds Nahum 3. 14. Fortifie thy strong holds goe into clay and tread the mortar The Prophet derides all their care and cost in their fortifications It is a bitter sarcasme by which he flouts the vanitie of all the courses they should seeke to secure themselves from the Chaldeans They had not made God their Tower nor had not runne into that Tower and therefore see what all their towers and forts would come to v. 12. All thy strong holds shall be like figtrees with the first ripe figs If they be shaken they shall even fall into the mouth of the eater Ripe figs they drop downe with the least concussion with the least jog of the figtree and fall into the mouth of the eater Just so easily should their forts and holds yeeld to the Chaldeans that longed to be eating and devouring them When God is not mens strong hold he shakes kingdomes as a man would shake a fig tree and hee gives a commandement to destroy strong holds or the strengths of a citty Isay 23. 11. Secondly It is a great deale of confidence that is put in stout men in goodly horses When God is not sought unto and he not trusted in as a man of war to fight our battels so many men but so many women Nah. 3. 13. Behold thy people in the midst of thee are women no more heart no more courage in them then in women And what safety in an Army of women Psal 20. 7. Some trust in charets and some in horses But an horse is a vaine thing for safety Psal 33. 17. The horse indeed is prepared against the day of battell Pro. 21. 31. But safety is of the Lord. The safety is not from the horse for the horse is flesh and not spirit Isa 31. 3. Thirdly it is a great deale of confidence that men put in their wealth and riches Pro. 18. 11. The rich mans wealth is his strong city and as an high wall in his conceit Come what can or will come thinkes many a rich man he hath mony and wealth and mony answers all things Hee conceives himselfe as safe in the middest of his wealth as if hee had a Tower as high as Heaven as if inclosed within walles like Ierichoes as high as heaven He is immured within his silver walles and fortified within his golden towers and hee thinkes himselfe past the reach of all dangers but if a man have not made God his Tower and be not gotten within that tower those golden and silver towers will afford a man no safety at all Riches availe not in the day of wrath Pro. 11. 4. It is true indeed that at some times and in some cases The ransome of a mans life are his riches Proverbs 13. 8. And in some cases mony is a defence or a shadow Eccles 7. 12. But when Gods wrath breakes out in sore judgements then mony in another sense is but a shadow It is poore safety that it will yeeld in such a time Zeph. 1. 18. Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lords wrath Nay it is that which many times exposes a man to the more danger as many a mans finger is the sooner cut off for his gold ring and many a mans throat the sooner cut for his wealth It is a certaine thing that in the Parisian massacre many that were Papists were murthered as well as Nec tantum Hugonoti occidebantur sed etiaÌ„ opulentiores quâ—dam Pontificii quorum opibus avari mililitâ—s inhi abant easque per nâ—fas rapiebant Osiand epit cent 16 l. 3. c. 69. Protestants not their faith but their wealth made heretickes and Hugonotes of them Their Riches were as dangerous to them as their Religion was to the protestants it was fowle heresie with some of those furies for some men to have money and to be rich Who escaped better in the desolation by Nebuchadnezzar than the poore of the land Ier. 39. 10. Hee left the poore of the people which had nothing in the land and gave them fields and vineyards at the same time There is more safetie at such a time in povertie than in riches Poverty is sometimes a safer tower than Riches and a poore thatcht cottage more safe than a silver tower Fourthly it is a great deale of confidence that men put in getting honours preferments and high places but the safetie is not answerable to the confidence Some set their nests on high Hab. 2. 9. and that upon this ground That they may be delivered from the power of evill But a nest on high will not deliver from evil Some birds build their nests on high but yet if the trees cannot bee climbd they may be cut down That same tree Dan. 4. vers 10 11 12. which Nebuchadnezzar saw in his dreame the height therof was great the tree grew and was strong and the height reached unto heaven and the Fowles of the heaven dwelt in the boughes thereof they made their nests in the boughes of that high tree so made their nests on high But yet vers 14. see what the watchman sayd Hew down the tree and cut downe his branches where were those nests then Then those nests on high were laid low enough What safetie in a nest on high when the tree is hewed downe Lastly it is a great confidence that men put in their outward priviledges The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord Ier. 7. 4. that was the buckler the Iewes held out to fence off all blowes as if the Temple had been a strong Tower to have saved them from all dangers as if the Temple walles had been Canon-proofe and yet the Lord there tells them that the Temple should be so far from freeing them from wrath that wrath shold fall upon the temple it self They conceived not a litle safetie in the altar They thought Ariel the Lion of God the brasen Altar of sacrifice to be a brasen wall about them But Isa 29. 1. 2. Woe unto Ariel that is to the Altar and to the Temple Ariel shall bee so farre from saving you from distresse that Ariel it selfe shall bee distressed Ioab fled to the Altar in his feare and danger and tooke sanctuary there and yet his doome was Fall upon him there The Prophet bids them not trust in lying words Ier. 7. To trust in priviledges and to place
him that hath called you It is impossible to shew forth the vertues of Christ and to follow the vices of the world yea it is impossible to shew forth the vertues of Christ but a man must walke in a crosse and opposite carriage to the vices of the world Christs vertues are opposite and crosse to the vices of the world peculiar people must expresse those vertues and therefore it cannot bee but such as are Gods people should have their courses and behaviour different from and opposite to the world Because Christ hath made the godly a peculiar people to himselfe upon this ground hee lookes for peculiar carriages at their hands contrary to the courses of the world The Arabians and other heathens had a fashion and a custome in their mournings for the dead to cut themselves and to make themselves balde now God hee forbids his people to conforme to those fashions of their neighbour heathens and marke upon what ground he doth it Deut. 14. 1 2. The Lord hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people to himselfe ye shall not cut yourselves nor make any baldnesse betweene your eyes for the dead As if he had said you are a peculiar people in my love therefore I will have you a peculiar people in your carriage I will not have you conforme your selves to heathenish courses and customes no though it be but in matter of cutting your haire but I will have you crosse their courses and customes And if God would not allow them a conformity to the heathens in a matter of cutting their haire then much lesse in matters of greater waight and moment then much lesse in covetousnesse worldlinesse common swearing drunkennesse and uncleannesse It serves to reprove those that professe Vse 1 themselves Christians and yet are so farre from a difference or a contrariety in their courses to the vaine and sinfull courses of the world that they rather frame and conforme to them who though they bee Jewes yet will not sticke to eate Swines-flesh with the Egyptians The Apostles exhortation is Rom. 12. 2. Bee not conformed to this world And he tels us Gal. 1. 4. that Christ gave himselfe that he might deliver us from this present evill world If wee bee delivered from this present evill world how doe wee conforme our selves to this evill world If wee be conformed to this world how are we delivered from this present evill world Be not conformed to this world but be ye transformed Such as be transformed should not be conformed to this world If men be transformed by the renewing of their minds then they must not be conformed to this world If conformed to this world how appeares it that we are transformed Transformation and conformity to the world cannot stand together It is an ill sight to see a man transformed into the Image of Christ conformed to this world Urge many with this argument you are Christians and have in your baptisme stipulated and solemnely covenanted an inconformity to this evill world you must not conform to the sinful waies and vanities of prophane persons Tell them that thus and thus men of the world doe from whom Christians should be different to whom Christians should be contrary and what is mens answere even that in a manner which the Israelites gave Samuel when hee disswaded them from having a King 1 Sam. 8. 20. Nay but we will bee like other Nations or as the Jewes said in their hearts Ezek. 20. 32. We will be as the heathen and as the families of the Countries So say what can be sayd men are resolved to do as others doe and not to be unlike others In an ill sence it was that the Jewes were contrary to all men 1 Thess 2. 15. They please not God and are contrary to all men But in a good sense a man may bee contrary to men of the world and not displease God therein Nay hee may so much the more please God by how much hee displeases the World in his contrariety to it It serves to shew that it is no wonder Vse 2 that Christian religion is by men of the world cryed downe for crossenesse and singularity when Religion enjoynes a Christian a crossenesse and a contrariety in his course to the sinfull courses of men in the world Secondly a Christians life is described Positively Our conversation is in Heaven Thence learne this point That the conversation of a godly man and Doct. of a true Christian is in Heaven That whiles he dwels on earth hee lives in Heaven Hee sayes not our conversation shall be in heaven but it is in heaven It is now in heaven for the present Though for a time godly men have their habitation on earth yet is not their conversation where their habitation is but their habitation and commoration on earth and their conversation above in heaven Iohn 17. 11 These are in the world and vers 14. They are not of the world In the world for a time in regard of their locall abode and commoration but not of the world in regard of their conversation because they have their conversation is in Heaven whilest they live here on earth As they are from above Iohn 8. 23. so they live above as they are from Heaven so they live in Heaven And therefore Dan. 7. 18. they are called the saints of the high places as those that have their conversations above in high places even in the highest Heavens And Dan. 8. 10. they are called the host of Heaven and the starres of Heaven The starres have their light and influences here on earth but they have their seate and motion above in the Heavens And in this regard they are said not onely to have their conversation but their habitation in Heaven and are said not onely to live but to dwell in heaven Wee finde Revel 13. 6. 8. two severall sorts of inhabitants dwelling in two severall regions Dwellers in Heaven Dwellers on earth The dwellers on earth they worship the beast they receive Antichrist but the dwellers in Heaven they are blasphemed by him Dwellers on earth are none other but earthly minded Christians who though they had the name of Christians yet had earthly minds and earthly affections and therefore are said to dwell on earth But who were they that dwelt in Heaven Not the Saints gloriously blessed in Heaven but see who they bee vers 7. To make warre with the Saints and to overcome them So that they who dwelt in Heaven were those Saints against whom Antichrist made warre and whom hee overcame Now hee could not make warre with the Saints in glory nor overcome them therefore by these that dwell in Heaven is meant Gods faithfull Saints and people here on earth that should oppose Antichrist and therefore these are sayd to dwell in Heaven because of their heavenly conversation because they had their conversation in Heaven whiles they lived on earth Looke where a mans conversation most is there a man may bee
sayd to dwell and therefore they are sayd to dwell there because their conversation is most there David desires Psal 27. 4. that hee may dwell in the house of the Lord. and Psal 84. 4. Blessed are they that dwell in the house of the Lord. But now no man did dwell in the Temple why then doth David desire to dwell there True no man did dwell there but yet in regard of their continuall frequenting the Temple their daily resorting thither and their attendance there upon holy services they are said to dwell there So no man whilest hee is here on earth can bee literally sayd to dwell in Heaven but yet because the conversation of the godly is most constant and frequent in heaven they trade for heaven they deale for heaven they conferre for heaven they walke for heaven they thinke speake doe they eate drinke sleepe wake live and die for heaven what ever they doe they doe it with an eye to heaven therefore they are said to dwell in heaven Wee shall finde the Church in the booke of the Revelation called heaven so Apoc. 12. 1. Now why is the Church called heaven Not onely because it hath its originall and descent from heaven but because all the true members of the Church have their conversation above in heaven their life in the Church is a life in heaven As Ierusalem which is the mother of us all is above Gal. 4. 26. So the way of life is above to the wise to avoyd from hell beneath Prov 15. 24. And as the way of life is Above so the way of the life of the Saints is above because they walke in the way of life which is above Hell is beneath the way of the Saints is that they may depart from hell beneath The way to depart from hell beneath is to live above in the upper region to live in heaven to have our conversation there So that a godly mans conversation is above that is in Heaven which stands in opposition to Hell beneath How can godly men living here on Quest earth be sayd to have their conversation in heaven They may bee said to have their conversation Answ in Heaven in diverse respects First in regard of their head Iesus Christ in whom they are and unto whom they are united mystically Every true believer is so united to Christ that hee is in Christ Christ hee is in heaven and every true believer being in Christ hee is therefore also in heaven because hee is in him who is in heaven Hence it is that we are sayd to be risen with Christ Col. 3. 1. If ye be risen with Christ yea not onely to be risen but to be ascended and set in heaven with Christ Ephes 2. 6. Hee hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places They that be raised up and sit in heavenly places they are certainely in heaven But how come wee now already to sit in heavenly places See what is added made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Iesus Wee sit not there onely in regard of right but in some sense in fact because wee doe it in Christ our head Such is the union betweene Christ and the godly that what hee did they did in him When Christ was crucified we were crucified in him and with him Galat. 2. 20. I am crucified with Christ When Christ was quickned all beleevers were quickned together with him Ephes 2. 5. He hath quickned us together with Christ When he was raised up all believers were raised up together with him Ephes 2. 6. And when he ascended into heaven all believers ascended with him and now that he lives and sits in heaven all believers live sit in heaven with him doing it in him who is their head For Christ ascended into heaven and sits there not as a private person but as the head of the Church in the Name of all the elect and therefore that action is to bee accounted theirs As when an inheritance is given to many brethren in a far countrey the elder brother goes is enstated into the possession of it in the name of all the rest all the rest that are absent are possessed of the place as well as he that is bodily present there It is in this case as it is betweene the head the members of the naturall body Though all the body be under the water yet if the head be above the water wee use to say that the man is above the water So though the faithfull bee here on earth yet Christ their head being in heaven they may also be sayd to be in heaven Thus then the godly are in heaven because they be in Christ their head who is in heaven Iohn 17. 24. Father I will that they whom thou hast given mee be with mee where I am The which as they shall at last personally and locally be so also in this sense they now bee whilst on earth as having taken possession and a seate in Heaven in Christ their head Secondly in respect of their faith by which they ascend into heaven and sit there with Christ That looke as it is said of God Rom. 4. 17. that hee calles those things that bee not as if they were so likewise the grace of faith it makes things to bee which are not that is which are not to sense and are not seene with the eye of sence and nature Therefore Heb. 11. 1. Fayth is the subsistence of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seene The grace of faith doth give a nullity to things that are as namely to the afflictions miseries and mortality of this life it makes these things bee as if they were not It makes afflictions to bee no afflictions it makes miseries to be no miseries 2 Cor. 6. 9 10. As dying and yet behold we live as chastened yet not killed as sorrowfull yet alwaies rejoycing c. Now as faith gives a nullity to things existent and makes things which are not to be So on the contrary it gives a subsistence to things not being and makes those things to bee which are not Thus did the faith of the beleevers under the old Testament make Christ to bee crucified unto them before hee was crucified or come into the world Hee was to their faith a lambe crucified from the beginning of the world who was not indeed crucified till the latter end of the world And thus are wee by faith already in heaven though here yet on earth This is that Heb. 10. 34. Knowing that you have in your selves a better substance in the heavens How could they have that substance in themselves and in the heavens when they themselves on earth By the worke of faith which makes things to come to be already present A substance in themselves and yet a substance in heaven because they themselves already in heaven by their faith I live by faith saies the Apostle and the just shall live by faith A
Christian lives by faith and faith lives altogether above in heaven faith lives alwaies above upon Christ and with Christ And therefore a Christian must needs live in heaven because hee lives by that which lives altogether in heaven Faith puts the soule in possession of heaven whilest the body is here on earth It is with a Christians faith in this case as it was with Iacobs in that Gen. 48. 22. Moreover I have given unto thee one portion above thy brethren which I tooke out of the hand of the Amorite with my Sword and with my Bow Which is not to bee understood of any thing that was past and already done but he speaks prophetically of that which should afterwards be done by his posterity which his faith made to him as already done as if hee had now already conquered and taken possession of it He speaking the language of faith speakes of a thing to be done as past and done already So faith gives a man possession of heaven whiles hee is on earth and so makes him live in heaven whiles he is here on earth Thirdly in regard of their hearts and affections their loves delights and desires Their hearts and their minds their Neque n. praesentior spiritus noster est ubi animat quaÌ„ ubi amat nisi sorte putetur esse magis ubi invitus tenetur necessitate quam quo spâ—nâ—e fâ—râ—ur alacri volâ—nteâ—e 〈…〉 aâ—lâ—â— dâ—o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost ad Eph. hom 5. affections desires and delights are in heaven and so their conversation is there A man is not so much where his body is as where his heart is And a mans heart is not so much where his body is as where his love and affections and desires are Love and desire carry a mans heart thither where the things loved and desired are Where the treasure is there is the heart Matth. 6. Where the treasure is that is loved and desired there the heart is which loveth and desireth A man is not so much said to bee any where so much in respect of position of place as of disposition of affection And the soule is not where it lives but where it loves yea there it lives where it loves Thus therefore have the godly their conversation in heaven because they have their hearts there their affections are raised and mounted up into heaven they minde heaven and heavenly things their desires and longing affections are altogether there So much is here implyed in the Apostles opposition They mind earthly things but our conversation is in heaven The opposition one would have thought should rather have runne thus they minde earthly things But wee minde heavenly things but in stead of this hee saies our conversation is in heaven So that to have a mans conversation in heaven is to minde heavenly things to have his heart and affections in heaven What this conversation in heaven is we may see Col. 3. 1. 2. Seeke the things that are above Above where is that above In heaven above in heaven where Christ sits at the right hand of God And vers 2. Set your affection on things above Still above a Christians thoughts and affections are still above and so hee converses above in heaven Thus had Abraham his conversation in heaven Heb. 11. 10. He looketh for a City which hath foundations whose builder and maker is God How looked he for that City with much affection and desire vers 14 16. They seeke a Countrey they desire an heavenly Countrey Thus Abraham and the Patriarchs had their conversations in heaven by having their minds after heaven Excellent is that description of the Church Cant. 3. 6. Who is this that comes or ascends up out of the Wildernesse like pillars of smoake The world is a wildernesse a Christian hee is comming up out of the wildernesse he is always ascending up out of the wildernes he is raising and lifting up his heart into heaven and he ascends like pillars of smoake Smoke we see arises and ascends in the forme of a pillar and it goes upward to heaven So a Christian hath his heart alienated from the world hee is ever ascending up out of that wildernesse and such are the desires and affections of his heart after heaven that they ascend up like smoake like pillars elations and liftings up of smoake to heaven When the Israelites set Ai on fire Iosh 8. 20. The men of Ai looked behind them and they saw and beheld the smoake of the City ascended up to heaven So such are the affections and desires of the godly after heaven that their affections reeke and smoke and goe up in pillars of smoake to heaven Now when thus the soule of a man is lifted and carried up into heaven in his affections and desires when his heart thus reekes and smoakes towards heaven then is a mans conversation in heaven Phil. 1. I desire to be dissolved and to bee with Christ which is best of all Now when a mans heart hath continuall risings and heavings up heaven-ward when a mans spirit aspires breathes pants after the presence of God in heaven then a man may bee said to have his conversation in heaven See Iacobs expression Gen. 49. 18. O Lord I have waited for thy salvation It is with Gods people as with wayters a wayter hee stands without at the gate or doore of the house but his heart his desires are within doores hee represents to himselfe his being within his speech discourse carriage and behaviour there and so is within whiles he is without So is it with godly men they waite for salvation waite for heaven and though yet whiles here they be without yet in their minds affections and desires they are within The woman that Iohn saw Apoc. 12. 1. had the Moone under her feete The godly live above the Moone above all sublunary things These things are beneath their affections their affections are aloft above the Moone and they that have the Moone under their feet are in an higher region then the earth they have their conversation in heaven by having their affections above all earthly things Many when they are in the publique assemblies and at a sermon hearing the word yet they may bee said to have their conversation in their shops and in their fields because their hearts minds and affections be there So in this case the godly may be said to be in heaven whilst on earth because there bee their hearts and affections The godly may be said to be in heaven whilest they are on earth as the Israelites were said to bee in Egypt whilst they were in the wildernesse Act. 7. 39. They returned into Egypt I but they never came backe into Egypt how then is it sayd that they returned into Egypt They returned sayes the text into Egypt in their hearts Because their hearts affections and desires were in Egypt therefore they are said to returne into Egypt They returned in their hearts and with their
weaned and then I will bring him up that hee may appeare before the Lord and there abide for ever And vers 24. When shee had weaned him shee tooke him up with her and brought him unto the house of the Lord in Shiloh Ill would Samuel have abode at Shiloh and have had his conversation there with Eli if hee had not beene weaned from his mothers breast If a man sometimes doe chance to make a steppe up to heaven yet if hee be not weaned from the world he will never long abide there nor have his converse there his heart will bee hankering and lingering after the worlds breast he will quickly come downe againe that hee may be sucking that Milke The Apostle compares the love cares and thoughts of the world to weights Heb. 12. 1. Let us lay aside every weight They are weights that hold and keepe downe the heart from rising up to heaven or plucke downe the heart from heaven if it be raised up towards heaven A man that wil have his conversation in heaven must first have his heart lifted and raised up into heaven it must first be there before it can converse there Now how can the heart lift and raise up it selfe into heaven if it be clogged with a company of weights if it could raise it selfe upwards yet these waights would soone pull and weigh it downe againe An Eagle flies towards heaven Prov. 23. 5. But if an Eagle had waights fastned to her legges shee could not flie at all much lesse towards heaven If therefore we would converse in heaven wee must first sore up into heaven and if wee would mount and flie up into heaven wee must first get loose from these weights get our hearts loose and free from the love and cares of this world Yea these are not onely weights but they are as Bird-lime to those wings upon which we should mount up to heaven Worldly things are entanglements 2 Tim. 2. 4. No man that worketh entangles himselfe with the affaires of this life A Bird that is entangled with a snare that is entangled with lime-twigs cannot flie up aloft and the love and cares of the world doe entangle the spirit of a man so as he cannot raise it up into heaven And he that cannot raise up his heart into heaven cannot have his conversation there First get we our hearts to bee estranged from the earth and then wee shall the more willingly converse in heaven That man will hardly come to live in the countrey to have his abode and conversation there that hath not first weaned himselfe from the City so long as his minde is to the City hee will hardly like to leade a Countrey-life When once David had got his heart off from the world see how spiritually and heavenly minded he was Psal 119. 19 20. I am a stranger in the earth hee had alienated his heart and estranged his effections from the world and see what followes Hide not thy Commandements from mee my soule breakes for the longing that it hath unto thy judgements at all times Wee see the Patriarches were heavenly minded persons had their conversation in heaven Hebr. 11. 16. Their mindes were upon an heavenly Countrey but yet first vers 13. they confesse they were strangers and pilgrims on earth They had estranged their hearts from this world from the earth and so made way to have their conversation in heaven Secondly yee must doe as our Saviour prescribes Math. 6. 20. Lay up treasures in heaven Make heavenly things your treasures hoard up there and lay up there as much as may be and then yee shall soone have your conversation there Then the conversation is in heaven when the heart and affections are in heaven as wee saw before The way to have the heart in heaven is to have the treasure there Math. 6. 20 21. Lay up your treasure in heaven for where your treasure is there will your hearts be also As if he had said Get your treasure into heaven and you shall easily get your hearts into heaven for if the treasure bee once in heaven the heart will soone bee in heaven too for the heart and the treasure will be undivided What is the reason that many have their conversation on earth but because they lay up their treasure on earth and they make these earthly things their treasures So if treasure were laid up in heaven and heavenly things made our treasure our conversation would be in heaven for the heart would follow and runne after the treasure Make Christ thy treasure make him the welbeloved of thy soule make him the pearle of great price prize him so as to count all earthly things as dung and drosse to him and Christ in heaven being made our treasure will draw our hearts up into heaven And when the heart is drawne up into heaven the conversation is there Looke where the Loadstone is that way it draws the yron If the Loadstone bee beneath it drawes the yron downeward if it be above it drawes the yron upwards Pitch our Loadstone in heaven make Christ our Loadstone and then our hearts will up apace into heaven as mens hearts goe so fast downwards because their Loadstone is in the earth Thirdly hee must get an intrinsecall principle of grace into his heart that may be continually lifting heaving and raysing the heart upward and heaven-ward Heavy things they naturally affect to descend and to goe downeward because they have an intrinsecall principle of nature that inclines them to descend And light things they naturally affect to ascend and goe upwards because they have an intrinsecall principle that carries them that way Now a man that would have his conversation in heaven should get such an inward principle of grace into his heart that should bee carrying the heart still upward A man must get a sanctified frame of heart that so the naturall bent of his spirit may be to heaven-ward to be heaving and lifting upwards Psal 25. 1. Vnto thee O Lord doe I lift up my soule By that phrase is expressed the strange desires of a servant to his wages Deut. 24. 15. Thou shalt give him his hire for hee sets his heart upon it or hee lifts up his soule unto it Looke now how a servants heart is lifted up to his hire how he sets his heart upon it how his minde runs upon it so such a frame of Spirit should a man get that his heart should be lifting up it selfe to God and Christ and heavenly things that though a man may have some diversions and some occurrences that may put his heart off heaven for a time yet those diversions no sooner over but a mans heart should bee upon heaven againe and never well but when it is set that way The needle of the compasse being once toucht with the Loadstone though by some violent shaking it may bee carried to this and to that point of the compasse yet if once that violence cease it ceases not till
it turne to the North-point and rest there So if once a man had his heart toucht with Christ though a man may have troubles and distractions by reason of secular imployments yet the heart would quickly bee upon heaven againe and not be at rest till it were pitcht that way againe Get therefore a sanctified frame of heart and then thou wilt bee thinking of heaven minding of heaven talking of heaven trading for heaven yet that will make thee use thine earthly calling with an heavenly mind that what ever thine imployments be yet thy minde shall be running on heaven and so thy conversation shall be in heaven There is a great deale of difference betweene heavenly thoughts that may bee cast into a mans heart and heavenly thoughts that breed in rise and spring out of a mans heart A man may have heavenly thoughts cast in his heart and yet not have his conversation in heaven Many a worldly man may have thoughts and mindings of heaven thrown or cast into his heart God may cast such thoughts sometimes into his heart and it may bee a good sermon may so farre worke upon him as to put some thoughts of heaven into him but all this while this is no conversation in heaven these are but thoughts in their hearts but not thoughts of their hearts But now when such thoughts are thoughts of the heart they are bred in the heart and the heart it selfe raises them and brings them forth then in such thoughts a man hath his conversation in heaven Now then onely doth the heart breed and raise such thoughts of it selfe when the frame of it is sanctified when there is a principle of grace in it The fire that is come downe from heaven burning in it causes heavenly thoughts to ascend like pillars of smoke Fire doth not more naturally cause smoke to arise and ascend upwards towards heaven then grace in a sanctified heart causes the thoughts of it to make ascensions into heaven When a man hath a sanctified frame of heart what ever hee is doing what ever his employments what ever his discourses are still hee is minding heaven That looke as it is with a man that hath a worldly frame of heart so soone as he wakes in the morning presently before his eyes be well open he is thinking of the world when hee eates and drinkes still the world is in his mind when hee walkes rides upon the way still his mind is upon his penny upon his profit yea when hee sleepes hee dreames of the world and of his gaine let him bee at his prayers yet in prayer his heart is upon his shop his customers his market his barnes and his sackes let him be at a sermon where hee seemes to sit very attentively and yet then his heart goes after covetousnesse Eze. 33. 31. Let him come to the Lords Table yet there the world and his heart cannot sunder Now what is the reason that this man so truely hath his conversation in the world hath his thoughts thus continually upon the world Because he hath a worldly frame of heart and the frame of it being earthly these earthly vapours breed out of it and it is restlesly raising these earthly muddy thoughts So now in this case if a man once have a sanctified frame of heart that would thus breed heavenly thoughts that what ever he were about yet his thoughts would be upon and in heaven When he awakes in the morning he would awake as David did Psal 139. 18. When I awake I am still with thee so soone as mine eyes are open mine heart is in heaven with thee God and heaven are first in my thoughts so soone as I awake Davids thoughts lookt up to heaven and to God next his heart When he sits at table to eate and drinke he hath some such thought as that Luke 14. 15. Blessed is he that shall eate bread in the Kingdome of God When he lies in his bed and it were time he were at his rest He prayes in his bed Psal 6. 6. He meditates of heaven in his bed Psal 16. 7. he conferres in his bed Deut. 6. 7. he sings in his bed Psal 149 5. When hee is in the workes of his calling in the employments of the world even when at the hottest yet his heart hath its lookes to heaven he hath an eye still to heaven Psal 123. 1 2. Vnto thee I lift up mine eyes O thou that dwellest in the heavens behold as the eyes of servants looke unto the hand of their masters and as the eyes of a mayden unto the hands of her mistresse c. I know the text hath another sence I do onely allude to it Ye shall see Ladies Wayting-gentlewomen and mayds they waite on their Ladies with their worke in their hands they are following their worke but yet ever and anon they are casting their eyes to their Ladies and still as they are working have an eye to them so it is with a man that hath a sanctified gracious frame of heart hee is following his earthly and worldly businesse but yet ever and anon hee is lifting up his eyes and his heart to God in the heavens still his heart is looking that way as Daniel in Babylon opened his window and looked towards Ierusalem And as an earthly man in an heavenly businesse of prayer hearing and receiving the Sacrament will have an earthly so he in an earthly businesse in his shop in his field at his plow will have an heavenly heart and so converses in heaven in the very heat and middest of secular imployments Such a man as he rides by the way as hee walkes with company will have conference and discourse that shall evidence an heart in heaven Yea an heart sanctified hath such a bent towards heaven that his heart is in heaven in his very sleepe that hee often hath sweet dreames of heaven and things belonging to heaven Thus if a man get once such a sanctified frame of heart he shall be sure to have his conversation in heaven Secondly this serves to condemne two sorts of persons and convinces them to be Vse 2 no true Christians indeed First It shoales out all prophane irreligious unholy persons from being true Christians We have a great many that live like heathens prophane swearers neglecters and contemners of holinesse and all holy duties of obedience drunkards uncleane persons and the like and yet these would thinke themselves much wronged if a man should call the truth of their Christianity in question Well then put it upon this tryall try them by a Christians conversation Hee that is a Christian is of a Christians conversation He that is of a Christians conversation hath his conversation in heaven Now I appeale to such mens consciences whether their conversation be in heaven or not whether they live with such holinesse obedience for the kind of it as the Saints in heaven do Thou hast a swearing an uncleane an adulterous conversation a drunken
but flitting thoughts they come and goe and tarry not abide not in the heart they come and goe like flashes of lightning they take up their lodging in the heart The man that hath his conversation in heaven his thoughts of heaven are not flashes and glances but setled habituall permanent thoughts If there come ever such a traine of worldly thoughts into thine heart they shall have lodging Ier. 4. 14. How long shall thy vaine thoughts lodge within thee They shall have lodging not onely a bed for a night but they can stay seaven yeeres together with thee thou never thinkst their company troublesom But when thoughts of heaven come into thine heart there is hardly a bed or a nights lodging to be had for them that is too too long but it may be thou salutest them then givest them their passe and so fare them well Such thoughts are no arguments of a conversation in heaven Secondly It may be these thoughts of heaven are but accidentall they come by chance not studied purposed thoughts but onely such as chop in by the by The thoughts of heaven that a man hath that hath his conversation in heaven are intended thoughts purposed and studied thoughts hee sets himselfe to thinke of heaven and the things of heaven Thirdly It may bee these bee fruitlesse thoughts that leave no manner of impression on the heart It may bee thou hast some thoughts of heaven but the way of these thoughts in thine heart are as the way of an eagle in the ayre as the way of a serpent upon a rocke as the way of a ship in the heart of the Sea Prov. 30. 18. What impression leaves an Eagle in the ayre what impression doth a serpent leave upon an hard rocke or what impression doth a ship leave in the heart of the sea Iust such an impression as thoughts of heaven leave in thine heart that is just none at all They leave not such a worke behind them as to make thee looke ere the more after heaven they leave no such worke as to make thee ere the lesse earthly thou art as earthly and eager after the love of the world after these thoughts as ever thou wast before It is not so with such as have their conversation in heaven Their thoughts and mindings of heaven are such as leave strong impressions behind them such as make them take more paines for grace for Christ then before Therefore see how the Apostle joynes these two together Col. 3. 1 2. The setting of the affections upon things above or the minding of things above and the seeking of things above They then that mind things above have their thoughts upon things above as they should have they seeke things that are above Their mindings and thinkings of heaven are such as worke strong Impressions in them as make them industrious laborious in the serious seeking of heavenly and spirituall things A thought of heaven that makes a man wish for heaven is a fruitlesse vanishing thought but a thought of heaven that will make a man worke for heaven is the thought of the man that hath his conversation in heaven Thy thoughts at best set thee but a wishing and not a working for heaven and therefore these thoughts prove not thy conversation to bee in heaven This serves to answere the common Vse 3 objection that men make when they are prest to that holinesse and obedience that God calles for Why say they what would ye have would you have us to be Saints As if that were so strange or so unreasonable a thing that men should be called upon to be Saints as if none were to be Saints but such as were red lettered in the Calendar If ye be Christians you are to have your conversation in heaven and must not they bee Saints that are to have their conversation in heaven If we must have our conversation in heaven whilest here on earth then whilest we live here on earth we must live as Saints FINIS