from Christ their roote that sappe preserves them from the taking in of such moysture as would breed rottennesse There is not a better evidence of a mans sappe and life from Christ then his not receiving in of rotting moysture from the examples of such as hee lives amongst Marke yet further That the behaviours and carriages of Gods people must bee diverse Doct. 2 and different from yea they must be flat opposite and contrary to the courses of the men of the world Their conversation is earthly But our conversation is in Heaven A Christian hee must not onely swimme crosse the streame but quite against the streame They be dead fish that are carried downe the streame But our conversation is in heaven There bee two Buts in Scripture There is one But that is an il-favored But. Such as that is Apoc. 2. 4. But I have somewhat against thee that thou hast lost thy first love There be that have many good things in them But they have some foule fault or other withall that marres all that is a dead Fly in the Apothecaries oyntment He is an honest man But he is too worldly But he is too hasty c. Such a But is a disgrace and a dishonourable blurre to a man There is another But and that is when a mans life is such as crosses and thwarts the corrupt and evill courses of other men Others are earthly But our conversation is in heaven others are loose and leude But we are holy and religious And such a But as this puts honour and credit upon a man the first blurres but the second graces a man There bee too many that have the first But which crosses their religion and Christian profession there bee but a few can hit this last But which crosses and thwarts the corrupt and sinfull courses of the world But this is that which a Christian must doe his waies and courses must bee crosse and contrary to the vaine foolish and sinfull courses of men of the world They minde earth we minde heaven There is a great difference and distance betweene Heaven and earth so great a difference and distance should there bee betweene the life of a Christian and of men of the world Nay that is not all 1 Thess 5. 5 6 7 8. Yee are all the children of light and the children of the day we are not of the night nor of darknesse c. There is not onely a difference but a contrariety betweene day and night light and darknesse There must be as great a contrariety between the waies of godly and worldly men as betweene day and night light and darknesse Christians should bee as the Antipodes to other men Indeed Pope Zachary condemned and deposed Vingilius a Bishop in Bavaria for Morn Myst Progress 27. heresie because hee affirmed That there were Antipodes that there were men in the world whose feete were contrary and Paulus secundus virtutis ac literarum â—soâ— qui bonarum arâ—ium studiosos imo cos qui nomen ipsum Academiae vel seâ—io vel joco nominessâ—nâ— haereticos pronâ—â—â—â— vit Plâ—t in vâ—â— Pauli 2. over against ours in these parts of the world Such another heresie as it was wont to bee amongst the Friers to dissent from Thomus and to speake Greeke yea it was heresie to be learned men and studious of good arts Now as the Pope held it heresie to say there were Antipodes so many it may bee may thinke it little better then heresie to teach that Christians should be Antipodous to the sinfull courses of the world But yet so it is and so it must be that Christians must bee Antipodes to the men of the world So much doth our Saviours reason imply Luke 12. 29 30. And seeke not yee what yee shall eate or what ye shall drinke neither be ye of doubtfull mind for all these things doe the people of the worldseek after Which very reason implies an Antipodous disposition that should be in his people to the courses of the people of the world And hereupon it was that God would have the sacrifices of the Israelites such as were contrary and crosse to Egyptian religion Looke what the Egyptians honoured for their Gods that Israel must sacrifice to God as Beeves sheepe Goats c. Those which were the Egyptian deities were the Israelites sacrifices And therefore Moses telles Pharoah that they must goe out of Egypt to sacrifice least they should offer that which was an abomination to the Egyptians Exod. 8. It could not but bee an abomination unto them to see those things to which they offered sacrifice to bee offered up in sacrifice The heathen in their worships did worship towards the East God therefore so appointed the placing of the Tabernacle and the Temple that whosoever came to worship him should looke towards the West as if God would have his people as contrary to the people of the world as the West to the East The Egyptians eate little or no flesh of beasts save of Swine and God in speciall prohibited the Iewes the eating of Swines flesh The reasons of it are First that which may bee implyed in the word here used in the text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conversation or Citizen-like behaviour as Beza translates it The word implies that godly and wicked men bee members of different Incorporations Worldly mens City and Incorporation is here Godly men have here no abiding City their City is in Heaven The godly are from above wicked men are from beneath Iohn 8. 23. Yee are from beneath I am from above The godly are not of the world Iohn 8. 23. Wicked men are the men of this world Psal 17. 14. It is their character Men of the world which have their portion in this life Now wee see that different Cities and Incorporations which are in different Kingdomes have not onely different but contrary customes lawes orders fashions habits and usages Godly and wicked men being of different Incorporations no wonder that there must be not onely a difference but a contrariety in their courses and carriages Heaven and earth nay heaven and hell should not put them farther asunder then their manners and behaviours then they should bee Loe the people shall dwell alone and shall not bee amongst the Nations saies Balaam of Israel Numb 23 9. They dwelt not alone in regard of their scituation not as wee in this Kingdome in an Iland cleft out and cleft off from all the world they were environd and neighboured round about with many Nations but they dwelt alone in regard of their Religion and Common-wealth in regard of their manners and waies in which they were different from and contrary to other Nations Secondly that same Tit. 2. 14. Christ hath redeemed us to be a peculiar people to himselfe Peculiar people must have peculiar courses peculiar waies To what end hath God made them a peculiar people That the Apostle shewes 1 Pet. 2. 9. That you should shew forth the vertues of
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
the likenesse of Lazarus his resurrection Iohn 11. 44. hee was indeed raised but yet hee was to die againe Too many rise in the likenesse of his resurrection of whom it may be said cleane contrary to that which the father spake of his prodigall sonne Luke 15. 32. This thy brother was dead and is alive againe but of them These were alive and are dead againe Such is the resurrection of Apostataes and back-sliders But now a man that would be raised aright must be raised in the likenesse of Christs resurrection hee must be raised like as Christ was raised How was that The third day hee rose againe from the dead hee ascended into heaven Christ after he rose from the dead hee ascended up into heaven and hath his abode there So a man that is raised in the likenesse of Christs resurrection must doe he must rise and ascend into heaven Then a man is planted into the likenesse of Christs resurrection when he ascends into heaven then hee is ascended into heaven when hee hath his conversation in heaven And so a man that hath his conversation in heaven is planted into the likenesse of Christs resurrection and hath also thereby a comfortable evidence that hee is risen with Christ For indeede none can rise in the likenesse of his resurrection but those that are raised by the power of his resurrection All this therefore considered be wee stirred up to approve the truth of our Christianity by the heavenlinesse of our conversation by living now where wee desire to live for ever hereafter by living like Daniel Saints Dan. 7. 18. Like the Saints of the high ones or high things or places What should the Saints of high things doe minding these low things here on earth What should the Saints of the high places doe conversing in these low places on earth Some low thoughts as of the earth become not the Saints of the high places Saints of the high places should have their conversation in high places There should be a suiteablenesse betweene mens conditions and conversations If God have called them to the high calling of God in Christ Iesus If he have called them to be of the Saints of the high Phil. 3. 14. places then let them live on high and have their minds and affections on high let them have their conversation in high places Indeed in one sence it is a sinne to Rom. 12. 16. Bonum est sursum habere Cor non tamen ad seipsum quod est superbiae sed ad Deum quod est obeduntiae Prosper sent be high minded and it is forbidden Mind not high things but in this sence it is a vertue and a grace to bee high minded and we are commanded to doe it Col. 3. 2. Minde the things above minde high things It is the same word that is used in the verse before this text which minde earthly things Though wee may not be Proudly high-minded yet wee may and must be heavenly high-minded Such an highmindednesse will prove us to be right bred Christians indeed Wee shall finde that God twice promises Abraham the multiplication of his seed once Gen. 13. 16. And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth so that if a man can number the dust of the earth then shall thy seed also bee numbred And againe Gen. 15. 5. Looke now towards heaven and tell the Starres if thou be able to number them and he said so shall thy seed bee In the first place hee compares Abrahams seed to the dust of the Ponam semen tuum quasi pulverem terra c. Infra deus jube◠Abrahamū numerare stellas Illic igitur posteritatem Abrahae comparat stellis luminibu◠coeli hic autem pulveri terrae Significatur autem his similitudinibus duplex Abrahae posteritas una terrenae corporalis Altera coelestis spiritualis aeterna Luther in Genes 13. earth in the last to the Starres of heaven Luther from thence observes the shadowing out of the double seed of Abraham one earthly and bodily another spirituall and heavenly And indeed the Scripture tels us of a double seed of Abraham Rom. 9. 7 8. The children of the flesh and the children of the promise The children of the flesh haply shadowed out by the dust of the earth the children of promise by the Starres of heaven Now sureit is that we cannot be children of God except we be children of Abraham If we be children of Abraham wee are sure to be heires Rom. 4. 14 16. All Abrahams seed are not children and heires Rom. 9. How may a man know whether he be of those children of Abraham that shall be heires By this if hee be of the seed that is like to the Starres in heaven That seed that is like the dust of the earth that Christian that is but carnall and earthly hee is not a child of Abraham that shall be an heyre but that seed that is like the Starres of heaven such Christians as are spirituall and heavenly they shall be heires because they are the right bred seed of Abraham The Saints Dan. 7. 18. are called the Saints of the high places And so Dan. 8. 10. they are called the Host of heaven and the Starres They are Saints of high places indeed when they are Starres in heaven and the Host of heaven Now when wee are Starres in heaven then indeed wee are the right seed of Abraham true Christians indeed But now when are wee Starres in heaven Then when wee have our conversation in heaven Men that have their conversation in heaven they are Starres in heaven the glistering lampes and lights of heaven that shine as lights in the middest of a crooked generation Philip. 2. 15. they are the Host of heaven And they that are Starres in heaven they are the true Christians indeed the right seed of Abraham looke upon the Starres so shall thy seed bee What comfort is there in being the dusty seed of Abraham as now all the reprobate cast-away Iewes are at this day but to be the Starry seed of Abraham that 's honour and comfort indeed And then we are the Starry seed of Abraham when we be Starres in heaven when wee have our conversation in heaven But how then may one come to Quest have his conversation in heaven what must one doe that hee may converse in heaven If a man would have his conversation Answ in heaven he must doe these things First he must get his heart loose from the world and worldly things a man must get his heart weaned from the world Psal 131. 2. I have behaved my selfe as a child that is weaned of his mother my soule is even as a weaned child Hanna had vowed Samuel unto God that he should have his whole converse in and about the Tabernacle in Shiloh But yet shee brought him not presently thither but she first weaned him 1 Sam. 1. 22. Hannah said I will not goe up untill the child bee