cannot say so they have a father to provide for them and all the earth is the Lords as well as heaven and the fulnesse of them both now the earth being the Lords as well as heaven the earth being thy fathers why should thy care be so much upon the things of the earth Let thy care be to do thy duty to thy father to walk as a child but let it not be for the things of the earth thou dost as much as disavow the care of thy father for thee and canst thou beleeve that God shall give his Son to thee and not give thee all things else hath not godliness the promises of this life as well as of that to come Oh! thou unworthy child that professest an interest in such a father or unworthy Christian that professest an interest in such promises and hop'st that God hath done such things for thee as he hath done and yet hast thy heart in the things of this earth as if the Lord had settled thee only here and put thee to shift for thy self here from door to door no certainly the care of God is over his people in the things of the earth as truly as it is over them in regard of spiritual and eternal things Some men can think at least they trust that they do trust God for their souls but cannot for their bodies so well but surely faith wil teach thee to trust God for thy body as wel as thy soul for God hath care of both and both were redeem'd by the blood of Jesus Christ and hath told thee that he that fears the Lord shall never want any thing that 's good for him Now these considerations may mightily prevail to take off the hearts of men from the things of this earth The Eleventh Consideration The last that I shall name is this That all that are Professors of Religion they are dead to the world or should be so nay if you be truly Religious you are so by profession you do professe your selves to be dead unto the world The Scripture makes this argument to take off mens hearts from the things of this world in the 3. Colos 2 3. Set your affections on things above not on things on the earth why for you are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God Ye are dead the Apostle writes to the Colossians and yet he tels them that they were dead the Sripture speaks much of the death of the Saints As it 's said of women that liv'd in pleasures in Timothy that they were dead while they liv'd so it may be said of Christians that they are dead while they live dead to the world I am crucified to the world saith the Apostle and we are dead with Christ I find that some interpret that Scripture in the 1. Cor. 15. 29. Else what shall they do that are baptized for the dead they interpret it thus That all those that came in which were Heathens and converted to Christianity and were baptized they were baptized for dead men that is by their baptizm now there was a profession that they did professe themselves from that time for ever as dead men to the world baptized for the dead you have it in some of your books over the dead but the word is for and so it is translated in this last translation For dead men your baptizm is administred unto you as a sign of your profession to be as dead men unto the world so I find some carry it This is the profession of Christians to be as dead men to the world Oh do not dishonor your profession of Religion for indeed there is a greater evil as we said for professors of Religion to be earthly minded than for any others and yet how many are guilty of this It 's an observation of Luther when God rivealed himself to Abraham and told him that he would multiply his seed he made use of two similitudes one was this That he would make his seed as the stars of Heaven and at another time God saith that he would make his seed as the sand upon the sea shore Now saith Luther by these two expressions there is signified two sorts of Abrahams seed there are some that are as the stars of Heaven that are heavenly minded There are others that are as the sand of the Sea that is There are some professe themselves to be of Abrahams seed but are of earthly spirits Oh now my brethren we should labor to have such minds and hearts so as we should appear to be the seed of Abraham as the stars of heaven to be of the number of those that are as the stars of heaven that is through heavenly-mindednesse But that we shall come to when we come to speak of the conversation of Christians how it ought to be in heaven But now if any one should say May we not mind earthly things and heavenly things too Know there is a great mistake here you cannot serve two masters God and Mamon and it 's very observable that text of Scripture in the 3. of Colos 2. verse mark the opposition Set your affections on things above not on things on the earth they are there opposed one to another Set your affections or minds for so I think it is the same word with that in my text who mind earthly things A man cannot look up to heaven and down to the earth both at the same time there is an opposition between these two between the earthly-mindedness that hath been opened to you and minding of heavenly things I but you will say For these things while we are upon the earth we have need of them how can we do otherwaies but mind them When we come to heaven there we shall have dispositions sutable to heaven but sure not till then To that I answer Though Christians do live upon the earth yet they are not of the earth there 's a great deal of difference between one that is of the earth and another that lives upon the earth Christ saith concerning himself that he was not of the earth it 's true though he did live a while upon the earth yet he was not of it In the 3. of John 31. He that cometh from above is above all he that is of the earth is earthly and speaketh of the earth now Christ while he spake these words he was upon the earth but He was not of the Earth And so it is with Christians they are upon the Earth but they are not of the Earth they are a people redeem'd from the earth therefore that 's not enough it 's true these things are things that we need therefore we must not mind them for so in the 6. of Mat. where Christ speaks against taking thought what we shall eat or what we shall drink or what we shall put on Saith he Your Heavenly Father knows you have need of these things you have some need I but you have need of other things and greater
of God in them that the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ might be glorified in them Oh! this is that that all the Saints should desire and endeavor after That the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ should be glorified in them and ye in him saith he Labor you that Christ may be glorified in your lives and you shall be glorified in him We should desire that Christ may have glory in our glory then we shall have glory in Christs glory this is a sweet and blessed life when as the Saints have such hearts as they can say Lord let me have no glory but that thou mayest have glory in Then saith God Is it so Doest thou desire no further glory in this world but that I may have glory in then I will have no glory in this world but what thou shalt have glory in Christ will make us partakers of his glory as well as we shall make him partaker of our glory Oh! An Heavenly Conversation that glorifies God will glorifie the Saints too CHAP. XVIII An Heavenly Conversation will make Suffering easie HEavenly Conversation it will make all sufferings to be very easie it will be nothing to suffer any thing you meet withall in this world if your Conversations be in Heaven All revilings and reproaches and wrongs they will be nothing if you get but a Heavenly Conversation you will contemn all these things that the men of the world think to be such great matters Men that have conversed in Heaven never will be much offended for any sufferings 2 Cor. 4. 17. For our light afflictions which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory While we look not at the things which are seen but at things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal All but light afflictions Why for our eye is above all these things And it 's a notable passage that in the Gospel if you examine the place of Christs transfiguration upon the mount there Christ shewed his glory unto some Disciples that he carried with him and this is that that I would note from it do but observe in the story who were the Disciples that Christ carried with him to see his glory they were Peter James and John now afterwards if you compare that story with the story of Christ being in his Agony which was presently after where his soul was heavie unto death when he was to be betraied and to be crucified the next day and fell groveling upon the earth sweat clodders of blood through the anguish that was upon his spirit cried out Oh Lord If it be possible let this cup pass from me Here 's a great deal of difference between Christ in his Agony and upon the mount in his Transfiguration and observe that Christ would have none of his Disciples see him in his Agony but Peter James and John only those three that saw him in his transfiguration upon the mount in his glory The note from hence is That those that can converse much with Christ in glory can converse with Christ in Heaven can see Heaven they may be permitted to see Christ in his Agony and it will do them no hurt But now for the other Disciples that did not see Christ in his Glory if they had seen Christ in his Agony it might have offended them Is this our Lord and Master that is in such a fearful Agony at this time Oh! it would have offended them but now the other that saw him glorified it offended them not Well though he be in an agony now yet we know him to be a glorious Savior and we will beleeve and trust in him still So if we can converse with God in glory upon the mount what ever agony we see Christ in afterwards we shall be able to bear it when Stephen had the stones ratling about his ears yet when he saw the Heavens opened it was nothing to him then he fell asleep he rejoyced in the expectation of Heaven And if you reade in the Book of Martyrs ever when they came to their sufferings you may see how they did rejoyce when they did think of Heaven and remember eternal life Saith one woman to her child that was going to be burnt when as the people thought she would have rung her hands and made great lamentations to have seen her child stepping into the flames she said nothing but this Remember eternal life my son Oh! conversing with Heaven makes all sufferings in the world nothing CHAP. XIX Heavenly Conversation brings much joy THen Oh the sweetness and comfort that there will be while the soul is conversing in Heaven Oh the joy and the peace that will come to the Soul in the certain evdience that the soul is partaker in the Death Resurrection and Intercession of Jesus Christ I say those whose Conversations are in Heaven by this they come to have certain evidence to their souls that they have their portion in the Death in the Resurrection in the Ascention in the Intercession of Jesus Christ and this will afford comfort enough That Scripture in the 3. Colos 1. If ye then be risen with Christ seek those things that are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God set your affection on things above not on things on the earth for ye are dead and your life is bid with Christ in God When Christ who is our life shall appear then shall ye also appear with him in glory Here 's an evidence that you are risen with Christ that you are dead to the world and have interest in his Ascention and are partakers of his Resurrection and have part in his Intercession Those that have their Conversations in Heaven now they may know certainly that they are risen from death to life that when Christ ascended he went to Heaven to take possession for them yea that they are in Heaven where Christ is He hath set us in Heavenly places together with Christ Jesus For he is there as a common head That they are ascended with Christ already and that Christ is there as an Advocate making Intercession for them to the Father these will be the consolations of those that have their Conversation in Heaven CHAP. XX. An Heavenly Conversation is very safe ANd then A Conversation in Heaven is a very safe Conversation you will be free from snares and temptations As an Eearthly Conversation subjects unto temptations so a Heavenly Conversation will free us from temptations When is the bird in danger of the Lime-twig or Net but when she comes to pick below upon the ground but if she could but keep her self above alwaies she were free then from the Snare and Net It 's Chrysostoms similitude Keep above and then ye be free from the snare of the fowler It 's a safe Conversation CHAP. XXI An Heavenly Conversation gives abundant enterance into Glory AND then
draw my heart off from Spiritual and Heavenly things no but I beat down my body saith he There 's no Christian that is Heavenly but he must be very careful and watchful over his sences while he lives here to beat down his body and so he may come to have his Conversation in Heaven The Sixth Rule Labor to be skilful in the mystery of godliness to draw strength from Jesus Christ in every thing you do For my Brethren Christ he is Jacob's Ladder When Jacob lay asleep he saw a ladder on which the Angels did descend and ascend up to Heaven Now this Jacob's Ladder is no other but Jesus Christ to Christians and that must be set up to Heaven if you would go to Heaven and converse with Heaven it must be by Jesus Christ you must be instructed in the mysterie of the Gospel in conversing with God through a Mediator there is such an infinite distance between God and us that except we have Christ the Mediator we can never come to God nor God come to us it is only Christ the Mediator that is the Ladder We need not say Who shall go up to Heaven to fetch Christ down No we may have Christ in our hearts and set up him and so we may go up to Heaven by his Mediation When as a Christian comes to live in this manner what I do expect from God I expect to draw it through a Mediator and all the services that I tender up to God I tender them up through the hand and heart of Christ Now those that are acquainted with this have much converse with Heaven By Jesus Christ the Mediator I may come up there and present my self there though no unclean thing may come there for God looks upon the Saints through him as righteous being cloathed with his righteousness they may come to their Father with boldnesse having their Elder brothers garments upon them they may come and kneel before the Throne of grace come into Heaven as into the Presence Chamber and kneel every morning for their Fathers blessing it 's by him what we have accesse unto the Father Oh! acquaint thy self with the Mystery of godlinesse in drawing all from Christ and tendering all to God through Christ By this Heaven comes down to thee and by this thou climest up to Heaven this is the Jacob's Ladder But those men that only look upon God in a natural way that 's thus Indeed all good things must come from God and so they go to prayer Lord we beseech thee bless us this day for all good things come from thee And they serve God their consciences tell them they must worship and serve God while they live here but it is but in a dull natural way let me leave it in your hearts All good comes from God through a Mediator through Jesus Christ the second Person in Trinity God-Man and all my services are tendered up to God through him there is this Mediator God-Man that unites God and me together and so by him I have acceptance both for my person and all my actions and by him I come to have other manner of blessings than comes from God meerly as Creator God in bounty bestows upon the creature many good things but when we come to deal with God in Christ we come to have Heavenly blessings blessings beyond the power of nature yea beyond all those blessings that nature can be any conveyance of beyond the blessings that the conduits of the creature are able to hold forth they have the blessing from God imediately imediately I mean in respect of the creature it 's by the mediation of Christ they enjoy God in Christ and so come to enjoy God in a Heavenly Supernatural way Oh this is the way to have our Conversations in Heaven and those Christians that are much acquainted with the Gospel of Christ they come to live far more Heavenly Conversations than others that go on in a dull heavie and natural kind of way in serving of God But being not acquainted with this mysterie their hearts lie low upon the earth and know not what it is to have their Conversations in Heaven The Seventh Rule And so the next Rule with which I must close all is this Exercise much the grace of faith There is no way to get above the Creature and above Nature but by exercising the grace of Faith Many Christians think they must exercise love to God and exercise sorrow for sin the grace of Repentance mourning for sin that 's good thou shouldest do that and thou shouldest exercise patience but the great grace that is to be imployed if thou wouldest attain a Heavenly life it is The exercise of Faith and make conscience to put forth that grace much for it 's by that that we do converse with God through Christ Though Christ be the ladder yet it 's faith that carries us up this ladder and brings us down again it 's faith that makes the things of Heaven real to the soul Heb. 11. 1. It 's faith that is an evidence of things not seen and the substance of things hoped for by faith these things come to be made real and substantial things and as present things faith it is that gives a great excellency to all the things of Heaven its self and therefore live much by faith and walk by faith and not by sence and then shalt thou be above the world and live in Heaven and as the fruit of thy faith wait for the appearing of Jesus Christ Our Conversation is in Heawen saith the Apostle from whence also we look for the Savior the Lord Jesus Christ c. Where a mans Conversation is there his expectations may be and where the expectations are there a mans Conversation is now our Converstaion is in Heaven from whence also we look for Jesus Christ as if he should say It 's not a motion do not you think that when we speak of Conversing in Heaven that we please our own fancies Oh no saith he we by faith look upon Heaven as the most real thing in the world for we expect the Lord Jesus Christ ere long to appear in glory bodily and we shall see him with these eyes and shall change our vile bodies and make them like his glorious body we by faith looking upon such glorious things to be so real and so at hand and we waiting for these things it 's this that makes our Conversation to be in Heaven our hearts and all are there because that we expect that these things will be made good to us quickly Oh Christians do but exercise your faith in this in Jesus Christ and put forth this fruit of faith in waiting for the appearing of Jesus Christ when he shall come and appear in his glory this will help to make your Conversations to be in Heaven Oh what a blessed time will that be when Jesus Christ shall come from the Heavens and appear to those that have been waiting for
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
earthly in spiritual things 15 8 When they pass by great difficulties about earthly matters and they seem little to them ibid 9 When they conceive of the most heavenly truth in an earthly way Page 17 CHAP. III. Fourteen Evils of Earthly-mindedness 1 It is Adultery 20 2 It is Idolatry ibid Object What Idolatry is there in it Answ 1 They depart from God 22 2 They chuse rather to make the earth to be their god than the infinit First-Being of all things ibid 3 It is enmity against God 23 4 It is opposite and contrary to the work of grace 24 1 Before Conversion 1 To the call of conversion 26 2 To the souls answer to this call ibid 3 To the resigning up of the soul to God as the chiefest good 26 2 After conversion to their work of grace 1 Grace brings a new light to the soul ibid 2 Make him a new creature 27 3 Is of an elevating nature ibid 4 Is of an enlarging nature ibid 5 Grace sanctifies the soul 28 5 It puts men upon great temptations Page 28 6 It is one of the greatest bindrances to the profit of the Ministry 30 7 It causeth many foolish lusts in the heart 34 1 It causeth them to follow after things that are vile ibid 2. It makes them a servant to their servants ibid 3 A man might have more of it and not mind it so much as he doth 35 4 You pay a great deal more for it than 't is worth 36 5 What he doth he must needs undo again 38 6 They lose the comfort of earthly things before they have them 39 8 It is the root of Apostacy 40 9 It doth wonderfully dead the heart in the prayer 42 10 It is just with God their names should be written in the earth 43 11 They have the curse of the serpent upon them 44 12 It is a dishonor to God and a scandal to Religion 45 13 It doth exceedingly hinder preparation for death 47 14 It will drown thy soul in perdition 50 Preparation to Convincements Men may be earthly-minded and yet not know they are so Page 51 Five things may be wrought in an earthly-minded man 1 His judgment may be convinced that there is a vanity in them 52 2 He may have some kind of contentment in them ib. 3 They may speak great words about the vanity of this world ibid 4 They may be free from getting any thing by deceit ibid 5 They may dispise some earthly things ibid Convincement 1 When a man rests upon earthly props for the good he doth expect 54 Convincement 2 When men make most provision for the things of this world for themselves and their children 55 Convincement 3 When a man can be content with a slight assurance of heavenly things but never thinks him sure enough for the matters of the earth 56 Convincement 4 When he is contented with a little sanctification but in things of this world would sâ—ill have more and more Page 58 Convincement 5 When they are very wise in matters of the world but very weak in spiritual 59 Convincement 6 When their discourses are of the world 60 Convincement 7 When spiritual things must give way to earthliness 61 Convincement 8 When they care not how it is with the Church so it be well with them in things of the world ibid Convincement 7 When the more spiritual a truth is the lesse it takes with their hearts 63 CHAP. IV. Reasons of mens Earthly-mindedness 1 The things of the earth appear reall to them but Heavenly things are but a notion 64 2 They look upon them as the present necessary things ibid 3 These things are most sutable to mens hearts 65 4 They have a very fair shew to the flesh ib. 5 Men naturally know no better things 66 6 There are earthly principles continually dropping into men by conversing with other men of the earth ibid 7 The sensible experience they have of their sweetness Page 67 CHAP. V. Considerations to take off the hearts of men from earthly-mindedness Consideration 1 If thou couldst possess all the things of the earth there is not so much good in them as to countervail the evil of one sin 68 Consideration 2 The chiefest things of the earth have been and are the portion of reprobates ibid Consideration 3. God hath made man for higher things than the things of the earth 69 Consideration 4. The soul of a man is of too high a birth to have the strength of it spent about the things of the earth 70 Consideration 5. All the things of the earth are uncertain 71 Consideration 6. Consider what hath become of such men in former ages 72 Consideration 7. How short thy time is in this world Page 73 Consid 8. A little will serve the turn to carry us through this world 76 Consid 9. There is no good to be had in them further than God is pleased to let himself through them 77 Consid 10 If you be godly God promiseth to take care of you for the things of the earth ibid Consid 11. All that are professors of Religion should be dead to the world 79 CHAP. VI Exhortation to beware of earthly-mindedness 81 CHAP. VII Directions to get our hearts free from Earthly-mindednesse 1 Be watchful over your thoughts 86 2 Be humbled for sin ibid 3 Set the exampls of the Saints before you 86 4 Consider the great accompt we are to give for all earthly things ibid 5 Set the Lord Jesus Christ before you 88 THE CONTENTS OF THE ENSUING TREATISE OF AN HEAVENLY-CONVESATION PHILIPPIANS 3. 20. CHAP. I HOw far the examples of godly men should prevail with us Page 91 1 More than other examples 93 1 More than the examples of rich men ibid 2 More than the example of the multitude ibid 3 More than the examples of those nearly related to us ibid 2 They should be enough to take off prejudices that come from accusations of men ib. 3 They should make us enquire after those waies Page 94 4 We should not oppose those waies 95 5 They should prepare us to let in any truth they profess ibid 9 They should confirm us in the truth 96 CHAP. II. What is to be done when examples of godly men are contrary 1 It puts us to a strict examination 97 2 which way hath most earthly inducements 98 CHAP. III Rebuke to those that follow the example of the wicked and reject the example of the godly Page 98 CHAP. IV Two Doctrines 1 The Saints are Citizens of Heaven 100 2 Their Conversation while they are in this world is in Heaven ibid CHAP. V How the Saints are Citizens of Heaven 102 1 Their names are inroll'd there 102 2 Christ their Head bath taken possession of Heaven in their names ibid 3 When they actually beleeve they take up their freedom 103 4 They cannot again be as slaves ibid 5 They have right to all the common stock and treasury of heaven ibid 6 They
peace with God by some thing that he himself must perform but for the point of Free justification by the grace of God in Christ it 's too Divine Spiritual and Heavenly for an earthly-minded man to apprehend in the Spiritualnesse of it an earthly-minded man his apprehensions of God are but in a carnal earthly way as the Prophet speaks in the 1 of Isa The Ox knows his owner and the Ass his masters crib Even after that manner doth an earthly-minded man know God as an Ox his owner and the Ass his masters crib as thus the ox knows his owner because he brings him fodder daily so an earthly-minded man hath no other apprehensions of God but this he thinks God gives him good things in this world God makes his corn to grow or Prospers his voyage An earthly-minded man may rise so high to have apprehensions of God as bringing good things unto him here on earth But one that is spiritual and heavenly doth apprehend God as God doth not look upon God meerly as good in respect of the benefit he receives from God here but he looks upon God as he is in himself he sees the face of God as there 's a great deal of difference between a man that knows another man and a beast that knows a man The ox knows his owner the ox knows the man that brings hay or provender to him but a man knows a man in another way knows what the nature of a man is knows what it is to be a rational creature so one that is spiritual knows what God is in himself he sees the face of God and understands what God is in another way than others do the difference between the knowledge of God that a spiritual soul hath one that is pure in heart and the knowledge of God that an earthly heart hath is just so much difference as comes to this As the ox knows the man that drives him to fat pastures so doth an earthly man know God that gives him good things but a spiritual heart knows God as one man knows another not in his full excellency I mean not so but there is such a kind of difference in some degree between the apprehensions of God in a spiritual heart and the apprehensions of God in an earthly heart And so we might mention in many other Spiritual and Divine Truths that an earthly mind doth apprehend but in an earthly way consider of Heaven its self how doth an earthly mind apprehend that he apprehends that he shall be delivered from pain and shall have some kind of glory but knows not what it is conceives it according to the way of the earth some pompous glotious thing that he shall live in pleasures and not in pain and so apprehends all the glory of Heaven but in sensuality whereas a spiritual heart looks at Heaven in another kind of notion he looks upon the enjoyment of Communion with God and Jesus Christ in Heaven and living of the life of God in Heaven that 's a thing that an earthly heart hath no skill at all in neither doth such an heart so much as savour it Thus I have in these several particulars discovered what an earthly-minded man is Oh that you would lay your hands upon your hearts and every one consider how far these things do reach you But I have besides these divers other convincements to convince the consciences of men and women that yet there is much earthlinesse in them but of them we shall treat of in their order afterwards The Second head to consider is this The great evill that there is in earthly-mindedness They mind earthly things Is that any such great matter you will say indeed we cannot imagine the transcendency of the evil that there is in this We think there 's a great deal of evil in swearing whoring drinking and such kind of scandalous sins and indeed there is But to have an earthly mind we do not think this to be so exceeding evil yet you will find that the Scripture doth speak most dreadful things against this and if God please to set them home upon your hearts I hope there is much glory may come to God by it and much good unto you in particular CHAP. III. Fourteen Evils of Earthly-mindedness The First EVIL Fâ—â—â—â— The Scripture cals it Adultery it is spiritual Adultery in Jude 4. vers Ye Adulterers and Adulteresses know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God They were Adulterers and Adulteresses in respect of their love to the world you that would abhor the thought of a temptation to Adultery yet you may commit spiritual Adultery a man or a woman may be an Adulterer or an Adulteresse before the Lord though they never commit the act of uncleannesse with another yet if their hearts be towards another they be guilty of uncleannesse for Christ saith whosoever doth but look after a woman to lust after her in his heart he hath committed adultery already that is hath sinned against that command that forbids adultery Is it so that if a man do but let his heart go after another woman more than his wife and a wife after another man more than her husband this is adultery before the Lord. So if our hearts be after any things more than the Lord Jesus Christ that we profess our selves married to and he to be our husband this is adultery in Scripture phrase The Second EVIL Yea further A worldly or an earthly-mind in Scripture phrase is called Idolatry in Ephes 5. 5. speaking of divers sins that should not be so much as named among them as it became Saints he hath Covetousness among the rest and he ads this And Covetousness which is Idolatry Now what is Earthly-mindednesse but Covetousnesse which is Idolaitry A man or woman is an Idolater that is of an Earthly mind Now Idolatry which is a worshiping of stocks and stones you all account to be a great sin but do you and al others take heed of another Idolatry that may be as bad that is To have your hearts to make the god of this world to be your God the cursed Mammon of unrighteousnesse to make the things of the earth to be your Christ to fall down and worship the golden-Calfe of the world It 's certain that that thing a mans heart is most taken with and set upon that 's his God and therefore here in this verse out of which my Text is it 's said They made earthly things their bellies their God The Voluptuous and Drunkard makes their Belly their God and the Unclean person makes his Strumpet to be his goddesse and worshppeth that whatsoever thy heart is most upon that 's thy God therefore that you must know to be the meaning of the Commandement Thou shalt have no other Gods before me That is thou shalt give me the strength of thy soul and nothing else So I am a God to my Creature when I have its strength exercised
they see in other men they do not regard silver and gold and to be getting all for themselves and they dispise those men that are of such a base covetous way and upon that they think their condition good because they think they are got above that lust but ye see it is no other than that a Mede may get a Heathen may disregard silver and gold but how it is because his spirit is upon another lust that 's the ground of it canst thou say this consider what I am now upon you that seem to scorn Covetousnesse and hate such base sordidnesse as you see in some men can you say it comes from hence The Lord hath made me to see the excellent things of the Gospel the treasures of grace that are fountain'd up in Jesus Christ the Lord hath made me to know what communion with himself in Jesus Christ doth mean and since that time I blesse God my heart hath been above all these earthly things and that 's the ground that makes me look upon all these earthly things as vanity because the Lord hath discovered unto me those excellent and glorious things that are infinitly above these earthly things I that 's somewhat indeed if you can be above earthlinesse upon this ground that 's a good argument therefore examine upon what ground it is that your spirit is against such things whether it be upon the sight and experience of better things then it 's right but certainly men and women may go far in seeming to be above earthly things in respect of the sin of covetousnesse and yet still have earthlie minde wherefore to give you convicements besides things that have been hinted As how a man doth value himself and value others is it not because that others or your selves have much of the things of the earth can you value a poor man that is godly above the richest man that is wicked and so can you value your selves for the least work of grace upon your hearts to make you more excellent thā the greatest cōmings-in of your estates but these things we have hinted And then where lies the chief Joy and chief Sorrow of mens hearts what 's that that doth most trouble your hearts is it the losse of the light of the face of God or the losse of an estate the losse of a voyage or the commission of a sin So what 's your chief Joy your profitting by the word or gaining by your bargains you have come to the word and there somtimes God hath reveal'd some truth to you and you have profited can you go away rejoycing because God hath made you to know his Law the Lord hath darted some truth into my soul this morning Oh! I go away rejoycing and having my heart fil'd with more joy than ever I have had upon any bargain wherein I have got never so much of the world These be two convincements we hinted not before Nine CONVINCEMENTS of Earthly-mindedness 1. Conv. For the further Convincement of an Earthly-minded man seriously consider this When a man shall rest upon earthly props upon worldly helps for the good that he doth expect If he can have those things then his heart seems to be upon the wing very pleasant but there 's nothing else can revive his heart it 's not a promise that can keep his spirit Now that that a man or woman most trusts unto that certainly they make to be their God for that properly belongs to God to put our trust in Him then we make God to be our God when we roul our selves upon Him Now to trust in earthly things though it be but for the comforts of your life you will say I cannot trust in earthly things to bring me to God nay but to trust in them for the comforts of your life while you are herein this world that 's an Argument of an earthly spirit for the truth is the comfort of a mans life consists not in any earthly thing he doth enjoy Object You will say Do not these comfort our lives Answ Yes so far as God is pleased to let out Himself through them but if thy heart doth rest upon these for comfort and doth not look higher than these for comfort even for thy outward support certainlie thou hast an earthlie heart And so when thou art about any businesse thou hast some earthlie means to further thee Obj. You wil say God would have us take all outward means to help us Ans I but not to trust in any thing If riches encrease set not your hearts upon them so if friends encrease set not your hearts upon them but trust in the living God let it be the living God that you rest on even for all outward things in this world 2. Conv. A Second Convincement is this When men make most provision for the things of this world both for themselves and for their children Are not these your thoughts I do not know what I may want hereafter and I see many that have lived finely when they have been young yet afterwards they have lived very miserably and therefore I must make provision for after-times Thus for the earth But now Do you reason thus for the things of Heaven do not I see many that have made a great blaze of Religion and yet afterwards they have come to nothing they have gone out in a snuffe as men that God hath forsaken and they have died in horror of Conscience and therfore let me lay up provision now against an evil time that I may not miscarrie in the matters of my soul so as others have done this were a sign your minds were not earthly And for your children God hath sent you children and Oh! how you toile and labour and your thoughts run in the night and as soon as you awake in the morning about what you shall get for their portions and for an estate for them Now I appeal to your conscience before God the searcher of all hearts Have your cares been to provide in a sutable way for their souls for their spiritual and eternal estates No question but it 's lawful for parents to provide in a Providential way for their children and they that do not are worse than Infidels but what is your chief provision for are your thoughts more solicitous to provide portions for them than that they should have instruction in the fear of God an interest in Christ than that they should have grace wrought in their hearts You are loth to die before you can bring your estate so clear as you may leave it to your children Oh are you not loth die before such time as you see some work of grace wrought in the hearts of your children Oh! these would your thoughts be if you were spiritual Oh! could I discern but some seeds of grace sown before I was disolved I could rejoyce abundantlie As ti 's repeated of Austen's Mother that the great thing that she desired to live for was
points of saving knowledge they speak like children so that one would wonder where their understandings were now turn such men to the matters of the world Oh! how wise are they in their generation Oh! how subtile and crafty are they they can see an objecton there and know how to answer it they can discern any thing that will let them in their profit many miles off and can prevent whereas others cannot but now in those things that hinder their souls they cannot foresee things there they are wise in their generation and they have memories for the matters of the world they can understand things and remember things and they can meditate there but put them to meditate on a point of Religion they are presently at a stand Let me appeal to you do not your consciences tell you that in the matter of the world when you are walking from hence to London you can run in your thoughts upon one business all the way that you walk you can plot this and contrive the other way and foresee this and the other objection and answer it thus in your own thoughts but I do but put this to you when you walk over the fields settle but upon one meditation concerning Christ and see whether you are able to draw out that meditation the while you walk over one field whereas you can spin out an earthly meditation if it were divers miles when you awake in the night season presently your thoughts are upon the things of the world and you can draw them out and work there understandingly but now in the things of God Oh! how barren and simple and weak are you there there 's scarce any one can over-reach you in the things of the world but in the matters of Religion you are over-reach't presently every slight temptation overcomes you there 6. Conv. And besides you may know it by the discourse and words of men 1. John 4. 5. They are of the world therefore speak they of the world and the world heareth them Their breath is earthly Oh! it 's an ill sign that you use to say of your friends sometimes when you come to their bed side Oh! I am afraid they will die their breath smels so earthly it 's a simptom of the death of the bodie So your hearts do smel so earthly and it were somewhat tolerable if it were on other daies when your callings requires it to discourse of businesse but even that time that God hath set apart for himself you are sometimes discoursing in your own thoughts concerning the businesses of the world when you are praying and hearing whereas the communication and discourses of men should relish of what they have heard out of the world not presently to go and talk about some earthly exchange occurrances and so loose all Oh! it 's this that hath lost many precious truths it may be when you have been hearing God hath darted in some beam of Gospel-light into your souls and you have lost is before you have got home and so have come to loose the impression of the truth that you have heard Oh! what a seemly thing were it in those that come to hear the word when they depart that there should be no discourse but tending that way Oh! how often are you in company and never leave any thing to refresh one anothers spirits or to further one another in the way to eternal life though God gives you allowance to speak about your business yet still if you be spiritual and heavenly he would have you to have something about heaven or eternal life before you do depart 7. Conv A. further Convincement is this When Spiritual things must give way to Earthlyness upon every little business Prayer must pay for it if I have any businesse I will take it out of the time of Paayer or converse in the Word the less or hear the lesse when as I say that earthly things are so high as spiritual things must give way Heaven must stand by as ir were til Earth be served this is an evil sign of an earthly spirit whereas were the spirit Heavenly the very first thing that thou would do when thou awakest in the morning or arisest should be to season thy heart with somthing that were spiritual in Psal 139. 17. How precious also are thy thoughts unto me O God! how great is the sum of them If I count them they are more in number than the sand when I awake I am still with thee Oh! that were an argument of a spiritual mind that upon the awaking presently to be with God When I awake I am still with thee But now I appeal to you Who are you withal when you awake Can you say Lord when I awake I am still with thee I find an inclination in my spirit to be upon the matters of Heaven and when I am up I had rather my worldly business should give way than spiritual duties 8. Conv. When a man or woman cares not much how it is with the Church with the Kingdom of Jesus Christ so it be well with them in the matters of the world when as there are things stirring abroad in the world for we live in stirring times wherein God is shaking the Heavens and the Earth now he doth not much enquire how things are in respect of the Priviledges of the Saints the Ark of the Church so his Cabbin be safe Truly there need no oeher thing but the examning of your hearts how they have been these last years of Jacobs trubles We find Eli in the time of war he sat trembling because of the Ark of God he did not sit trembling because that if the Philistims did prevaile he should be put out of his place and his estate taken away no but because of the Ark of God that was an argument of the spiritualnesse of Eli's mind And so it may be an argument of very great comfort to you in these dangerous times If our consciences tell us this that God that knowes all things knowes that the great thing my heart was solicitous about in these evill dayes it was What shall become of thy great Name Lord what shall become of Religion what shall become of thy Gospel Lord these were the things that took up my heart not so much what should become of my estate and outward accommodations and relations in this world Oh! examine your hearts in this Whether the care of your spirts be more for the furtherance of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ or for the furtherance of your Estates but for that man or woman that is most solicitous about businesse that concerns their outward estates and do not much care how Religion goes how the way of the Kingdom of Christ is maintai'd God at this time doth speak to that soul Thou art an Earthly-minded man or woman and therefore take heed lest what hath been spoken concerning the great evil that there is in earthly-mindednesse lest it befals thee and especially
on the earth and mark therefore how it follows in the 37. verse They were stoned they were sawn asunder were tempted were slain with the sword they wandred about in sheeps-skins and goats-skins being destitute afflicted tormented Who were these They were they of whom the world was no tworthy They wandered in deserts and in Mountains and in dens and caves of the earth and yet such precious Saints of God as the world was not worthy of Now when we set before us how joyfully these servants of the most high went through all their wildernesse condition this should make us ashamed of our earthly-mindedness and would be a mighty help to us The Fourth Direction And then if we consider the great accompt that we are to give for all earthly things you only look upon the comfort of them but consider the account you must give for them this would be a means to take off the heart from earthly-mindednesse And consider what if you were now to die and to go the way of all flesh what good would it be to me to remember what contentments and pleasures I had in the earth The fifth Direction But above all the setting Jesus Christ before you and the meditating of the death of Jesus Christ I say that 's the great thing that wil take off the heart from the things of the earth The looking upon Christ Crucified how he that was the Lord of Heaven and Earth yet what a low condition he put Himself into meerly for the redeeming of us The conversing much with the death of Jesus Christ deads the heart much to the world In the 3. to the Philippians we have a notable text for that in the example of Paul he accounted all things as dung and drosse for Jesus Christ at the 8. verse I account all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the liss of all things and do count them but DVNG that I may win Christ And then in the 19. verse That I may know Him and the power of his Resnrrection and the fellowship of His Sufferings being made conformable unto his Death Paul desired to be so conformable to the very Death of Christ that he accounted all things in the world but as dung and drosse in comparison of that Paul had the death of Christ before his eyes and meditated much on the death of Christ and that meditation had a great impression upon his spirit that made him account all these things as drosse as dogs meat in comparison and that he might have fellowship with the death of Christ Perhaps some of you may think of the glory of Christ in Heaven and that may for the present make you lesse worldly but let me intreat you to meditate on the death of Christ and know that there is an excellencie in Conformity even to the death of Christ such an Excellency that may take off your hearts from the things of the world It 's said of the King of France that he asking one once about an Eclypse saith he I have so much businesse in the earth that I take little notice of the things of Heaven Oh my Brethren for the close of all I beseech you let not this be said concerning any of you that you have such and such worldly imployments that you cannot enquire after Jesus Christ Plead not that you have such great businesse that you have so much to do in this earth that you take little notice of the things of Heaven no surely the Saints of God have their businesse in Heaven as we shall see God willing hereafter Their City Business their Trading their Aims their Bent it is higher than the things of this earth There are things that a man may let out his thoughts and affections too as much as he wil This shews the vanity of the things af this world that a man had need be very wary how much he minds them he cannot enjoy the comforts of this earth without some fear but now when he comes to converse with Heaven there he may let out himself to the uttermost that shews the excellency of these things And you that are but poor and mean in the things of this earth be not discomforted because there is a charg from God that men should not mind these things surely there is no great matter in them as God charges that we should not mind them Oh the excellency it lies in things above which are heavenly and spiritual where the Saints have their conversation But of this more at large in this following Treatise of Heavenly Conversation FINIS AN HEAVENLY Conversation PHILIPPIANS 3. 20. For our Conversation is in Heaven CHAP. I. Of Examples of Godly men and how far they should prevail with us Opened in Six Particulars SOme reade this Particle For But But our Conversation is in Heaven Our Conversation is not as theirs Certainly the Apostle doth intend this to make a distinction from or a difference between the Saints waies and the waies of those that were Enemies to the Crosse of Christ They mind Earthly things But our Conversation is in Heaven But because of the particle For our Conversation therefore I think that it hath reference unto the 17 verse for the 18. and 19. verses are in a parenthesis and therefore if you would know the scope of the Apostle in it and what this hath relation to for it is in the 17. verse Brethren be followers together of me and mark them which walk so as you have us for an ensample for our Conversation is in Heaven to it is to follow he made a little degression when he said Make us your example then he speaks of others but many there are that walk thus and thus and are enemies to the cross of Christ Whose belly is their god whose glory is their shame whose end is destruction who mind earthly things But our or for our Conversation is in Heaven As if he should say Take heed of following of those whose belly is their god who mind earthly things for their end is destruction but rather follow those whose Conversation is in Heaven for their end is salvation that 's the scope of the words Now then from the scope and the coherance of them follow us for an example For our Conversation is in Heaven so they are to be joyn'd together from whence first before we come to speak of this Heavenly Conversation that the Apostle mentions we have this point That the Examples of men whose Conversations are heavenly are to be followed Follow us as an example for our Conversation is in Heaven They are guided by the spirit of God and the end of their Conversation is good and therefore 't is safe to be followed In Prov. 2. 20. there the Wise man speaks of an argument Why we should imbrace wisdom because that would teach you to walk in the way of good men and to keep the paths of the
Heaven it was with a great purchase it was with the purchase of the blood of Jesus Christ that was more worth than all the world And if the Son makes you free then you shall be free indeed and therefore prize this as a great mercie while you live here in this world account it as a great mercie that you are a Citizen of Heaven account your happiness to consist there it is more than to have House and Lands here for a man to have a freedom of some Citie it is more than to have House and Land in the Wilderness What though the Lord doth order things so as while thou livest in the wilderness of this world thou hast no habitation of thine own yet certainly the Lord hath made thee free of Heaven it was purchased for thee by the blood of Jesus Christ Now by that price that it cost thou mayest conclude that there is some great matter in it that thou art a free Denizen of Heaven CHAP. VI. How the Saints have their Conversation in Heaven Opened in Nine Particulars BUt now our Conversation should be answerable and now we come more fully up to the scope of the Apostle But our Conversation is in Heaven The Conversations of the Saints that are free Citizens of Heaven ought to be answerable though their Co-habitations be in this world yet their Conversation it should be in Heaven in the 7. of Dan. 10. 18. there you reade of the excellent estate of the Saints But the Saints of the most High shall take the kingdom and possess the kingdom for ever That that is translated here The Saints of the most High it is not only meant of the Most High God but the Saints of the high Places so 't is translated by some for the Saints are the Saints of high places in regard of their interest in Heaven and in regard of their Conversations sutable to the place in the 2. Ephe. 6. And hath raised us up together and made us sit together in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus The Saints are set in Heavenly places Heavenly dignitie Heavenly privileges Heavenly prerogatives yea and they themselves may be said to be in Heavenly places though their bodies be upon the earth their souls are in Heavenly places their Conversation is in Heaven They are the Saints of the High God and they are set in high places You will say What is this Conversation that is in Heaven that is here spoken of I shall open it in these particulars The first is The aim and scope of their hearts it is Heaven-ward that the Saints look at as their aim and scope is Heaven they look upon themselves in this world as pilgrims and strangers Heaven 's their home and their eye is there their end their scope whatsoever they do it is for Heaven some way or other to fit them for Heaven and to lay in for Heaven against they shall come and live there their Conversation therefore is in Heaven All that they do eating drinking going about their business yet I say their aim it is Heaven I remember it 's reported of Anaragorus a Philosopher that being asked wherefore he liv'd he said he was born to contemplate the Heavens he made it the end of his life for which he was born to contemplate Heaven Being a Phylosopher and having understanding in the motions of the Heavens he took such delight in it that he accounted it the end for which he was born So the Saints look at Heaven as their Center that they aim at that 's their scope we saith the Apostle do not look at things that are seen but at things that are not seen nothing in the Earth is our scope but Heaven is our scope and so their Conversations may be said to be in Heaven in that respect Secondly Their Conversations are in Heaven for they are acted by Heavenly principles in all their waies Heavenly principles you will say What are they This is a Heavenly Principle That God is all in all that 's a Principle that the Saints are guided by in Heaven they look upon God to be all in all unto them so do the Saints here in what they do in what they are in what they enjoy they act upon this Principle that it's God that is all in all whatsoever I see in the creature yet it 's God that is all in all to me I act by vertue of this Principle That God the infinite First-being is infinitely worthy of all love for himself that 's a Heavenly Principle the Saints that are in Heaven they look upon the infinite excellencie and glorie of God they look upon him as the First-Being of all things having all excellencie and glorie enough to satisfie all creatures for ever and look upon him as infinitly worthy of all love and service for himself know this is a heavenly Principle So the Saints their conversation is in Heaven they are acted by heavenly principles I look upon such and such things in the world whereby I may go in credit encrease or comfort this is an earthly principle But when my heart is so upon God that it looks upon him as infinitly excellent and worthy of all love service fear honor and worship for himself alone whatsoever becomes of the creature God is worthy of all for that infinite excellencie in himself this is a heavenly principle and for one to be acted in his life by such a principle as this is this is to be acted by heavenly principles not by such low and base principles as the men of the world are but by heavenly principles Thirdly Their Conversations are in Heaven For here though they live in the world they have communion with the God of Heaven that is above in the whol course of their lives In the 1. Epistle by John 1. chap. you have divers excellent expressions about our communion with God In the 3. verse That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you That ye also may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ And then in another Scripture we reade of the Communion of the holy Ghost Thereis Communion with the Father Son and holy Ghost Now what makes Heaven but God we say where the King is there 's the Court where God is there 's Heaven let God be where he will There is some controversie among some where the Saints shall be after the Resurrection some think it shall be still here and yet with all the glory that the Scripture speaks of Now it 's no great matter where it be so it be where God is those that have Communion with God they are in Heaven their Conversation is in Heaven now it 's that that is the life of the Saints their Communion with God thy life it is to have communion with the Creature that is for thee to close with the contents of the Creature and the faculty that is in man to tast any
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
It will cause an abundant enterance into the Kingdom of Heaven When they come to die Oh how joyfully wil they die what abundant enterance will be made into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ For when they die they shall but change their place they shall not change their company they shall but go to their Fathers house to be partakers of those mansions Christ before hath prepared Oh my brethren labor to have your Conversations in Heaven and know that this is not a matter only that concerns eminent Christians but all Christians and see how the Apostle charges this upon the Thessalonians 1. Epistle 2. 11. As you know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you as a Father doth his children that you would walk worthy of God who hath called you unto his Kingdom and Glory That is That you would walk in a Conversation answerable to the glorious Kingdom of God that you are called to according to your high calling we should walk worthy of it We are charged so to do and as it 's said concerning Christ in the Gospel by Saint John he spake concerning himself But the Son of man which is in Heaven So it should be said of every child of God such a one that is in Heaven not only such a one that shall go to Heaven but that is in Heaven for the present CHAP. XXII Seven Rules or Directions how to get Heavenly Conversation BUt you will say How should we do to get this our Conversasation to be in Heaven it's an excellent Conversation indeed Oh that we might attain unto it The First Rule First Take this Rule Be perswaded that it is attainable Let Christians conclude thus with themselves it is possible for me to live a life of Heaven while I am upon the earth There is a Heaven to be got it will mightily stir up the spirit of a Christian if he do beleeve this I may live in Heaven here with God and Christ and his Angels and Saints there are some that have attain'd to this and how have they attain'd to it not by their own strength they were men subject to the same infirmities that you are even Paul himself that had his Conversation in Heaven was subject to many infirmition But through the strength of Christ he can do all things he was nothing in himself reade but the 7. of the Romans Paul saith there of himself that he was even sold under sin and when he would do good evil was present with him and he was led captive and he found a Law in his members rebelling against the law of his mind and he had many corruptions and was feign to have a prick in the flesh a messenger of Satan to humble him and he spake of this Heavenly Conversation not only that he had it himself but writing to the Philippians they attain'd to it they were a Church that were very spiritual but were but poor and mean in respect of some others and they had not those eminent gifts that the Corinthians had and yet the Philippians had their Conversations in Heaven therefore it is a thing that is attainable The Second Rule Secondly If you would get your Conversations in Heaven Labor to keep a cleer conscience keep a Heaven in your conseience Those men that do fully and defile their consciences they lose their intercourse with Heaven and indeed the presence of the God of Heaven is tedious to them they be loth to go into his presence when once they have defiled consciences If there be a Hell in a mans conscience there will not be a Heaven in his Conversation but let men and women labor to keep conscience clean and a Heaven there and then there will be a Heaven in their Conversations The Third Rule Watch opportunicies for Heavenly exercises though you have much business in the world watch time You that are servants you should not indeed neglect your Masters business for you may serve God in the work of your Master but yet you must watch opportunities get alone and if you cannot have any long time let it be so much the frequenter watch all opportunities for Heavenly exercises for meditation for prayer for reading for conversing with God Oh! we might get many opportunities to get our souls in Heaven if we would but watch and those that are diligent to watch opportonities for Heavenly exercises and prize opportunities for them they are the men and women that will come to attain to a Heavenly Conversation that do not ' make it as a light matter whether they have converse with God or no in holy duties Christians that would have their Conversations in Heaven they must look upon their opportunities for Heavenly exercises they eye them as that wherein much of the joy and comfort of their lives consists The Fourth Rule Forget not this in the next place I speak now to Christians that would feign have their Conversations in Heaven I say to you Take heed and be careful that you rest not in formallity watch to get opportunities but be not formal in duties in them Oh! this will mightily darken your Conversations it will make them very earthly there will be no beauty at all in them if you come to rest in formallity in holy performances There 's many Christians that we hope may have some good at the bottom yet growing to a form in Religion they never honor their profession they have little comfort to their own souls they go on in a dead hearted condition they know not what it is to have communion with God Oh beware of that that we are all by nature subject too those that have enlightenings of conscience they dare not but take opportunities for Heavenly duties but then comes in the temptation of the Devil and the corruption of our own hearts when I have done my task then it 's over I have prayed I but you have been in Heaven that while what converse with God have you had there Oh take heed of formallity it will exceedingly hinder your Conversation But now a Christian though of never such weak parts can but chatter to God and speak a few broken words and half sentences yet if he doth not rest in formallity he may have much converse with God whereas others that have excellent parts yet resting in the work done never knows what the meaning is of having a Conversation in Heaven The Fifth Rule Labor to beat down your Bodies That is take heed of making provision for the flesh beware of sensual lusts how came Paul to have his Conversation in Heaven saith he I beat down my body The word is Black and blue club'd it down as if he should say This body of mine would draw my heart aside from spiritual things and make me earthly and sensual I wil keep down my body I will not give that satisfaction to the flesh and body so as to strengthen any temptation that should
priviledg of the redeemed ones Now this way of walking up unto the Land of Canaan from their captivity it 's typical to typifie the walk of the soul with the Lord. Sixthly For the souls walking with God there is this further done by God Christ the Son of God he takes the soul and brings it unto God the Father as the Spirit leads so Jesus Christ The Lord Jesus Christ he brings the soul unto the Father to render God and the soul familier together In Ephes 2. 18. Through him we have an acccess by one Spirit unto the Father We have an access through him we have a manuduction He brings us unto the Father we have access through Jesus Christ As if a Prince should take a Traytor that is reconciled to his Father having his pardon and his Father being passified towards him the Prince comes takes him by the hand and saith Come I 'le bring you unto my Father and I will walk along with you unto my Father So it is None that ever hath been a sinner can walk with God but Christ must walk together with him Christ walks along with him and so God is ever more rendred sweet aimable and lovely why Because Christ hath him by the hand as I may so say God the Father hath him in one hand and Christ hath him by the other hand and so the soul walks in this blessed walk between the hands of God the Father and the Son and the holy Ghost leads and guides him too CHAP. IV. Walking with God what it is Opened in Nine Particulars BUt now The way of the soul in this walk with God When the soul is thus brought to God and by this means enabled to walk with him Then what 's the way of the soul in walking thus with God Walking with God causes the soul to eye God In the first place Now the soul being come thus to God in all the waies of God it ey 's God and sets God before it Enoch walked with God that is Enoch in the waies of his life set God before him and did eye God in his waies First beholding the infinite beauty there is in God Secondly God being the fountain of al good to the soul Thirdly the soul apprehending God infinitly worthy of all honor These three things causes the eye to be upon God continually The Lord hath infinit excellency and beauty in him The Lord is the fountain of all good to me The Lord is infinitly worthy of all honor and service and a soul walking with God eyes God thus continually In the 26. Psal 3. For thy loving kindness is before mine eyes and I have walked in thy truth Oh Lord I see thee aimable lovely and gracious and the fountain of all good and Lord I have walked in thy truth setting God before me so in Psal 16. 8. I have set the Lord alwaies before me that I might not fall A soul that walks with God scarce ey 's any thing but God when it enjoyes the creature yet the eye is upon God as the little child walking with the father looks up to the father every soul that walks with God hath his eye upon him for there 's no such lovely drawing object to the soul as God himself is whereas wicked men they do not find God to be such a lovely object sees no such excellency in him and therfore they rather turn their eyes away from him they look another way Psal 86. 14. They do not set God before them men that walk according to the lusts of their own hearts in their wicked sinful waies the Lord is not in all their thoughts as in the 10. Psalm That 's the first thing in the way of the souls walking with God he eyes God and sees God before him Walking with God causeth a man to carry himself as in Gods Presence Secondly The soul behaves its self as in Gods Presence I see my self in Gods presence and my eye is upon God Oh let me then look to my self that the carriage of my soul be as beseems one who is in the presence of so holy so great so glorious and blessed a God as the Lord is in the 2 Cor. 2. 17. As of God in the sight of God speak we in Christ saith the Apostle when we come to do any thing we do it as of God in the sight of God knowing that we are allwayes before God Augustine speaking concerning Noah's walking with God he hath this expression Noah walked with God that is he had God alwaies present before his eyes walking so holily and so reverenced God This is to walk in the fear of God when the soul upon the apprehention of Gods presence shall labor to compose its self as beseeming the presence before whom it is and this indeed is the walk that you shall find the Saints of God in all day long would you know where to find a Saint you may know his walk you shall all the day long find him walking in the fear of the Lord Preverbs 23. 17. saith the text there Let not thy heart envy sinners but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long He doth not say do thou fear the Lord all the day long but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long Oh the walk of a Christian should be so from morning to night to walk in the fear of the Lord and nothing in this world should put him out of this walk no temptations should call him out of it but in the fear of the Lord all the day long This is the walk of a Christian when he labors to behave himself as beseems the presence of God Walking with God is when we make Gods Will the Rule of our will Thirdly The soul may be said to walk with God When the way of it is the same way that God himself goes the soul doth that that God doth What 's the way of God but the way of holiness and righteousness when the soul makes the Will of God to be the rule of it I will not be acted by my own will I will not be acted by any thing but by the Will of God what is it that God wills I will the same thing then the soul walks that way God walks when it doth sute its self with God sets the Lord as an example before it as the Scripture saith Be ye holy as your Heavenly Father is holy I see the holy and the righteous waies of God and I labor as a deer child to follow him and to go in the very same steps that God doth how doth God carry businesses I will labor to carry things so as God doth that my life shall hold forth a resemblance of God himself this is to walk with God to do as God doth to imitate God that 's a third thing in a souls walking with God Walking with God is when a Soul hath the same Ends that God hath The Fourth is this
this work I can do nothing without thee Lord and let me have assistance from thee Whereas the wicked they make flesh their arm and therefore there 's a curse pronounc'd against them in Jer. 17. 5. verse they are strangers to any such work as this of dependance upon God for assistance Now and then at a spurt they will say that God must help them and they can do nothing without God I but to have a holy gracious frame of spirit to walk in a holy dependance upon God for assistance in every businesse this is far from the wicked and ungodly Fourthly The soul walks in a holy dependance upon God for a blessing upon all it doth Walk before me and be upright I am thine exceeding great reward As if God should say to Abraham Walk in dependance upon me I am thy reward though thou hast little encouragment in the world yet look up to me for thy reward so when the soul turneth from men and the world and minds not so much what encouragement it hath from the world but looks up to God Lord I depend upon thee for a blessing and how ever things seem to go yet Lord I look up to thee for the bringing all to a good issue here 's now a soul walking with God Walking with God makes a man free and ready in the waies of God Seventhly One that walks with God in all his waies of Holiness and Obedience his heart is free in him he comes off readily to every good work he is not hall'd and pull'd to God but he walks with him There 's a great deal of differenet between one that is dragged after another as if you should drag a prisoner that hath no mind to go that way and another that walks up and down with delight and pleasure with you 'T is not enough to walk with God for to be in the way that God would have you to be or to do the things that God would have you to do except your hearts do come off freely in the waies of obidience except there be a cheerfulness in the waies of obedience except you choose the waies of holiness as the waies that are most sutable to you this is the walking with God In the 119. Psal 45. I will walk at liberty saith David for I seek thy precepts It 's a notable Scripture The men of the world they think that there is no walking at liberty but for them to satisfie their defires to the uttermost to walk after their lusts which is the Scripture phrase No but saith David my liberty is this I seek thy precepts A carnal heart thinks it is the greatest bondage in the world for to seek the precepts of God and to conform to Gods precepts that I must walk according to rule that 's a bondage No I 'le walk at liberty for I seek thy precepts It 's an excellent argument of grace in the heart to account the precepts of God to be the greatest liberty to the soul When I am in the waies of sin I am in the waies of bondage I am a slave to Satan but when I seek thy precepts I am at liberty As a man when he is walking up and down in the fields he is at liberty So when the soul is walking with God it is at liberty but when the soul is walking without God it is in a dungeon a prison but I say when it walks with God it is at liberty it comes off freely in all the waies of obedience Walking with God consists in Communion with God Eighthly Walking with God consists in the Converse and Communion that the soul hath with him in holy duties There are the special walks of the soul with God and of God with the soul in the duties of holy Worship In the 18. of Levit. 4. saith the Lord there Ye shall do my Judgments and keep mine Ordinances to WALK therein I am the Lord your God You must Walk in Gods Ordinances the Ordinances of God they are the Walks of a gracious soul and there the soul meets with God in the 26. of Levit. 11 12. It 's a notable Scripture to shew that in Gods Ordinances there the soul meets with God And I will set my tabernacle amongst you and my soul shall not abhor you that is shall delight in you And I will WALK among you and will be your God and ye shall be my people I will set my Tabernacle amongst you What 's that That is mine Ordinances you shall enjoy mine Ordinances you shall have the duties of my Worship and I will Walk among you then God walks among us when we enjoy his Ordinances So that you see in the 18. of Levit. there God saith You shall walk in mine Ordinances the Ordinances are the godly mans walk then in the 26. of Levit. the Ordinances are Gods walk so that we see they walk the same way and there God and a gracious heart meet together The Churches enjoying Ordinances are the Candlesticks that we reade of in the 1 of Revel 13. In the midst of the seven golden Candlesticks was one like unto the son of man cloathed with a garment down to the feet and gird about the paps with a golden girdle The Lord Jesus Christ is in the midst of the Candlesticks that is in the midst of the Churches where there are the Ordinances of God there he is and if you would walk with him you must find him there in the 68. Psal 24. there likewise you may see what the way of a gracious heart is in walking with God They have seen thy goings O God even the going of my God my King where in the Sanctuary If you would walk with another you must know where his goings are observe where he uses to walk and be going there They have seen thy going O God even the goings of my God my King in the Sanctuary there 's the goings of God if you would meet with God and walk with him it must be in the Sanctuary it must be in his Ordinances In the 7. of Cant. 5. verse it is said That the King speaking of Christ is held in the galleries now what 's that but in the Ordinances that 's as it were the galleries of the great King of Heaven and Earth And you know Princes and great men they have their sumptuous galleries wherein they use to walk and only chief favourites are permitted and suffered to be there to walk up and down The King is HELD in his galleries that is when Jesus Christ is in Communion with his Saints in his Ordinances in the duties of Worship Oh 't is the most pleasant galleries to walk in that he hath it 's as pleasant a gallery as he hath in Heaven it's self Oh! he loves to be there The King is Held there Oh! many a sweet and comfortable turn hath a gracious heart in these galleries that is in the Ordinances and Duties of Worship in walking with Jesus Christ When