the world as none of theirs They have ever acknowledged themselves Pilgrims and Forreigners on earth I am a stranger with thee saith that heavenly Saint and a stranger as all my Fathers were Psal 39. 14. The world accounts them as strangers and so do they account themselves They know Christ hath told them That they are not of this world as he is not of this world They are in the world but they are not of the world they disavow the world as much as the world disavows them As they disclaim the world so they lay claim to heaven We desire say the holy Apostles to be cloathed upon with our house which is from heaven 2 Cor. 5. 2. Beleevers thogh they have never so great an estate below yet are they indeed house-less and homeless though all the world be theirs in regard of the little they have to it yet do they account the world none of theirs Heaven is their home Heaven is their house heaven is their Country I shall by way of explication unfold these two particulars First Prove that Heaven is their Country Secondly Shew how they come to have a title to it That Heaven is the beleevers Country is clear if we consider these following particulars First From hence they have their Nativity The place of mens birth is that which is stiled their Country The beleevers birth as a beleever is from heaven though he be born again on the earth yet is he not born again from the earth The Scripture teacheth us that all that are new creatures are born from above John 3. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Regenerating-work is heavenly work The Holy Ghost which is the principal efficient of Regeneration is not from earth but from heaven No person would ever be renewed on earth if principles of Renovation were not infused from heaven The word of God which is the seed of the new birth as the Apostle calls it 1 Pet. 1. 23. is a heavenly word The dew of blessing by which the word is made successful is not from earth but from heaven Should all the Angels of God come down to plant grace in the hearts of men the work would certainly miscarry under their hands if the divine benediction did not concur The soul in its first creation is infused from heaven and the renuing of it when corrupted is from thence likewise The Elect are not born again of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God so the Holy Ghost tels us Joh. 1. 13. The child that is conceived in the womb may as well be said to beget it self as the soul that is dead in sins and trespasses to renew it self Of his own will begat he us by the word of truth So the Apostle tells us Jam. 1. 18. An unregenerate heart hath neither power to change it self nor a will to be changed untill it be given from above All the births of Grace are heavenly births we are said to be Gods Off-spring as we are men Act. 17. 28. Much more are we the Off-spring of God as renewed men This is the first particular 2 There are their spiritual Kindred A beleevers nearest Allies best acquaintance are in Heaven There is God who is his Father The Divine Essence is every where filling Heaven and Earth God is included in no place excluded out of no place yet the place of his chief Residence is in Heaven there he keeps his royal Court of glory Heaven is his Throne Earth his Footstool Isa 66. 1. We are taught in that holy model of Prayer to look up to God as dwelling above Our Father which art in Heaven As God the Father of beleevers is in Heaven so Christ their elder Brother is there likewise he did bodily ascend thither after his Resurrection and there he sits on the right hand of the Majesty on high Heb. 1. 3. The humane nature of Christ shall not stir from Heaven till he come to judge the World and to fetch his redeemed ones into Heaven The blessed Spirit who is the very soul of the beleevers soul that gives it life and preserves it alive is in Heaven also There also are the holy Angels the beleevers Life-guard and from thence they are sent down to wait on him as he stands in need of their service Heb. 1. 14. There is the general Assembly of the first-born Heb. 12. 23. The names of all those that shall be saved are inrolled there In one word all a beleevers spiritual Kindred either are or shall be there This is the second particular 3 There they have their Habitation A Beleevers fixed seat is Heaven here he is but a lodger there he is an Inhabitant there lies his Estate there are his Revenues a Beleevers Inheritance is above The Lord is my portion saith my soul this was the Churches claim Lam. 3. 24. Thou art my dwelling place saith David Psal 90. 1. The corruptible the fading possessions of the Saints are on earth but their Inheritance that is incorruptible that withereth not is reserved in Heaven 1 Pet. 1. 4. They have some annual Rents coming in in this life but the grand Estate lies there their Crown their Scepter their Robes all their Regalia their royal habiliments are lockt up in Heaven and thither must they be translated before they have the full possession of any of these This is the third particular 4 The language they speak is the language of Heaven Mens speech do discover what Country they are of Thou art a Galilean say they to Peter and thy speech agreeth thereto Mark 14. 70. The time was when there was but one lip in the world Gen. 11. 1. All the sons of Adam spake one and the same language but ever since God confounded the language of the World for that insolent attempt of men Nations have been distinguished one from another by their several Tongues As Nations have languages whereby they are known one from another so have the people of God a distinct language whereby they are known from other men A wicked man though he may sometimes have heavenly discourses in his mouth yet he doth but lisp the language of Canaan those that do observe him will find him at some time or other speaking the language of Hell his tongue cannot be so bridled but it will break out into wicked discourses or into vain communication Perhaps when he is amongst the people of God he may speak as a Saint but when he converses with his own Companions his speech is agreeable to theirs But now a Beleever speaks the language of Heaven wheresoever he is let him be amongst scoffers amongst prophane men yet he is still talking in the speech of his own Country something of God of Grace of Christ of Heaven he is uttering in every company If he do at any time let fall an unseemly word how is his heart troubled he cannot have peace till he hath wept out his sorrows by humble confessions
into the bosom of God Few there are that have any communion with a true Beleever but must give him this testimony that his speech is not like the speech of other men His heart is full of Heaven and his tongue is ever running out Heaven-ward he will draw spiritual inferences from worldly discourses whatever the text is the gloss which he gives upon it is spiritual and heavenly 5 There must be their eternal abode The Apostle speaking of himself and his fellow-beleevers saith Here we have no continuing City but we seek one toco me Heb. 13. 14. The people of God as other men do but take a turn or two on this great Stage of the world and then pass away The longest time we can any of us expect to live on earth is but seventy or eighty years our lease may expire in a shorter time the eternity that is beyond that time is the beleever to spend in Heaven The bodies of some beleevers dwel in the dust for thousands of years but at the Resurrection they shall take up their Quarters where the soul hath been all that while namely in Heaven So shall we ever be with the Lord 1 Thes 4. 7. The beleevers being with men in the flesh will be at an end perhaps sooner than he thinks though not sooner than he desires but his being with the Lord shall know no end the beleever shall be with God as long as God hath a being Thus I have shewed you that Heaven is the beleevers Country which was the first thing to be opened The second follows namely How he comes to have a right to it This I shall shew two wayes 1. It is prepared for him 2. He is prepared for it First Heaven is prepared for the Beleever he hath adouble right to it 1 It s his by donation God who is the great Owner and possessor both of Heaven and Earth hath by a free Deed of Gift settled Heaven upon Beleevers The gracious Charter is frequently published and proclaimed in the Gospel I will give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish the gift of God is eternal life Rom. 6. 23. Beleevers are through grace chosen to Heaven and Heaven is freely bestowed on them 2 It s his by purchase Heaven is called therefore by the Apostle a purchased possession Ephes 1. 14. Jesus Christ hath fully gone through with the bargain it is a free gift in respect of us in respect of Christ it is a dear purchase Christ hath bought and paid for it and every beleever is a joynt purchaser with him The Son of God when he made that eternal Contract with the Father did put into the Deed of Sale the name of every Individual person that should possess it In both these respects is Heaven prepared for the Beleever Secondly As Heaven is prepared for him so is he prepared for it The Apostle blesseth God for making us meet to be partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in light Col. 2. 12. The Election of God and the Purchase of Christ give the beleever a Right to Heaven but something else must intervene to make him meet for Heaven Nature that is corrupted must be changed Flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of Heaven Sanctification must be wrought before a vessel of Election can be fit for glory This Christ doth by communicating his own image through the Holy Ghost he takes away the guilt of sin by imputing his own Righteousness for Justification he removes the filthiness of sin by imparting his own Holiness for our Sanctification He infuses the habits of saving Grace and so gives the soul a fithess for the participation of Glory Parisiensis hath a good saying to this purpose lib de virt cap. 11. Natura mentis humanae quantumeunquè perfecta naturalibus donis absque gratia non est susceptibilis gloriae The soul of man though never so perfectly inriched with natural Indowments till it be sanctified with grace is not capable of receiving glory The Apostle puts Calling and Justification as intermediate acts between Predestination and Glorification Rom. 8. 30. Whom he did Predestinate them he also Called and whom he Called them he also Justified and whom he Justified them he also Glorified A soul cannot immediately leap out of a state of sin into a state of glory though it be elected to life but must first pass into a state of holiness This purgatory every man must pass through that enters into life Could an unrenewed soul be admitted into Heaven it would be as weary of that place as a Saint would be of Hell the imployment the company of Heaven are unsuitable things to an unsanctified heart There is no coming to the Palace of glory but by the milky way of grace Thus I have shewed you that Heaven is a Beleevers Country and how he comes to have a right to it The Application First It lets us see that there is a spiritual relation between Beleevers True Saints are spiritual Country-men they are all descended from the same stock Ther eis a real affinity between Christians They are consanguinei of one blood They are all brethren They are all members of one Society They are co-heirs of one and the same inheritance They have the same common privileges the same common promises the same common interest the same common salvation I in them and thou in me that they may be all one in us Joh. 17. 23. I note this both to perswade the people of God to unity among themselves and to provoke them to be spiritually helpful to one another T is very sad to see clashing between them that are so neerly related Let there be no strife saith Abraham to Lot between me and thee and between my herd-men and thy herd-men for we are brethren Gen. 13. 8. Men of the same Country use to be cordially united especially when they are in a foreignland As its sad to see fallings out so t is very unnatural that they should refuse to serve one another These spiritual Countrymen should rejoyce to pray one for another to counsel one another to bear one anothers burdens they should be ready to perform all spiritual kindnesses one to another as becomes those that are bred and born in the same land It will be a comfortable evidence that you are members of this heavenly Country if you find upon your hearts strong affections and readiness of mind to serve the soul-concernments of one another Secondly It should perswade beleevers to do nothing unworthy of their heavenly Country A mans actings are to be answerable to his extraction and education The Apostle labours to deter the people of God from unholy deeds by the indecency and unsutableness of such practises to their high estate Fornication uncleaness or covetousnes let it not be once named among you as becometh Saints Eph. 5. 3. Noble actings are expected from such as are nobly born Many men have been preserved from unworthy miscarriages out of respect
to their Parentage and Country Irregularities in the life of a beleever willcast some reproach upon his heavenly Country and make others of his brethren of less esteem For a Citizen of heaven to swear lye deceive backbite over-reach this is very unseemly Oh I beseech you for your Countries sake scorn such baseness Your heavenly Father that begat you your heavenly Country where you received your first breath all your heavenly kindred will suffer much prejudice much reproach by such unworthiness A good man is an honor to his Country The Learning the Wisdome the Valor and Prowess of some men have ennobled the very places of their birth The lewdness of some men hath brought their very Countries under Proverbs of disgrace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Cretians are alwaies liars evil beasts slow bellies Tit. 1. 12. If men be swearers drunkards deceivers dissemblers c. they will be accounted the very stains and plague-sores of their Country 3 Let it serve to perswade beleevers to magnifie their Country make it your design to serve your Country and to serve it cheerfully The world hath had some Heroes men of renown who have not grudged to spend their estates their very blood for their Countries good pro aris foc is for Religion and Liberty they have willingly adventured all How careful should an heaven-born Christian be to seek the advancement of his celestial Country If you have any spark of true worth in you be intreated to act vigorously for your Countries glory Promote the priviledges of this Country bring in as many as you can to be in love with it acquaint the world that lyes in ignorance with all the advantages immunities excellencies of this glorious place How careful was Joseph to let his father know what preferments were to be had in Pharaohs Court saith he to his brethren You shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt and of all that you have seen Gen. 45. 13. All this was done that the old Patriarch might be invited to make haste thither Men generally take great delight to be speaking of every little excellency their native Country affords Beleevers can never say so much of their heavenly Country as it deserves The soyl is so fruitful the ayr so sweet the waters so pleasant the inhabitants so wise beautiful every thing in it so transcendently glorious that no tongue can sufficiently utter no pen fully describe the goodness of it Hereby it will appear that you are indeed free-born men of this Country if you make it your design to imprint upon your own hearts and the hearts of those with whom you converse high and glorious thoughts of it Fourthly It shews us the reason why beleevers find such bad usage on earth The whole world is exceedingly ingaged to the people of God for their sakes the world stands they bear up the pillars of it Ps 75. 3. For their sakes the Sun shineth the Rain falls when they are gathered into Heaven fire will soon break forth upon the world yet do the wicked of the earth industriously study their ruin they are alwaies plotting and contriving against them the Psalmist observes it in his time Psa 83. 3 4 5. They have taken craftie counsel against thy people and consulted against thy hidden ones They have said come and let us cut them off from being a people that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance Those that are at deadly enmity among themselves can unite heads hearts and hands together against the Saints The Tabernacles of Edom and the Ishmaellites of Moab and the Hagarens c. This amongst others is one reason of these furious attempts the children of God are of one Country and wicked men of another they are contrary seeds they are of contrary dispositions Wicked men must either lay aside their wickedness or godly men their holiness else these contentions will not cease Our Saviour foretels all his Disciples of the worlds hatred and the cause of it Because I have chosen you out of the world therefore doth the world hate you Joh. 15. 9. Could the servants of God relinquish those holy courses they have taken up the world and they would soon be reconciled The righteous is an abomination to the wicked Prov. 29. 27. Could a righteous man forsake his righteousness he might have as good quarter in the World as other men Fifthly It should perswade all Beleevers to observe the customs of their Countrie The Apostles counsel to the people of God is that they be not conformed to this world Rom. 12. 2. But that they be transformed by the renewing of their mind It is the practise of men that love their Country to observe the usages of it especially such as are warrantable and prais-worthy they delight to speak their own Language to wear their own Apparel a dish of meatdressed after the mode of their own Country hath a sweeter relish than better meats It becomes the children of God to maintain the customs and to be zealous for the holy usages of their heavenly Country and not to follow the vain and sinful customs of the world In all lawful things the Servants of the Lord may sute themselves to the practise of other men Religion is not opposite to civility and morality But as to the vain and sinful Garbes of the world the godly must be strangers It is a great strengthening of the hands of evil men in their evill customs when they see such as profess Religion tread in the same steps The world hath a course of its own which Beleevers though they followed it before conversion must follow no longer Ephes 2. 2 3. they must renounce these usages But as for the holy customs of their own Nation they must be exact in the observing of them in what days or place soever God casts their lot And oh that this counsel might prevail with all that pretend to Heaven It hath been the holy custom of the Free-men of this Country to pray in their Families to read the holy Scriptures to instruct and catechize such as were under their charge to observe the sanctification of holy Sabbaths to see that themselves and their houses did serve the Lord to wait constantly in the Courts of the Lords House on holy Ordinances c. God commands all that profess to be his people not onely to have the words of his law in their own hearts but to teach them diligently to their children to talk of them when they lie down and when they rise up Deut. 6. 7. God commends Abraham for this I know Abraham that he will command his children and Houshold after him to keep the waie of Jehovah Gen. 18. 19. It was Joshua's Religion that all that were in his house should serve the Lord Josh 24. 15. It was Daniels custom to observe his daily times of prayer Dan. 6. 10. It was the custom of that devout Captain Cornelius to pray in his house Act. 10.
declaim very bitterly against devourings and spoilings There were Kine of Bashan seeding in the mountain of Samaria which did nothing but oppress the poor and crush the needy Amos 4. 1. The Prophet complains of Jerusalem the City of God that she was wholly oppression in the midst of her Violence and spoil was heard in her Grief and wounds were continually in the sight of God Jerem. 6. 6 7. Scarce is there a Kingdom in the World so well governed but oppressive Acts may be found in it The Ass of the Fatherless is driven away and the Widows Ox taken for a pledg the naked are made to lodge without cloathing and to be without a covering in the cold The fatherless are plucked from the Brest and the sheaf is taken from the hungry Oh that many such unrighteous actings were not to be found in our own Land Well however it be on earth most certain it is That in this heavenly Country there is none of this work If a man travel from one end of Heaven to another he shall hear no complaining in the streets of it there is no crying Widows no sighing of the Fatherless by reason of violence and oppression there are no Plunderers no Exactors to be found in and oppression there are no Plunderers no Exactors to be found in all this land of righteousness Judgement doth here run down like waters and Righteousness as a mighty stream That is a very glorious promise which is made to the Church Isa 60. 18. Violence shall no more be heard in thy Land wasting nor destruction within thy borders This promise shall perfectly be fulfilled in Heaven there shall neither be wasting nor destruction to all eternity There is no unrighteous person in Heaven as hath been shewed before and where there are no unrighteous men there cannot be any unrighteous acts Fourthly There is neither sickness nor weakness in this Country In all earthly Kingdoms there are diseases and sicknesses of several sorts the whole world indeed by reason of sin is but a Lazaretto a great Hospital of sickly creatures Though the Climate be never so temperature the Air never so pure yet cannot weakness and pains be kept out of any wordly Kingdom or Family Tombs and Sepulchres are to be found in every Country which is an argument that diseases and dyings have been and still are there A man can hardly peep into a Family but he shall see some Emblem of mortality In all Kingdoms men eat and drink and where there is eating and drinking there will bee dying In the state of Innocency man should have eaten and lived but now they eat and die But now Heaven is a healthy Country The Angels of God that have lived there ever since their Creation have never yet felt head-ach or pain And the bodies of the Saints that shall spend their eternity there after the Resurrection shall not feel one moments sickness They shall bunger no more nor thirst no more neither shall the Sun light on them nor any heat but God shall wipe away all tears from their eies Rev. 7. 16 17. Plagues Feavers Coughs Consumptions Stone Gout Head-ach and other diseases are things unheard of in this heavenly Country This is good news for sickly Saints You that have lain bed-rid on earth you that have had the Cottage of the body often set on fire by burning Feavers you that have seen the pillars of your earthly house decaying by lingring Consumptions you that have felt the tormenting pains of Ulcers of Stone and other grief creating distempers if you can but get within the bounds of this heavenly Countrie you shall never feel any such afflictions You shall for ever have perfect health both of bodie and mind without the least distemper One blast of that pure Air which comes from the spicie mountains will Antidote the craziest bodie against Diseases and put it into a state of undecaying health Fifthly It is a Land in which there is perfect peace and quietness The Kingdoms of this world are full of strife and contention The servants of God though they are a meek and peaceable people desiring to follow peace with all men yet they cannot injoy peace Woe is me faith David that I sojourn in Mesech that I dwel in the Tents of Kedar my soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace I am for peace but when I speak they are for War Psa 120. 5 6 7. The Nations of the world are full of tearings tumults seditions emulations variances and strifes but now in Heaven there is none of these briars and thorns there is neither maligning nor undermining nor envying one another but perfect Amity and perfect Charity amongst all the Inhabitants thereof All those sinful distempers which occasion strife on earth are banished out of Heaven Pride is one of the mothers of Variance Onely by pride commeth contention Prov. 13. 10. In Heaven there is no Pride and therefore no Contention Whispering and Tale-bearing is another root of discord Where there is no tale-bearer the strife ceaseth Prov. 26. 20. There is not one of these kindle-coals in Heaven and therefore no discord Difference of judgement is another cause of variance In heaven all the Inhabitants are of one mind and therefore no disagreement The Apostle tels us that wars and fightings amongst men arise from those lusts that war in their members Jam. 4. 1. In Heaven all these lusts are perfectly mortified All the dwellers in this Country are such as seek one anothers good as well as their own There is no growing one upon another no incroaching one upon another within the Bounds of this Country Consider it In Heaven there is perfection of Love in the Saints to God and to one another Every Saint sees the Image of God clearly not onely in himself but in every other Saint which is a strong Load-stone to draw out the Affections And besides all those imperfections blemishes spots which were in the Children of God whilst they had their abode on earth which rendered them less lovely to one another are now removed The bodie ariseth out of the grave as free from sin renders Saints very lovely one to another and because there is perfect love there must of necessity be perfect agreement Heaven is a place of peace there shall never be jarring or contending to all eternity which gives it the preheminence over all earthly Countries Sixthly It is a Land wealth and plenty Here is the best provision bread of life and water of life The meat that indures to eternal life Joh. 6. 27. Here is mountains of Spices how pleasant how plentifull is this Country A Martyr wrote to his friend a little before his death That he was going to that Country where Gold and Silver bore no price And well may it be thus said of Heaven which is the City whose streets is of pure Gold Rev. 21. 21. The Uses are these First With what eyes do they look on Heaven that prefer their
earthly Country before it Abundance are of that prophane Cardinals mind who would not give his part in Paris for his part in Paradise Most prefer Egypt before Canaan These are none of Abrahams stock he thought Heaven better than Canaan they judge every dirty Country better than Heaven It is a sign these men have never travelled in this Celestial Country it is a sign they beleeve not what they hear reported of it that prefer House and Shop or such Mannors in their own Country before those rich possessions that are in Heaven Secondly Be contented if God have given you an Inheritance in this Country though you have not so great Estates on Earth as others have One foot breadth in Heaven is worth a hundred Millions of Acres on Earth if you have an interest in the body glory honor riches of this celestial Country you have more than if you had ten thousand Worlds I have all my Brother faith Jacob Gen. 33. 11. He had the dew of Heaven as well as the fatness of the Earth A man may be a Lord of many Earthly Countries and yet live and die under the wrath of God Ahasuerus had the command of all those Countries from Judea to Ethiopia even One hundred twenty seven Provinces and yet because he was not an Inheritor of the Kingdom of Heaven he died miserable and poor Thirdly You that have an interest in this Country boast of it It is a great mercy to have our being in a wholesom Country such is Heaven Revel 21. 4. What a mercy is it to have a spiritual being from Heaven and an eternal being in Heaven Glory in your Country that others may be provoked to travel to it to trade in it This is the second Point The third and last Doctrine is A true Beleever hath strong desires after his heavenly Country 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faith Text they seek it they seek it with their strongest desires as sick man seeks health as a covetous man seeks money They groan after it so the Apostle expresseth it 2 Cor. 5. 2. For in this we groan earnestly desiring to be cloathed upon with our house which is from Heaven Our conversation saith the Apostle is in Heaven Phil. 3. 20. Their hearts were carried out aftes it they longed to be in it A beleever when he is under some sad darknesse of spirit when he hath some great work to do for the good of the Church may be unwilling to leave the world as Hezekiah was Isa. 38. 2 3. But when their work is done when all is clear between God and their souls then they would be in their heavenly Country Quest What is implyed by this phrase desiring a heavenly Country Answ 1. To desire Heaven is to labor to have an interest in it To labor to make it sure to our selves that it doth belong to us to make good our propriety in it according to that of the Apostle 2 Pet. 1. 10. Give all diligence to make your calling and election sure 2. To desire every day more and more to fit our selves for it He that saith he desires an heavenly Country and doth not use all diligence to be made meet for it as the Apostle speaks Col. 1. 12. doth but mock himself 3. To seek a heavenly Country is to long continually to be in it This is that which was the Patriarchs seeking they longed to be in that heavenly Canaan of which the earthly was a pledge and seal Qu. 2. Why do Beleevers so desire their heavenly Country Ans. These desires of their heavenly Country spring from a double root 1. The unsatisfactoriness they finde in their earthly Countries They find nothing here but labor sorrow sin toyl emptiness disappointment vexation c. They have had enough of their earthly Countrie alreadie therefore they desire a better Country It is enough Lord saith Elijah take away my life for I am no better than my Fathers I King 19. 4. He had had as much of the world as he did desire he had found it to be a lying vanity therefore he desires to be in another place And then secondly The felicity they beleeve and hope for in their Heavenly Country They know that they shall have in that Country all that their souls can wish They shall have Grace in perfection Joy in perfection I desire saith the Apostle to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is best of all Phil. 1. 23. They see that in their heavenly Country which will make them compleatly happy So faith Paul We know that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle was dissolved we have a building of God a house not made with hands eternal in the Heavens For in this we groan earnestly desiring to be cloathed upon with our house which is from Heaven 2 Cor. 5. 1 2. The Uses are these First It condemns them that never have any desire of this Heavenly Country They have no serious thoughts of it they study not how to get thither they pray not for it they speak not of it they love not discourses about it They drudge and toyl for the world rise early go to bed late c. but they minde not Heaven This is very sad How will such men do when they come to die what comfort will they have if Heaven be not their Country Hell must This Country you must leave and you know not how soon and what will your hundreds and thousands your Houses your Lands then stand you in stead you must pack away and leave all you have scraped together behind you When you see death at your bed side you will wish you had minded a better Country more and the world less It is the complaint of the Church Cant. 1. 6. against her mothers Children They made me saith she the keeper of the vineyards but my own vineyard have I not kept You will another day curse all your care and diligence about the world which hath hindred you from seeking Heaven and this Heavenly Country Secondly Let me intreat all of you to imitate this example of the Patriarchs Seek your better Country It is good when men seek the good of their Earthly Countrie You are met this day to testifie your respects towards your Native Country It is a lawful and warrantable thing to do so Nature commands men to desire their native Countrie It is unthankfulnefs to forget the place which gave us breath and provided for us our first food The Greek Proverb is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The smoak of a mans own Country is brighter than flame in a strange Land Ulysses longed to see the smoak of his Country It is an honorible thing for men that have Estates to consult how they may advantage their native Country These Meetings heretofore have been very instrnmental for much good in the erecting of Schools the maintaining of Lectures you may help to save many a soul as you have ability and opportunity it would do well to think on these
things But above all things be mindful of your Heavenly Countrie First Never be at rest till you get good evidences of your Right to the inheritance of that Country You will be miserable whatever outward advantages you have till you have a possession in that Country Prove your spiritual Estate and Condition you are all by nature of another Country we are all born the children of wrath as well as others Eph. 2. 1 2. T is Repentance Saving Faith the work of Grace that will witness our right to Heaven Take heed of these false Evidences of common Profession Common Gifts worldly prosperitie on which most men build their hopes of Salvation All these are but sandie Foundations Consider such Scriptures as these 2 Cor. 5. 17. Rom. 8. 10. If Christ be in you the body is dead c. Better you had never been than not to have a Title to Heaven Secondly When you have proved your Right to it let your thoughts be much on it Mind the things of your Country the glorie the happiness of that Country Let your hearts dwell upon the meditation of Heaven and the things of heaven It is Gods command Col. 3. 1. That we would set our affections on things above It was the Apostles practise Phil. 3. 20. I might use many Arguments to perswade you to these thoughts and studies As First Your calling is a Heavenly calling Heb. 3. 1. It is a heavenly calling in regard of the Original and Efficient Cause It is heavenly in regard of the Object of it it is all about things of a heavenly nature It is heavenly in regard of the tendencie of it It is a call to Heaven that is the Terminus ad quem Whom he called them he glorified Rom. 8. 30. Glorification is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of effectual Vocation 2. All your happiness is in Heaven there it is that your Crown lies there all your treasure is and where should your hearts be but where your treasure is Matth. 6. 21. There is your Riches there is your eternal abiding if you be Saints There are your best and dearest Relations 3 Not to mind the things of Heaven is an implicite deniall of the resurrection of Christ See Col. 3. 1. he that doth beleeve that Christ sits at the right hand of God cannot but be often looking up that waie It is a good evidence that Christs Resurrection and Ascention have had some spiritual power upon our hearts when we minde the place where he is 4. The serious minding of heavenly things will make us less careful about all earthly occurrences He that lives much in Heaven is prepared to entertain any Providences God pleases to produce on earth the heart of such a Christian will be quiet and composed whatever fall out The serious thoughts of the good things of that upper Country will make the heart patient though it have but little will preserve it from pride and surfeiting of the greatest portion of the good things of these lower Countries 5. It is the way to have a long Heaven It is the way to have a double Heaven he that lives most in Heaven on Earth hath the longest Heaven The serious thoughts of Heaven do after a spiritual manner translate the soul into heaven that is a pertinent place to this purpose 2 Cor. 3. 18. he that doth by holy meditation view the glory of the Lord shall be visibly changed into the image of the Lord. And then Thirdly and lastly Be desirous to be put into possession of it You must staie in this lower world till God send the messenger of death for you but yet you may long and breath for such Translation It is the last prayer of the Spouse Can. ult ult the last prayer of the Church Rev. 22. 20. That Christ would hasten his coming It is a happie thing to be contented to die twice happie to be desirous to die Plutarch saith that the Egyptians at their feasts did usually bring in the Anatomie of a dead mans bodie And Strabo writes that the Persians at their Feasts used Pipes made of dead mens bones He that sets the Deaths head on his Trencher will eat most spiritually most soberly most thankfully He that is fit to die and willing to die is prepared for whatever shall come upon the World We shall never be like Abraham Isaac and Jacob till we have these desires after our Heavenly Countrie FINIS