TWO TREATISES OF Mr. JEREMIAH BURROUGHS The first Of Earthly-mindedness Wherein is shewed 1. What Earthly-mindedness is 2. The Evils of Earthly-mindedness 3. Several Convincements of Earthly-mindedness 4. Several Reasons of Earthly-mindedness 5. Considerations to take off the heart from Earthly-mindedness 6. Directions how to get our hearts free from Earthly-mindedness The second Treatise Of Conversing in Heaven and Walking with God Wherein is shewed 1. How the Saints have their Conversation in Heaven 2. How the Saints Trade for Heaven 3. Evidences of Heavenly Conversation 4. That Heavenly Conversation is 1. Convincing 2. Growing 3. Brings much glory to God 4. Brings much glory to the Saints 5. It will make suffering easie 6. Brings much joy 7. It 's very safe 5. Directions for Heavenly Conversation 6. What Walking with God is 7. The Excellency of walking with God 8. Evidences of our walking with God 9. Rules for our walking with God The Fourth Volumn published by Thomas Goodwyn William Bridge William Greenhil John Yates Sydrach Simpson Philip Nye William Adderley London Printed for Peter Cole at the Printing-Press in Cornhill near the Royal Exchange 1652. TO the READER IT was the saying of a Servant of Christ Every day a Christian spends on Earth is a day lost in heaven sure he meant it of the Place not the Company For what makes Heaven but Vnion and Communion with God in Jesus Christ Now this being attainable in this life what hinders but a Christian may live in heaven whilst he lives upon earth Truly our Fellowship is with the Father with his Son Jesus Christ 1 Job 13. And our Conversation is in Heaven saith another Apostle Phil. 3. 20. And I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God Gal. 2. 20. These were men on earth subject to such infirmities as these are yet lived in Heaven and there are yet in this declining wanton Christ-denying age a Generation upon earth thus living whose lives and graces though hidden under a mean out side under many reproaches and infirmities yet shine inwardly with the glory of Christ upon them who though they be in the world yet follow the Lord with a Spirit differing from the spirit of the world and amongst these hidden ones of the Lord this blessed man the preacher of these Sermons of whom the world was not worthy was such a one who whilst he was upon earth lived in Heaven and as thou maiest easily perceive the end and scope of these Sermons is to winde up thy heart to the like frame and posture viz. To take it off from perishing vanities and to set it upon that which is the real and durable substance We see upon what weak shoulders the fair neck of all worldly pomp and glory now stands and how the Lord is winding up and putting an end to the glories of the Kingdoms of men who have not contributed their strength and power to the advancing but contrariwise to the pulling down and ecclypsing of the glory of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ Besides what the World tells us never had any age by the works of providence more examples laid before them of the worlds vanity than in our daies and therefore our hearts should sâ—t loose to all things that cannot stretch themselves to eternity The Apostles reason is full of weight It remains saith he that both they that have wives be as though they had none and they that weep as though they wept not and they that rejoyce as though they rejoyced not and they that buy as though they possessed not and they that use the world as not abusing it and this Exhortation he puts on by this Argument The time is short or as the word is The remainder of our season is now folding up as a sail or curtain into a narrow room Time is short and life shorter and the end of all things is at hand and we have greater things to minde and to set our hearts upon The Divinityy of this holy mans spirit did much appear in this that having much of the comfort that Earth could afford him he still looked upon all Creatures Contentments with the eyes of a stranger and on order to the raising up of his soul to a more holy humble serviceable self denying walking with God For him that injoyes little or nothing in the world to speak much of the worlds vanity and emptynesse and of taking the heart off that the sweetness whereof he never possessed is not so much as when a man is surrounded with the confluence of Creature-comforts then by a Divine spirit to tread upon the neck of these things and to be caught up into the third Heaven bathing solacing and satisfying it self with sweet and higher injoyments with the more savory and cordial apprehensions it hath of Jesus Christ this is somewhat like him that is made partaker of the Divine Nature and that lives above the world in the injoyment of the world so that now Reader thou hast these Sermons twice printed once in the practice of this holy man and now again in these papers which we present to thee in this preaching stile though we confess things might have been more contracted because we find this way more desired more acceptable to his hearers and if we mistake not more working upon the affections and more profitable to the greatest part of Christians The Lord Jesus be with thy Spirit and go along with these and all other his precious labors to the furtherance of the joy of thy Faith building thee up in the inner man and directing thee in the way to thine eternal rest Thomas Goodwyn William Greenhil Sydrach Simpson Philip Nye William Bridge John Yates William Adderley THou hast here the names of al the Books of Mr. Jeremiah Burroughs that are published by us Thomas Goodwyn William Greenhil Sydrach Simpson Philip Nye William Bridge John Yates William Adderley The first Volumn The rare Jewel of Christian Contentment The second Volumn Gospel Worship The third Volumn Gospel Conversation The fourth Volumn Two Treatises the one of Earthly-mindedness the other of conversing in Heaven and walking with God THE CONTENTS OF THE FOURTH VOLUUMN Philip. 3. 19. CHAP. I. TExt opened Page 2 Doctrine There is a great difference between a wicked man and a godly man The one minds the Earth the other his Conversation is in Heaven 3 CHAP. II. Earthly-mindedness discovered in nine particulars 1 When men look upon Earthly things as the greatest things 5 2 When the choicest of their thoughts are busied about earthly things 6 3 When their hearts cleave to the earth Page 8 4 When their hearts are filled with distracted cares about the earth 9 5 When the greatest endeavors of their lives are about things of the earth 11 6 When they seek any earthly thing for its self and not in subordination to some higher good 13 7 When they are
have done what they could nad labour'd and toyl'd and yet for all that they miscarry Oh what a foolish thing is this then for thee to toyl and labour about that which is so uncertain for were it not a foolish thing for a man to bestow all his estate about buying of pibble stones and that that will afford him no kind of benefit at all This folly is in the heart of man I 'le but put this care to you If two of you should go to the Indies where precious stones are and one should purchase a lading of precious stones and other rich commodities and the other that carried as much money with him he laies out all his money about baubles and trifles and they both come home laden Both went out with the same stock both come home laden and one comes home with precious stones that makes him rich and his posterity to be great men the other brings home nothing but a company of pibble stones which makes him scorn'd and jeer'd at by all his Neighbours Oh! how would he be ready to tear his flesh for his folly in this kind This will be the difference between men and women at the day of Judgment for the truth is what is this world but a sea-fare we are here sailing in this world and here we have the market of pearls or else of that hath no worth at all in it when you live in the times of the Gospel I say there is a market for pearls for those things that may enrich you to all eternity now there 's one man he bestows the strength of his thoughts and heart about those things that he shall be blessing of God in the highest heavens to all eternity for and the other man bestows his thoughts and heart but upon the things of the earth and lades himself with thick clay as the Scripture phrase is and now at the day of Judgment when it shall appear here 's a man or woman that shall be to all eternity blessed that shall joyn with Angels and Saints in the highest heavens to magnifie the free grace of God in Christ and here 's another had that he bestowed but his thoughts and heart about the same things he might have been so blessed for ever but he minding the things of the earth is a cursed fool and is the scorn and contempt of men and Angels to all eternity earthly-mindednesse brings men into foolish lusts the Scipture speaks Oh! though men of earthly minds think themselves the only blessed men I applaud my self at home let men talk what they will but the holy Ghost saith that those Iusts that are caused by earthly-mindednesse are foolish lusts Fifthly That 's folly for a man to do that that he must undo again Now especially those earthly-minded men that have this earthlinesse so to prevail with them as to get any thing of the earth by false waies they must certainly undo all they have done you have got so much of the earth in some cunning cheating way and you blesse your selves that you have found out such a mystery of iniquity this is a foolish lust Foolish Why it must be done again either you must be eternally damn'd or else you must restore as Zacheus did if you be able though it be to the impoverishing of your selves yet it must out again all the sorrow and repentance that can be will not be sufficient thou canst not be pardoned upon all thy sorrow and repentance if thou dost not restore if thou beest able what thou hast ill gotten I do not know that there was ever any Minister of the Gospel upon the face of the earth but held this that it was of absolute necessity to salvation to restore and this one reason cannot but satisfie any mans conscience That a man cannot truly repent of a sin and yet wilfully to continue in it Now except you do restore you do wilfully continue in it for why you do not only wrong the man the first hour but so long as you keep any thing that is his you do wrong him and if you be able to restore and do not because you are loth to part with so much mony or so many goods you do wilfully continue in the sin now no man or woman can truly repent of a sin and yet wilfully persist in that sin what a foolish lust is this for a man or woman to go and get the things of this world in such a way as he must undo all again though it be to his shame Oh! consider what a folly it is You deceitful servants that spend away that upon your lusts that you cheat and cosen your master of afterwards when you come to set up for your selves you must restore what you have purloind and it may be a great part of your estate must be repaid in way of restitution it must be done there 's no gain-saying of it and therefore what a foolish lust it is to be set upon the things of the earth so as to get them in an earthly way 6. And then foolish observe this one note By Earthly-mindednesse they do lose the comfort of earthly things before they have them I make it out thus A man or woman that hath carking thoughts about the things of the earth and it may be by their inordinate thoughts and cares and affections after some earthly things they contract much guiltinesse upon their own spirits yet after this perhaps God doth give them that earthly thing now when they have got it if they have any light in their consciences their convinced consciences will then reflect thus upon them I have got this indeed Oh! but have I it with the blessing of God I have it in my costody but I got it dearly it cost me such thoughts and cares and affections before I had it and now I have it I cannot say it comes out of Gods love I rather fear that God hath given it me in his wrath because I got it in such a way now all the comfort is gone and lost whereas had it come in the way of God and hadst thou given up thy self to God and then providence had brought such a comfort to thee thou mightest have enjoyed much of God in it bless'd God for it the Lord hath bless'd me in my trading Oh! I have it from the Love of God But now when thy heart was earthly before it came when it doth come thou hast no comfort in it the comfort of all is lost before it comes thou hast spent so much upon it as if a man hath got a thing after he hath gotten it he thinks thus What hath this cost me it hath cost me a great deal more than it's worth now the comfort of it is vanished The Eighth Evil. Earthly-mindednesse It is the root of Apostasie I 'le give you but one Scripture compare it with another 2 Tim. 4 10. there 's a notable Text that shews how earthly-mindednesse breeds
fair and beautiful wheresoever they come and be as sombody in the world these do thus and thus these forsake the truths of God and seek to provide for themselves in the things of the flesh Fiftly Men naturally never knew better things than the things of the earth and therefore no marvel though they mind earthly things so much Children that are born in a dungeon and never knew any better place they can play up and down in the dungeon So it is with men that never knew what the things of heaven and eternal life meant they can mind earthly things better than those but when once the Lord opens the eyes of their understandings to see into the reality excellency and glory of spiritual things they then wonder at their former blindness in minding such poor low mean foolish rattles as the things of the earth are Sixtly There are earthly principles continually dropt into men by converse with other men that are men of the earth 49. Psal 11. and 13. Their inward thoughts is that their houses shall continue for ever and their dwelling place to all generations they call their lands after their own names Their hearts are set upon these things then in the 13. verse This their way is their folly yet their posterity approve their sayings They are applauded by men they see that every body do applaud them in these waies and when they converse one with another they do converse about the things of the earth and the common example of men they see every body following the things of the earth and are greedy after these toyes and that likewise doth incline their minds to the things of the earth Lastly The sensible experience they have had of the sweetnesse that there is in the things of the earth This is that that takes off their minds from spiritual things and makes them to mind the things of the earth But though these be the reasons why men do thus mind the things of the earth and an earthly-minded man blesses himself in his way and thinks he hath good reason for what he doth and thinks all men fools that do not grovel in the ground like a mole with himself and looks upon the matter of Religion but as meer words and talk let them do what they will I find contentment here yet certainly at length it will prove folly this their way as the holy Ghost saith in the 49 Psal This their way it is but their folly and in the end the wise men of the earth those that have sought the things of the earth and blesse themselves in their way they will prove to be the greatest fools the holy Ghost accounts them so In the 17. of Jere. 11. verse As the Partridge sitteth on eggs and hatcheth them not so he that getteth riches and not by right shall leave them in the midst of his daies and at his end shall be a fool He applauds himself for the present in what he hath got but at the end he shall be a fool CHAP. V. NOW the main thing that is still behind in the Point It is therefore to endeavour to take off the minds of men and women from the things of this earth that so by it I may make preparation to the next Point which is of infinite concernment The Conversations in Heaven But because their conversations cannot be in Heaven till their minds be taken off from the earth till the disease of Earthly-mindednesse be cur'd therefore we must now propound those things that may help to take off the minds of men from the earth Eleven Considerations to take off mens hearts from Earthly-mindedness First Consider this That all the things of the earth that thy mind and heart is upon if thou couldst possess them all as thine own yet there is not so much good in them as to countervail the evil of the least sin not of the least sin of thought thy heart is mudling upon the things of the earth and thinkest that thou shouldest be blest if thou badst thus and thus as others have Let me tell thee if thou hast but one sinful thought there is more evil in that than there 's good in all that ever thou shalt get all the daies of thy life in the world and if this be so that there is more evil in the least fin than there is good in all the things of the earth it concerns thee rather to have thy mind how to avoid sin or how to get the evil of sin to be remov'd and how to get thy sin to be mortified that concerns thee more than the minding and plodding about the things of the earth that 's one consideration A Second Consideration A second is this that may take off the hearts of men from the things of the earth That the chief things that are in the earth yea name what terrene excellency possibly a man may be crowned with under Heaven hath been the portion of Reprobates heretofore and is to this day and shall be the portion of multitudes whom God hates and hath set apart to glorifie his infinite Justice upon eternally Shall thy mind and heart be set upon such things as are the portion of Reprobates will a Reprobates portion content thee will it serve thee art thou satisfied with dogs meat If it will not content thee why is it that thy mind is so much upon the things of the earth It may be thou that art poor and mean in the world thy mind is upon some little matter thou canst never expect to have any great things in the world and yet thou mindest them as if that there were thy portion and thy happiness some small pittance to furnish thy house to provide for thy self and thy poor family Oh friend if it were possible for thee to get the Empire of the whol world under thy foot yet thou shouldest get no more than hath been the portion of such as God hath hated and if so be that Kingdoms and Empires have been the portion of Reprobates why doest thou mind things that are lower abundantly and let the strength of thine heart flow out upon such things as these are A Third Consideration A third consideration is this Surely God hath made man for higher things than the things of this earth Oh! if thou hadst but thy thoughts often working this way Wherefore do I think in my conscience hath God made the children of men for what end why hath he sent them hither into the world Of all the creatures that God hath here upon the earth he hath none capable to know him the infinite First being of all things but only the children of men God hath given them such a nature as is capable of some converse with him surely then there be other things that God made man for than to have meat and drink and cloathes and here to live a while only to enjoy creatures Do not we reade often That Jesus Christ was God and Man took
faces may shine so that you may see by their Conversations that certainly they have been with God upon the Mount this day Now I appeal to you in this Do you live so as that your family and your neighbors may see that you have bin this morning in Heaven Every morning we should have some converse with Heaven which if we had our Conversations would be convincing all the day long and very profitable it would be to the world Christians that live Heavenly Conversations they are I say of very great use in the places where they live As I remember it 's said concerning Christ When he ascended up to Heaven he gave gifts to men And if we could oftener ascend up to Heaven we should be more able to be beneficial to the world CHAP. XV. An Heavenly Conversation is growing AN Heavenly Conversation is a growing Conversation Oh! they grow mightily they do thrive in grace exceeding much in a very little time they grow to attain to a very great measure of Communion with God the Father and with Jesus Christ and every day they grow more and more spiritual having so much of heaven within them It 's true when they come into Heaven they shall be perfect But now the fetching from Heaven is that that makes them grow it must be the influence from Heaven that must cause the grouth of Saints As now suppose that the ground upon which flowers and herbs grow be never so fertile in its self and the herbs or plants be never so well rooted in the earth yet if there be not an influence of heaven upon them they will not grow much nay not at all but quickly wither So it is with Christians let them have never so much means of growing below never so many Ordinances yet if they have not rich dews from above they wil not grow or if there be any growth yet either they wil bear no fruit or else it will be very shrifled and sowre fruit You know that fruit that hath the most of the beams of the Sun that comes from heaven upon it that fruit grows riper and sweeter than other fruit fruit that grows in the shade that hath the influence of Heaven kept off from it it is sowre fruit And the reason that the Saints have so little fruit and that it is so sowre it is because that they have not more influences from heaven they do not stand in the open Sun their souls are not presented dayly before God and have the warm beams of the Sun of Righteousnesse shining from Heaven upon them but there is something between Heaven and their souls but a Conversation in Heaven as it would be a Convincing Conversation so it would be a Growing Conversation CHAP. XVI An Heavenly Conversation brings much glory to God ANd then It would be a Conversation glorifying God much Oh! the Glory that God would have from a Conversation in Heaven Let your light so shine before men that others beholding your good works may glorifie your Father which is in Heaven Then indeed the Image of the God of Heaven is held forth when mens Conversations are heavenly the Lord takes much delight to have his glory to be dispensed abroad by his Saints to have some reflection upon the world As in a glasse though beams of the Sun do not shine upon a wall yet by a glasse you may take the beams of the Sun and cast the reflection of them upon a wal so those beams of the glory of God that shine in Heaven the Saints by their Heavenly Conversation may as it were by a glasse take them and reflect them upon the world and upon the faces of men the hearts of the Saints should be as a glasse taking the beams of the glory of God and casting them up and down where they are and so your Heavenly Father should come to be glorified by you Let every Christian think thus My Conversation is thus and thus but what glory do I bring to God by my Conversation do others glorifie God by beholding the lustre of the holiness of God in me do they see cause to blesse God that they see so much of the glory of God in me Certainly there is more of the glory of God shines in the gracious holy spiritual Conversation of a Christian than shines in the Sun Moon and Stars than in Heaven and Earth I mean for the works of Creation and Providence that are in Heaven and Earth the creatures that God hath made as the Sun Moon and Stars and here in this world the Seas the Earth the Plants and the like though they have much of the glory of God yet a Heavenly Conversation declares more of the glory of God than all these You know what the Psalmest saith The Heavens declare the glory of God and the Firmament shew his handy work It may be spoken more fully of Heavenly Conversations the Heavenly Conversations of the Saints declare the glory of God and those that shine in the Firmament of the Church are stars for the Church is the firmament and the Saints be there as stars they declare the Handy work of God Now though its true As in Heaven there 's one star differs from another star in glory and so in Christians every one cannot attain to so much glory as another yet every one is a star the meanest Christian that lives the weakest Beleever that is yet should be as a star in the firmament though he cannot shine so gloriously as the Sun or as other stars yet there should be never a Beleever never a godly man or woman in the Church but should shine as a star in the firmament but should be as the Gospel is even a mirror wherein we might behold the glory of God in whom we may behold the glory of God even as it were with open face An Heavenly Conversation is a Conversation glorifying God CHAP. XVII An Heavenly Conversation bringeth much glory to the Sanits AN Heavenly Conversation it 's a Conversation that will bring much glory to your selves Though it's true that the Saints should aim at the glory of God most yet there will come glory to themselves whether they will or no if their Conversations be in Heaven it 's impossible but that in the conscience of men they should be honored walking in a Heavenly Conversation There 's an excellent Scripture that shews that in our glorifying of God we glorifie our selves also 2 Thess 1. 11 12. the Aplostle he praies for them Wherefore also saith he we pray alwaies for you that our God would count you worthy of this Calling and fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodness and the work of faith with power To what end That the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you and ye in him according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ He praies for the Thessalonians That they might walk so that they might have so much of the grace
things But now a spiritual man is spiritual in earthly things one of a spiritual mind is more heavenly and spiritual when he is about his calling though the meanest as hedging and ditching or when he is pulling his ropes and lines or using his Ax or hammer he is more spiritual I say then than an earthly man is when he is praying or hearing or receiving Sacraments certainly it is so and it will be found to be so at the great day of Judgment when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed that 's the sixt thing when a man seeks earthly things for himself And that that we may add as a seventh is That he is earthly in spiritual things I grant that the best of the Saints may have some earthlinesse in spirtual things but I speak of the predominancie it 's that that doth rule in the heart so that in the performance of spiritual things his very ends are but earthly and the frame of his heart is but earthly in spiritual performances The eight thing wherein we may find an earthly minded man is this That he passes through many and great difficulties in matters of the earth and they are very little to him and though he hath a great deal of toyl for the matters of the earth yet he is never weary with it because he is in his proper element and therefore let there be what difficulties there will be which to another man would be very great he makes of them as nothing and though there be much toyl and labour yet he is not weary why because he is in his own element The fish is not weary with swimming but a man is quickly weary I but the fish is in it's element and a man is not so I beseech you observe this when a mans spirit is in this kind of temper let him but be busied about earthly things wherein earthly advantage comes in no difficulties will hinder him no wind or weather he will rise in cold mornings and go abroad do any thing in the world Oh! what difficulties will men endure In storms at Sea and hazards there and troubles at land many waies for things of the earth and sit up late and rise early and toyl themselves and complain of no wearinesse nor no difficulties But now let them come but to spiritual things to soul-businesses that concern God and their spiritual estates every little difficulty puts them aside and discourages them every mole-hill is a mountain in their way I would do so and so indeed but 't is so hard and 't is tedious to rise in a morning especially in cold winters morning it is very hard and difficult to reade and pray and so he is complaining of the difficulty of these things And to watch over the heart it 's a mighty difficulty to an earthly man any spiritual thing is difficult and the difficulties doth discourage him and in spiritual things Oh how weary are they as they in the 1. of Micha 13. they cryed out What a weariness is it But in the businesse of the world they can follow it from morning to night they are never tired they can work as we say sometimes of men like a horse and yet never out of breath Oh I would but desire you try your hearts once but to endeavour to spend one Sabbath exctly and see what a wearinesse that would be to you resolve but one Sabbath to rise early in the morning to have your thoughts spiritual heavenly as much as you can and then get up pray alone in your closet then reade and hear and meditate and mark what you hear and when you go home think of it and confer about it and when you come again attend upon the word and so spend the whole day in hearing reading meditating and conference about good things Calling your family to account and praying again and see how tiresom this will be unto your hearts if they be carnal But now a spiritual heart will call the Sabbath a delight unto it And the Sabbath unto such an one is no other than that type and fore runner of that eternal day of rest it shall enjoy in the kingdom of heaven one that is spiritual accounts the Sabbath to be a day of rest but an earthly man is quickly tired in spiritual things he will give over his work and not go through it we reade in the 4. of Nehe. 6. verse Nehemiah having spoken of the great difficulties that they met withal in their work and yet saith he the work went on for they bad a mind to it So look how a mans mind is so he will be able to go through his work If a man be an earthly-minded man such a man will go through stich with his work If he take up businesse for the world he will go through with it for he hath a mind to it he is a man of an earthly mind But let him take in hand a spiritual work and he will lay it aside before it be half done he will seldom bring to perfection any spiritual work why because he hath no mind to it whereas were the heart spiritual and there were any spiritual work undertaken such a one would go through with it till all was finished Another note about the discription of an earthly-minded man is this An earthly-minded man is one that doth conceive of the most heavenly Truths that are revealed in the Word in an earthly way according to his mind his genious and disposition of his own heart And I verily think this is in a special manner meant in this place for the Apostle is speaking of those that did oppose him in his Ministery and that were enemies to the Crosse of Christ Now saith he These mind earthly things their mindes are of an earthly temper and therefore no marvell as if he should say though they do not savour those Heavenly and Spiritual Truths that we bring to them for their minds being earthly they only apprehend those things after an earthly manner As now what was the great Truth that the Apostle did bring to the Philippians It was the way of reconciling the world to God of making our peace with God and of our Justification through Jesus Christ Now there is no point of Religion more Spiritual Heavenly and Divine than the Doctrin of Reconciliation and of Justification by Jesus Christ So that one that is of an earthly disposition though he may be convinc'd of a necessity of pardon of sin and peace with God yet he apprehends the making of his peace with God and obtaining pardon of his sin but in an earthly manner he hath carnal thoughts and apprehensions about his peace with God and about obtaining pardon of sin he thinks it is the same way that one man obtains peace with another when he is fallen out and of getting pardon from another man that he hath offended he conceives it in an earthly way he looks upon his making
need of other things than of these things what need is there for thee to live upon the earth but in order to providing for eternity and of living to the honor of Christ and the praise of his Gospel I say thou hast no need of any thing on the earth but in subordination to higher things there is no need thou shouldest live but for some other end and therefore let not that be any such argument to plead for earthliness as indeed an earthly spirit is very witty in pleading for its self I shall close this Point with some Exhortation to you and Directions about this Point of Earthly-mindedness CHAP. VII EXHORTATION OH considering what hath been delivered I beseech you lay it seriously to heart especially you that are yong beginners in the way of Religion lest it proves with you as it doth with many that are digging of Veins of gold and silver under ground that while they are digging in those mines for riches the earth many times fals upon them and buries them so that they never come up out of the mine again and so it is with many that are beginning in the way of Religion that are digging in the mines of Salvation for unsearchable riches for that that is abundantly better than gold and silver now while you are thus seeking for grace and godliness Oh take heed that you be not covered with the earth while you are digging in the world but keep wide open some place to Heaven or otherwise if you dig too deep there will come up damps if the earth falls not upon you yet I say there will be damps rise from the earth that may choak you if there be not a wide space open that you may let the air that comes from heaven in to you Those that are digging into Mines they are very careful to leave the place open for fresh air to come in and so though thou maiest follow thy calling and do the work that God sets thee here for as others do be as diligent in thy calling as any yet still keep a passage open to Heaven that there may be fresh gales of grace come into thy soul if at any time thou beest got into the world if thou spendest one day and hast not some spiritual air from Heaven take heed there 's a damp coming up that will choak thee Oh! that Christians would consider of this while they are here below I remember I have read of Austin in his Comment upon the 72. Psal the 19. vers saith the text They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him and his enemies shall lick the dust He in a wittie way applied it to earthlie-minded men saith he If you do so lick the dust by this you will come to be accounted one of the enemies of God It 's true the scope of the place is different but take heed that in this metaphorical sence that you do not lick the dust and so come to be accounted an enemie to God You that would be accounted as friends and seek reconciliation with God Oh do not lick the dust to be alwaies here as Moles upon the earth they say Moles though they be blind yet if they be without the earth then their eyes are opened and then they shake and tremble and so though the earth may close the eyes of men here for a while yet certainly there will be a day when their eyes shall be opened to see how they have gul'd and deceiv'd themselves And now it 's worse too in the time of the Gospel to be earthly-minded than at other times it was not such an evil thing to be an earthly minded man in the time of the Law when all the promises of God were carried in a kind of earthly way Though I do not say that all promises that were made to them under the Law were meer earthly but they were carried in an earthly way therefore you shall find when God promises his people in the time of the Law what great mercies they shall have it is by earthly expressions as of gold and silver and such kind of things and their promises for Heaven it went under the expression of living in the Land of Canaan as being a type of Heaven now though they were taken with earthly things when God reveal'd himself to them in an earthly manner yet now in the time of the Gospel lift up your hearts for your calling is from above now there are Heavenly things revealed he that is from above is come amongst us and the Heavens are broken open and the glory of it doth shine upon the Churches in a far more brighter manner than it did before And therfore Gospel-light doth aggravate the sin of earthly-mindednesse and therefore now above all times should the hearts of men and women be disingaged from the things of the earth CHAP. VII Five Directions how to get our hearts freed from Earthly-mindedness FIrst To that end be watchful over your thoughts do not take liberty to let your hearts run too far in the things of the earth what time you have for meditation let it be as much as can be reserved for spiritual things most men and women think they may take liberty in their thoughts why the thing in its self is not unlawful I but your thoughts will steal upon you and affect your hearts very much therefore watch narrowly over your thoughts keep them within Scripture bounds The Second Direction Be much humbled for sin That will take off the heart much from earthly-mindedness Your earthly-minded men who have earthly and drossie hearts they have not known what the weight and burden of sin hath meant let God but lay the weight and burden of sin upon the soul it will take off the soul from earthly things quickly Oh! those men that have gone on in the world in a secure condition and never knew what trouble of conscience meant for sin they grow seer'd in those earthly Contentments but now those men that have had but the weight of sin lie upon them know what it is to have to deal with an infinite God in the bearing of the burden of the wrath of an incensed Deity such know that they have other things to look after than the things of the earth If God did but humble your hearts the humiliation of your spirits would quicken you and take off the dulness and deadness of your spirits and stir you up to look after other things than the things of this life The Third Direction Further Set the example of the Saints before you that have been the most precious servants of God in former times how they accounted themselves as Pilgrims and strangers here in the earth read at your leisure that Scripture in the 11 of the Heb. at the 13. verse These all died in faith not having received the promises but having seen them afar off and were perswaded of them and imbraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims
the Lord will condemn you from their example and say Did not such and such live in the familie and place where you liv'd and did not you behold their holie and gracious Conversation and shall the example of such and such vile wretches be followed rather than the example of my Saints I say this will stop your mouthes and aggravate your condemnation in the great audit-Audit-day Some there are that are so far from following the example of those whose Conversations are in Heaven as they rage and fret against them and do what they can to darken the glorie of their holie lives and if they can but have any misreport of them they will follow it what possibly they can to the end that they might eclipse the holiness of their lives that so they may stop their own consciences whereas were there not something to darken the luster and beautie of the lives of the Saints certainlie mens hearts would condemn them for walking in contrarie waies unto them and therefore for relief of their consciences that they may not condemn them for walking in waies contrary to them they do what they can to spew upon their glory and are glad if they can hear any ill report of them and will follow them to their uttermost and all because their corrupt hearts are against the holiness of their lives and Conversations And then lastly Let those that profess Religion labor to walk so as their examples may be convincing others Is there such a power in holy examples to prevail with men you that profess Religion make this an argument to work upon your hearts that your Conversation may be more in Heaven that so your example may do the more good in the place where you live you that profess Religion and yet have earthly spirits and live scandalouslie and vilie Oh know you live to do as much mischief almost as a man can do in this world no greater mischief than for one to profess Religion and yet for his Conversation to be wicked and ungodly and so to give the Lye to his profession But for that we spake to heretofore when we treated upon that Scripture Only let your Conversation be as becomes the Gospel CHAP. IV. Two Doctrines observed from the Text. THus we proceed to the principal Doctrinal Truths For our Conversation is in Heaven Our Citie Conversation our Citizen-like behavior or Citie Burges estate for so the word signifies our carriage like free denizens it is in Heaven now from thence you have First That the Saints are the Citizens of Heaven Secondly That their behavior and Conversation even while they are in this world it is in Heaven For the first but briefly to make way to the second The Saints of God they are the Citizens of Heaven they are all free Denizens Burgesses of Heaven In the 2. Ephes 19. there you may see how God hath gathered all the Saints together to be fellow-Citizens of Heaven Now therefore ye are no more strangers and forreigners but fellow Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God They have an Heavenly Citie here in the Church the Church it is a Heaven to the Saints and as a type of that Heaven that they shal come into to live for ever both with the Saints and Angels hereafter And in the 11. Heb. 10. it 's spoken of Abraham He sojourned in the Land of Promise as in a strange Country dwelling in Tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob the heirs with him of the same Promise for he looked for a City which hath foundations whose builder and maker is God It seems then that all the Cities in the world in comparison of this Citie have no foundations Abraham looked for a Citie that hath foundations and whose builder and maker is God The builders and makers of these Cities are men the founders of the most famous Cities in this world have been men and manie times wicked and ungodlie men are the builders of them The first Citie that we reade of was built by Cain The builders and makers I say of these Cities are men laboring men But Abraham look'd for a Citie that had foundations whose builder and maker is God And in the 12. Heb. 22. But ye are come unto mount Sion and unto the City of the living God the Heavenly Jerusalem mark and to an innumerable company of Angels so that you are to have them your fellow Citizens The Heavenly Jerusalem that is here in the Church which is in comparison of Jerusalem that was in Canaan called the Heavenly Jerusalem so that they are Citizens of Heaven even as they are Members of the Church the Saints of God here in the Church are said to dwell in Heaven but in that their Citie there are an innumerable company of Angels also that plainly notes that it hath reference unto the glorious Heaven of the Saints that they are the Citizens of the Saints are the Citizens of Heaven there they dwell in the 13. of the Revelation 6 and 8. verses this would serve for proof of this thing and so for the other point that remains That their Conversation it is in Heaven And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God to blaspheme his Name and his Tabernacle and them that dwell in Heaven And it was given unto him to make war with the Saints and to overcome them Now these were not in Heaven that is in their bodies they were not in Heaven for the present But they are said to dwell in Heaven because they are of the Church here and they are free Denizens of Heaven too of the Heaven of the Saints that they shall live in hereafter in a more glorious way They are Now Citizens of it and they may be said to dwell in Heaven as we shall see afterward in the opening of their Conversations being in Heaven CHAP. V. How the Saints are Citizens of Heaven opened in Nine Particulars NOW the Saints are Citizens of Heaven For First Their names are all inrold in Heaven They are written in Heaven in the 10. Luke 20. Rejoyce in this That your names are written in Heaven In Heaven is the Books of life where all the Names of the Saints are written Philip. 4. 3. Whose names saith he are written in the Books of life Secondly The Saints are the Citizens of Heaven for they have Christ their Head gone before to take possession of Heaven in their names therefore they have a right to Heaven As a man may be a Citizen although he should travel in another Country yet his name being inrol'd there and he having possession there he may be said to be a Citizen though he be in a strange land for the present in his body So the Saints have their names inrold in Heaven they have Jesus Christ their head that is gone before in their names to take possession for them and to provide Mantions for them as in the 14. John Thirdly When ever they do actually beleeve they do take up their
they should find Callis in her heart And so it may be said of Saints whose Conversations are in Heaven I speak not of all Professors of Religion for it 's said of bodies when Paul speaks of the resurrection there are bodies Celestial and bodies Terrestial so I may say There are Professors Celestial and Professors Terrestial but as for such whose Conversations are in Heaven who walk with God and live here the lives of Heaven upon Earth If they were rip'd up you should find Heaven in their hearts un-rip many mens hearts and there 's nothing but the earth uncleanness and baseness suppose God should come this moment and rip up all your hearts and disclose them to all the men of the world what a deal of filthy stuff would be found in many of your hearts but for such whose Conversations are in Heaven they would be ready to have God unrip their hearts when he pleaseth Lord try Lord search me Lord examine and see what is in my heart I 'le but put this now to you as in the Name of God and let conscience answer What do you think would be found in your hearts if they should be unrip'd now and if your consciences tell you Oh Lord if my heart should be rip'd up now there would be a filthy deal of ugly and abominable stuff there surely I have not had my Conversation in Heaven my heart hath been sinking even down to low and base things but now for those whom this text concerns it will be an exceeding comfort to them and I hope that there are divers of you that may be able to say if the Lord should at this present rip our hearts and shew them to all the world I hope the world should see that Heaven is stamped upon our hearts We account it sad weather when we cannot see the Heavens for many daies when we cannot see Heaven many times for a week together and we account it an ill dwelling where men dwell in narrow lanes in the City so that they can scarce see the Heavens except they go abroad in the fields My brethren surely it 's a sad time with a gracious heart when any one day passes without converse with Heaven without the sight of Heaven and meditations of Heaven and having their hearts there Thus it should be with Christians whose Conversations are in Heaven they should never love such dwellings wherein they cannot see the beams of the Sun It 's a most comfortable thing for to see the light a man that dwels in some dark house it 's very comfortable for him to walk out into the open air and to behold the Heavens Oh my brethren our souls dwell in dark houses every one of us for our bodies are to our souls like a dark and low celler but the Lord gives us liberty to go abroad to be conversing with the things of Heaven that he hath revealed in his Word and in his Ordinances And as many Citizens that live in dark rooms keep a long time close to their work yet at such times as they cal days of Recreation they walk abroad in the Fields and take the fresh air and oh how delightsom is it to them The same should be to a gracious heart that hath a great many businesses indeed in the world I but on the Lords day Oh that he may now enjoy God in his Ordinances more than before his thoughts are upon those waies wherein he may come to have more of Heaven Oh! that I may come to converse more with God than at other times And upon that the Sabbaths are the joy of his soul his delight he longs after the Sabbath he thirsts after Ordinances for indeed his heart is in them for he finds there is more of Heaven in them than in other things and in that regard the Saints having their thoughts and hearts in Heaven thus he proves to have his Conversation to be in Heaven Moses never came to Canaan and yet God gave Moses a sight of it carried him up to mount Nebo Heavenly meditations are as it were mount Nebo whereby when the heart is raised a little upon the mount it 's able to see Heaven behold the glorious things there The Scripture speaks of Lucifer that he had his nest among the stars A Saint hath as it were his nest his dwelling among the stars yea above the stars in the highest Heavens As 't is with wicked men that when they seem to draw nigh to God yet their hearts are far from him then they are in their shops they are among their ships when they seem to be worshipping of God So when the Saints seem in regard of their bodies to be far from God yet their hearts are in Heaven in the mean time Sixtly For the opening of a Heavenly Conversation it consists in this When in the course of mens lives they do converse and delight in the same things that are done in Heaven they make their happiness the same happiness that is in Heaven and make their exercise to be the same exercise that is in Heaven As for instance What is there in Heaven There is the fight of the face of God Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God And the Angels Alwaies behold the face of God So the Saints may be said to have their Conversations in Heaven because their exercise here while they live it is in the beholding the face of God in standing before God seeing his face the greatest delight and contentment of their souls it is that they can see somewhat of God What 's to be done further The Work of Heaven it is in the Praisings and Blessings of God What do the Saints and Angels of Heaven but continually blesse and magnifie and praise the Name of that God whom they see to be so infinitly worthy of all praise and honor from his creatures Then is a mans Conversation in Heaven when as he doth the same things when he joyns with Angels Saints in doing of the same work of magnifying and blessing and praising God What 's done in Heaven but the keeping of a perpetual Sabbath Then are our conversations in Heaven when we delight in Gods Sabbath yea and indeed to keep a constant Sabbath unto God though busied about earthly things yet still we keep a Sabbath to God in resting from sin and being spiritually imployed And that 's a Sixth thing Seventhly Then our Conversation is in Heaven When in Earthly imployments yet we are Heavenly when we use earthly things after a heavenly manner it is not the place that God looks at so much where his Saints are But what they do Though while we live in the earth we use earthly things yet when we can use them in an heavenly manner then our Conversation may be in heaven though we upon earth As thus first When in the use of earthly things we do quickly passe through earthly things to God we make use of them but
stir in me What truths were there darted into mee at such a season What motions flowing in had I at such a time Oh how happy had I been if I had taken such an advantage for Heaven I had even been in Heaven already Now those who do converse with Heaven they watch at those advantages they come not to hear the Word but they watch for the time to have God stirring in their hearts and they follow that advantage they watch for the time of the softening of their spirits and the enlivening of their souls and they follow hard those advantages and so trade for Heaven and grow rich in Heavenly Commodities Fourthly Where there is a trade from one Country to another there 's much intercourse A man that trades to such a Town or Country ther 's much intercourse between that man and those that live there so a Christians trading for Heaven is in this there is very much intercourse between Heaven and his soul every day he sends up to Heaven and every day he hath something from Heaven sent down to his soul Oh do but examine what intercourse there hath been between Heaven and you how is it with many of you even as if there were no Heaven at all Men that are no trades-men to the Indies 't is as if there were no such place at all to them So it is with many that lives even in the bosom of the Church there is very little intercourse between Heaven and them but a trader for Heaven hath much intercourse with heaven Fifthly A man that trades to any place if he trade for great matters he hath the chief of his stock where he trades though he be not present in his body yet the chief of his estate is there If a man be a Spanish or a Turkish Merchant and trade thither the chief of his estate lies there in Spain or Turkey more than here So it is with one that trades for Heaven the chief part of his estate lies there he accounts his riches to lie in Heaven indeed he hath somwhat to live upon here in this world for a while but there 's his riches he looks at Heaven as the place where his greatest treasure lies Sixthly A man that trades is willing to part with something where he is that he may receive advantage in the place where he trades So it is with the Saints that trade for Heaven they are willing to part with much that they might receive afterwards in Heaven they are willing I say to part with any thing here in this world to the end that they may receive it when they come home A man that is abroad and is going to his own Country and there he is trading for Commodities he is very willing to part with all his money where he is for receiving Commodities in his trade or those that give their moneyes here that so they may receive commodities in another place where they are trading A carnal heart that doth not know the certainty nor excellency of the Commodities of Heaven they are willing to part with nothing but will keep all they think with themselves what we have here we are sure of but that that they talk of Heaven we do not know what it is it may prove to be but an imagination therefore we wil keep what we have and be sure of that Oh! thou art no trader for heaven if thou wert thou wouldst be willing to part with any thing here that so thou mightst receive commodities there thou wouldest be content to live poorly and meanly in this world so be it that thou mightest have thy riches when thou comest into thy mansion of glory Seventhly Trades-men that trade for great matters they must trust much they cannot expect to have present pay in great sums It 's true men that trade for little matters that trade by retale they usually take in their pence and two pence as their commodities goes forth but it 's not so with Merchants that trade for great things in whol-sale So 't is in traders for Heaven they trust much and indeed the grace of Faith it is the great grace that helps in the trading for Heaven they have a little earnest for the present You that are traders and go to the Exchange and sell bargains for many thousands you have not perhaps above twelve pence or a crown for the present it may be only a promise but you expect the great sums afterwards So those that are traders for Heaven they have some earnest they be contented with a little for the present the first-fruits of the Spirit or a bare promise from Christ this is that that binds the whole bargain and they expect to have the full pay hereafter when they come to Heaven It is a happy thing when God gives men and women hearts to be willing to trust God for eternity and if they have but a little comfort and grace now yet to look at that as an earnest peny of all the glory that Jesus Christ hath purchased by his blood and that God hath promised in his Word thou art not fit to be a trades-man for Heaven that canst not trust that canst not be content that great bargains should be bound with a little earnest But that 's the soul that trades in Heaven that can be content to wait for the fulfilling of promises to take what they have from God for the present though it be but a very little as an earnest to bind all those glorious things that God hath promised in his Word Here you see a trader for Heaven in these Seven things Now put all these things that you have heard together with these and you may see what it is to have our Conversations in Heaven CHAP. VIII Seven Evidences of mens having their Conversation in Heaven NOW then there are some Evidences of Christians having their Conversation in Heaven As we shewed you som Evidences of an Earthly Conversation so likewise of a Heavenly Conversation that is some demonstrations plainly to shew That the Conversations of Christians are in Heaven In the first place It 's plain certainly there are Christians that have their Conversations in Heaven First because there are Christians that can vilifie all the things of this earth surely except they had their Conversations higher than the earth they could not so vilifie the things of the earth It 's an evidence of the height of Heaven that a man is lifted up very high that shall look vpon the very Globe of the earth as a very punctum as a little thing so an evidence that the hearts of the Saints are on high when they can look on the things of the earth as smal it 's true we that are upon the earth look upon the stars as small and the earth as great but if we were in Heaven we would look upon the stars as great and the earth as small as Paul did accounted all things but as dung and drosse dogs
meat for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ and Luther that accounted the whol Turkish Empire but a Crumb that the great Master of the Family casts to his dog surely here 's an argument that the Saints have their Conversations in Heaven that can look upon the things of the earth as so mean and so little as indeed they are A second Evidence is this That they can be content with so little in this world and can live such comfortable lives in the enjoyment of so little perhaps you cannot tell how to have comfortable lives except you have so much coming in by the yeer and so much provision but now one that is heavenly a godly man or woman can tell how to live a joyful and happie life in the want of the things of this world though they have but little though but bread and water though but mean habitations mean cloathes though but of mean esteem in the world yet can go through the world with a joyful heart blessing God all his daies nothing but admiring praising and magnifying God for his rich mercie and blessing himself in God and accounting his portion to be a goodly portion and his lot to be fallen into a fair ground I verily beleeve that there are very many poor mean people in this world yet their houses are more fill'd with blessings of God in one day than many Rich Great Noble men have their houses in twenty or fourty yeers now this argues that they have their Conversations in Heaven that though they want comfort never so much in this world yet they can live comfortable lives surely it is somthing that doth rejoyce them when they can so rejoyce in the want of these outward things when their joy depend◠〈◊〉 upon the things of this world men that have earthly hearts if they lose but their outward comforts they cry our Oh we are undone And you may see mightie alteractions in their very countenances they have nothing to joy their hearts when they lose the things of the world but it is no◠so with the Saints whatsoever crosses they meet withal here in this world yet still they rejoyce in Christ blessing God the course of their lives is nothing elle but a continual magnifying and praising God for his mercie and goodness to them surely they have their Conversations in Heaven Thirdly Not onlie can live joyfullie in the want of manie comforts but they can suffer the loss of all yea suffer hard things suffer afflictions suffer torments and tortures with joyful hearts reade but that 11. of the Heb. at your leisure 13 14 verses They confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth for they that see such things declare plainly that they seek a Country this Scripture is to be annexed to the second evidence Mark They that seek such things declare plainly that they seek a Countrie surelie there is somthing else that they seek after when they set so light by the things of this world For the Saints are not fools but there is some reason for what they do surely there is somthing in it for they have the same nature as you have and they have need of comfort as well as you and had they not some other comfort besides outward comforts they could not live so comfortably in the want of outward comforts but they that are content with a little as pilgrims and strangers they declare plainly that they seek a Country that is the second Evidence And then For the suffering of tortures and pains for the sake of Christ This is another Evidence and so you have in the 10. Heb. 32. But call to remembrance the former daies in which after ye were illuminated ye endured a great fight of afflictions partly whilst ye were made a gazing stock both by reproaches and afflictions and partly whilst ye became companions of them that were so used and then in the 34. verse And took joyfully the spoiling of your goods Why knowing in your selves that ye have in Heaven a better and enduring substance This made them take joyfully the spoiling of their goods What when their goods were spoil'd did they take that joyfully what were they mad men to rejoyce at the plundering of their estates No it was no madness It was because they knew in themselves that they had in Heaven a better and an enduring substance and that made them be willing to wander about in sheeps skins and goats skins in leather cloathes as in the latter end of the 11. of Heb. reade but from the 36. verse to the end this argued their Conversations to be in Heaven If you reade in the storie of the Martyrs you shall find verie often when they came to the stake still their thoughts were in Heaven and their hearts there and encouraging one another what they should have in Heaven and of the glorie that they should have there that being willing to suffer such hard things for Christ and that being able to undergo all with so much joy is an evidence that there have been Christians in the world that have had their Conversations in Heaven A Fourth Evidence of Christians having their Conversations in Heaven is this That their hearts are so fill'd with Heavenly riches It is an Argument of a man that trades much unto such a place when he hath his Warehouse stor'd with the Commodities of such a Countrie As now though no man should tell me which way his trading lies that such a man were a Spanish or Turkish Merchant yet if I come into his Warehouse find that constantlie his Warehouse is fill'd with those Commodities I may conclude that certainlie this man is a Spanish or Turkish Merchant he hath the Commodities of the Countrie continuallie in his warehouse So the Saints have much of the riches of Heaven in their hearts continuallie they have much grace much holinesse much of the Image of God much spiritual life there is there in a Christian and you may see in his Conversation he doth manifest I say much of the Excellencie of Heaven much of the Glorie of Heaven shines in his face surelie his Conversation is in Heaven who hath so much of the riches of Heaven in his heart The heart of the wicked saith the holy Ghost is little worth Look into the heart of a wicked man or woman what is there thy heart that should be thy storehouse what is it fill'd withal it's fill'd with dirt and drosse and filth and uncleanness the hearts of wicked men are stored with those things but now look into the hearts of the Saints they are fill'd with God with Christ with the holie Ghost with Grace that shews that they have traded much in Heaven in a constant way you shal find their hearts fild with grace and manifesting much in their lives and therefore surelie their Conversation is in Heaven A fifth Evidence is this That they are willing to purchase the Priviledges of Heaven at so dear
a rate namely The Ordinances that are part of the Priviledges of the Kingdom of Heaven Now the Ordinances that are the means whereby they come to enjoy so much of Heaven they are willing to purchase them at a dear rate Oh how ever I live yet let me live where I may enjoy the Ordinances of God the wels of Salvation my life cannot be comfortable in the enjoyment of all things in this world if I should be deprived of the breasts of consolation surelie they that are willing to purchase Heavenly Commodities at so dear a rate as the Saints will do this doth evidentlie declare their Conversations to be in Heaven Sixtlie When they are so sensible of the stoppages between heaven and their own souls If there should be a general stoppage of ships that are in France Turkie or Spain your Countriemen are not sensible at all of it but your Merchants I 'le warrant you would be sensible enough of it and when they come together upon the Exchange al their converse would be of it So it is with those that have their conversations in Heaven and here 's a great difference between those and those that are earthlie minded tell those that are earthlie of anie stoppage in the Intercourse between them and Heaven and they know not what you mean they think you are fools and mad but the Saints they are sensible of it oh it is a sore and sad evil to them I mean when at anie time God hides his face from them when at anie time they go into the presence of God can hear nothing from him can receive no Letters from Heaven as I may so say If the Post doth not come from such a Countrie the Merchants are troubled at it So when the Saints send up their prayers to Heaven by which they trade thither and can hear nothing from God again and when they cannot feel those influences from Heaven let into their souls as heretofore sometimes they have done Oh! they bewail this as a great evil that is upon them above any evil in the world that influences of Heaven are stop'd and that God seems to be a stranger unto them Oh these things they complain of one to another and they make their moans when they feel the stoppages of Heaven this plainlie declares that they are Traders for Heaven and that their Conversations are there The last Evidence of a Saints having his Conversation in Heaven is His willingness to die to depart this world The going out of this world with so much comfort joy peace and triumph as many of the Saints have done as we might give you the expressions of many of the Saints when they were readie to die rejoycing at the hope of Eternal life at their going out of the world surely had they not conversed in Heaven while they lived here their souls would not have been so willing to have departed out of their bodies A man that hath nothing to do in another Country it may be shall be there as a dead man he goes but with little joy thither But now a man that hath had trading to another Country and he hath great riches and so thriven there that whatsoever he seems to be here yet there he is a great man Oh! how comfortably doth that man go to the Country how glad is he when he takes ship and sees a fair gale and prosperous wind to carry him to that Country And so it is with the Saints who have their Conversations in Heaven because they have so much riches there when they come to die they die with joy and blesse God for that day as the most blessed day that they have seen for they are going now to the Country that they have been trading to all their daies and where their riches lies These are the Evidences and Demonstrations that the Saints have their Conversations in Heaven CHAP. IX Four Reasons why the Saints have their Conversations in Heaven But now If you demand the reason why it is that the Saints have their Conversations in Heaven To that I answer briefly thus The first Reason Because their souls that are their better part they are from Heaven You know that when God made Man He breathed into his nostrils the breath of life The Soul of man it is as it were the breath of God God did not say of Mans Soul as of other creatures Let it be made let there be a soul in mans body No but when he had formed the body he breathed the soul into him It was to note that the soul of man had a more Heavenly and Divine original than any of the other creatures that are here in this world and because the original it is so Divine and Heavenly therefore it is that when the soul is as it were its self is set at liberty it would be at its original Indeed though mans soul be of a Divine and Heavenly Nature yea through the fall of man so it is that the soul of man is even almost turned to be flesh and so mingled with unclean drossie things as if it had no such Divine and Heavenly original and therefore a natural man is called flesh That that is born of the flesh is flesh as if he had no soul at all for I say the soul of man through his fall the Nature of it seemed to be changed it is at least depressed down to such vile things as if it never had such a Divine and Heavenly original But now when God works grace in the soul the soul of man begins to return to its self and to know its self and begins to return to its own nature that it had in its first creation and as soon as ever the soul begins to know its self it looks then presently at all these things that are here below as vile things in comparison as contemptable for indeed all these things in this world are infinitly beneath the soul of a man Infinitly that is in comparison we may even call it an infinite distance between mans soul and all these things that are here below in the world the soul of man is neer unto God himself and therefore when as the soul returne unto its self it would be some where else than where it is and would converse with those things that are sutable to its original As it is with a man that hath a noble birth suppose a Prince is got into another Country and there being a child is used like a slave set to rake channels and such mean imployment now all the while that he is there and not know his original he minds nothing but to get his victuals and do his work that he is set about but if once he come to know from whence he was namely born the Heir unto such a great Prince or Emperour that lives in so much glory in such a Country then he that liv'd like a slave his thoughts and mind and longings are to be in the
by hear-say they hear Ministers speak of Heaven and reade it in the Word of God but they know it in themselves they know it by what God hath revealed in their own hearts yea though tâ—â—â—â— were no books that ever they should see more though they be not book-learn'd and though they cannot reade a letter in the book though they should hear no more Sermons yet by what is revealed in themselves They know in themselves that they have a more better and enduring substance That 's a truth But the words may be more proper to the original read thus Kowing that you have Heaven in your selves a Better and Enduring substance Eternal life is begun alreadie in the hearts of the Saints there is Heaven alreadie in the Saints and therefore no marvel though their Conversations be in Heaven The Fourth Reason God hath so ordered things in this world on purpose that he might wean the hearts of the Saints from the world The Lord loves to have the hearts of his Saints to be in Heaven where he hath treasured up such glorious things for them and because that the Saints while they are here in the world have so much of the world in them they would feign be living here in the world therefore God doth so order things that they shall meet with little content in this world that they may be weary of it and be wearied from it and indeed here 's the reason why Gods people have met with such crosses in the world why the Lord hath kept his Saints so low and mean in the world It may be you are ready to draw ill conclusions from thence and to think I am afraid God doth not love me that he keeps me so low and mean and I meet with such crosses and others do not Oh! gather not such ill conclusions as these are It is because he would gather your hearts to Heaven and wean you from the world that you might long to be with him in Heaven for you are absent from him here in this world and the Lord would have the full stream of your affections to run after those things that you shal have with him in Heaven This use you are to make of those afflictions you meet withal and those crosses that befall you in this world And thus we have gone through the Doctrinal point of the Saints having their Conversations in Heaven CHAP. X. WEE have treated long upon that point of An Heavenly Conversation and have opened to you what that Heavenly Conversation is wherein it consists in many particulars But now we shal proceed to the Application of al. Though as I have gone along I have endeavoured not only to speak to your heads but your hearts and to quicken what I have said so as might quicken your hearts yet from the consideration of all there are divers Uses that may be profitable unto you The First Vse The first is this If the Saints live such a Heavenly Conversation as hath been opened to you Oh how far are they from being Saints from being godly Who are so far from having their Conversations in Heaven as they have their Conversations in Hell There are a generation of men that profess themselves to be Christians say that they hope to go to Heaven and yet if you behold their Conversation it is no other than the Conversation of hell Certainly 't is not what men say but how they live that will cast them another day he that is of Heaven or for Heaven his Conversation is in Heaven and he that is for hell his Conversation is hellish now that 's a Conversation in hell that is like to what is done in hell what is there in hell but blaspheming and cursing What is there in hell but hatred and malice what is there in hell but raging and filthiness These things are the Conversations of many men who are even devils incarnate In many families there 's the Name of God blasphemed there 's cursing and railing and malice and wrath and pride so that though they be here in this world yet they manifest to what place they do belong So that as the Saints have their Conversations in Heaven when they die they go to their own place that is to heaven where their Conversations were so on the contrary the wicked having their Conversations in hell when they die they go to their own place as it was said of Judas He went to his own place So a wicked man dying having his Conversation in hell while he liv'd I say when he dies he goes to his own place that 's his own proper place he took content and delight in those things that were done there and so when he dies there he shall go As the tree falls so it lies As thy Conversation is and the bent of thy heart is there so it must lie to all eternity CHAP. XI The Second Vse THis Point likewise rebukes Hypocrites as wicked prophane ones that have their Conversations in hell so there 's another kind of men that are unsound professors Hypocrites and they have their Conversations between Heaven and Earth It 's not in Heaven nor in Hell nor altogether upon the Earth but between Earth and Heaven and Hell Sometimes they seem to be a loft above sometimes very forward and zealous in the profession of Religion sometimes much inlarged in Duties at other times again they are as base earthly spirits as any yea somtimes there 's much of Hell in their hearts and in their waies they professe themselves the seed of Abraham but they are not as the stars of heaven but as Meteors that are between Heaven and Earth we call them blazing stars but they are not so bright as the stars nor are they of such a heavenly nature as the stars they are but made of a few unclean vapours that come out of the earth which being got up neer the heavens do make a shew as if they were some star in heaven but you find a great deal of difference between the stars and them in this for within a little while they fall and vanish and come to nothing and so it is with many hypocrites they by the Word are raised up a little for the present and seem to be above the stars and they have a glittering shew as if they had somthing heavenly in them even like the stars of heaven they seem to be got above others your blazing star a child would think it a great deal bigger than one of the stars that is an hundred times bigger than that is so 't is with many hypocrites they have a greater shew of Religion than many that have truth of Godliness and that are truly gracious they look upon them as wondering at the excellent parts that they have excellent abilities it may be they will discourse sometimes in an excellent manner about heavenly things you shall find some that have no soundness at all yet will have very excellent discourse they
of glory upon the things of this world that they are gilded and varnish't over but in comparison of the greater glory they are not glorious at all though they that never saw any thing else as glorious but the things of the world yet thou that hast seen the greater glory shouldst not account these things glorious Oh therefore Christians lift up your hearts to Henven and let your Conversations be in Heaven Though God hath so ordered it that you must live here a while and must be content for indeed to some Christians that have their Conversations in Heaven it 's a great part of their self-denial and of their subjection to God to be willing to live upon the earth and to stay from Heaven till Gods time come This is a riddle and a mystery to many that it should be a part of our Salvation Obedience yea of Self-denial though they had Crowns of Glory though they were Kings and Princes here in this world to be willing to stay here We might come to attain this if our Conversations were in Heaven and our hearts there As we reade of Daniel though God so ordered it that he could not live at Jerusalem where the Temple was yet he would open his window towards Jerusalem he would ever be looking that way And so though God hath so ordered it that we cannot come yet to live in this Heavenly Jerusalem bodily and in that full way as hereafter we expect to do yet we should open our window our eyes and the doors of our hearts should be open towards Heaven I remember I have read of Edward the First King of England that had a mighty mind to go to Jerusalem but because he could not go for death prevented him he gave charge to his Son to carry his heart thither And so it should be with us we should endeavour to have our hearts there and to have as much of Heaven as we can though we cannot be there our selves in nature Every creature hath put into it by the God of nature an instinct to move to its proper place as now because the proper place of fire is above there is an instinct of nature in fire to ascend to its proper place And the proper place of earth is below and therefore it will fall down to the Center a heavie thing that hath much earth in it though it breaks its self to pieces yet it will fall down towards its Center and so it will be with a Christian though he break himself to pieces whatsoever he suffers yet he hath an instinct to carry him to his proper place fire because its proper place is above if it be kept down by violence what a mighty power there is in fire to make way for its self that it may get up that 's the very reason of the mighty force that there is in Guns because there is fire in the pouder that is kept in when the pouder is once fir'd because the fire would get up above therefore it breaks with violence and if it cannot have vent to get out it breaks any thing in the world for it must out that it may get up to it 's own place and so it should be with a Christian there should be a strong impetiousness to get up to his own place that would be an evidence indeed that Heaven is thy proper place Oh Christians lift up your hearts and let your Conversations be in Heaven CHAP. XIV An Heavenly Conversation is a convincing Conversation I Shall not need to come again and tel you what Heavenly Conversation is it hath been opened at large to you but for the setting an edg upon this Exhortation First Know That a Heavenly Conversation will be a very convincing Conversation then you will convince men that you have somwhat more than they have when they see you live Heavenly for the men of the world they know the things of the world are the things that their hearts are upon and that which they mind but now when they see those that professe Religion mingle themselves with the earth as they do then they will think that they are acted by the same principles that themselves are but now Heavenly Conversations will convince them when they behold them walking above in the whol course of their lives when they see an evenness and proportion in their course take them at all times and in all businesses they carry themselves as men of another world As a man that is a stranger to a place may for a while act it so as he may seem to be one that is a native in the place but one that is born in the place will go nigh to find him out in one thing or other and so 't is very hard for men to carry themselves so if they have not true grace though they appear sometimes to be very Heavenly yet one that is a true Citizen of Heaven will discern them at one time or other if they have not grace yea the truth is carnal men wil discover themselves that they are born of the earth and are of their Countrie his speech betrais him he is a Giliadite But when Christians shal in their constant way have their Conversations in Heaven then their Cōversations are very convincing There are the Raies of Heaven about them they have the lustre of Heaven shining wheresoever they go and in all company surely such a man seems to be in Heaven continually So it will force it from the very Consciences of men to say Certainly these are the Citizens of Heaven if there be any Denizens of the new Jerusalem while they live upon the earth these they are I remember it 's said of that Martyr Dr. Taylor That he did rejoyce that he ever came into the prison to be in company with that Angel of God Mr. Bradford Mr. Bradford's Conversation it was Angel-like like an Angel of Heaven and did convince almost every where where he went Oh! 't is of great use that Christians should live convincing Conversations You know what Dives said to Abraham That he would have one sent to warn his brethren that they might not come to that place saith Abraham They have Moses and the Prophets Oh but saith Dives If one rise from the dead they would hear him I may say thus If God should send one from Heaven to live among men and to preach to them surely they would regard him Would it not be a great benefit to the world if God should send some one Saint from Heaven or Angel to converse in a bodily way among us Truly Christians should live so as if they came from Heaven every day as if they had been in Heaven and conversing with God When they go to perform duty in a morning and get alone between God their souls they should never leave striving till they get their hearts so in Heaven and get themselves upon the Mount so as when they come down to their family their very
him it was a blessed thing to have Christ here personally and to live with him when he was upon the earth though it were in the state of his humiliation Oh when he shall come in his glory how blessed will that be and when he shall change our vile bodies that they may be like unto his glorious body Oh this will keep the heart in expectation of Christ for then that vile body of thine that is now a body of sin and death matter of diseases a body of weakness and a lump of clay now it shall be made like the glorious body of Jesus Christ to shine more glorious than the Sun in the firmament this will be when Jesus Christ shall come with all his Angels in his glory and this is observable when all the glory of the creature shall be darkened with the glory of God and Jesus Christ yet then the bodies of the Saints shall shine gloriously before the face of God and Jesus Christ surely they shall be more glorious than the glory of the Sun for that you know will be darkened at the coming of Jesus Christ The great glory of the Father and Jeus Christ and the Angels shall darken the glory of the Sun Moon and Stars but the glory of the bodies of the Saints shall be so great as all the glory of God and Jesus Christ and the Angels shall not darken their glory but it shall appear with a very great lustre now if the glory of God and the Angels should darken it then to what purpose is it that their bodies shall be like to the glorious body of Jesus Christ but certainly it shall not darken their glory If a candle could be raised to have so much lustre and beauty as if you should put it into the midest of the Sun yet it would shine in the midst of it it would be a strange kind of light you would say It shall be so with the bodies of the Saints that though they are put into the midst of the glory of God and his Son yet their very bodies shall shine in beauty and lustre there Now did we beleeve this and wait for it every day how would it change us I have a diseased and a lumpish body and my body hinders me in every duty of worship and service wandering and vain thoughts lodge in me now I but I 'le wait for that time when Christ shall come in all his glory and make my body to be like unto his glorious body to make it to be able to look upon the face of God and to be able to be exercised in holy duties to all eternity without any weariness and without any intermission so shall the bodies of the Saints be raised to that power that their bodies shall be so strong that their souls shall be exercised about the highest things possible for a creature to be exercised with without weariness wait for this I have many things here that trouble my mind and spirit and hinders me in my converse with Heaven but within a while the time shall come that I shall be delivered from all troubles here when Christ shall appear with his mighty Angels to be admired of his Saints and when he shall come and take the Saints to judg the world and shall set all the Saints upon Thrones to judg the world the expectation of this time will raise the heart very much to be in Heaven But then especially when I consider the glory that shall be upon my soul let me think thus if this body of mine that is a lump of flesh shall be by the almighty power of God whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself raised to that height of glory to be more glorious than the Sun in the Firmament then what height of glory shal my soul be raised too but then take not only my soul but my grace the Divine Nature that is in my soul what shall that be raised too The plants are capable to be raised to a higher excellency than stones and the Rational creature to a higher excellency than a Sensitive creature and the Sensitive higher than the Vegetative and the Supernatural creature to a higher excellency than the Natural Then raise your thoughts thus My body shall be raised so high what shall my soul be then and what shall my graces that are in my soul be Oh! wait for this it is but for a little while before I shall be with God for him to be all in all to my soul enjoying full communion with him I say exercise faith and wait for it look for it every day consider it 's neerer and neerer your salvation is neerer than when at first you beleeved God hath a little work for you here but as soon as this is done this shall be my condition I shal see my Savior my soul shal presently be with him and enjoy ful communion with him in glory and my body within a while shal be raised and shall live for ever with him shall be where he is and shall enjoy all that he hath purchased by his blood as much glory as the blood of Christ is worth am I capable of the text saith It shall be a weight of glory I am not here fitted to bear a weight of glory if the glory of Heaven should shine in upon me so much as it might it would swallow me up presently We reade in the 7. of Dan. upon the glory of God appearing to him saith he I Daniel fainted and was sick certain daies If God should open the Heavens and dart in some light from Heaven into us so as he might alas we should faint presently and be sick and die No man can see God and live no man here can enjoy that that God hath prepared for his Saints in Heaven and live therefore let us be content for a while to be as we are and exercise thy faith and hope in what shall be Thou shalt be able to bear that weight of glory and be able to stand before the face of God continually to enjoy those things that eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor can enter into the heart of man to conceive nay though a man hath a spiritual eye and a spiritual ear and a spiritual heart enlarged to supernatural things yet they are things not only beyond the eye of sence but the eye of reason nay the eye of faith hath not seen them fully nor ear hath ever heard of neither can enter into a gracious heart to convince what it is but those Clusters that we have of this land of Canaan do shew that mere is a glorious rest for his people Now by the exercise of your faith and hope work these things upon your souls every day it would be a mighty help to make your Conversation to be in Heaven where should my heart and thoughts where should my life and conversation be but where I expect such things as these are to be revealed very