Chapter 13. An Exhortation to the Pursuit of Heaven and Heavenly Things

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Use 3 THirdly, Is it heaven and all that is heavenly that Satan seeks to hinder us of? let this provoke us the more earnestly to contend for them. Had we to do with an enemy that came only to plunder us of earthly trifles, would honours, estates, and what this world affords us stay his stomach, it might suffer a debate (in a soul that has hopes of heaven,) whether it were worth fighting to keep this lumber: but Christ and heaven, these sure are too precious to part withal upon any termes. Ask the Kingdom for him also, said Solomon to Bath-sheba, when she begg'd Abishag for Adonijah. What can the devil leave you worth if he deprive you of these? and yet I confesse I have heard of one, that wished God would let him alone, and not take him from what he had here: Vile Brute! the voice of a swine and not a man, that could chuse to wallow in the dung and ordure of his carnal pleasures, and wish himself for ever shut up with his swill in the hogs coat of this dunghil earth, rather than leave these to dwell in Heavens Palace, and be admitted to no meaner pleasures, then what God himself with his Saints enjoy. It were even just if God gave such brutes as these a swines face to their swinish hearts: But alas, how few then should we meet that would have the countenance of a man? the greatest part of the world (even all that are carnal and worldly,) being of the same minde, though not so impudent as that wretch, to speak what they think. The lives of men tell plain enough that they say in their hearts, it is good being here, that they wish they could build Tabernacles on earth for all the mansions that are prepared in heaven. The transgression of the wicked said in Davids heart, that the feare of God, was not before them, Psalms 36:1. and may not the worldlinesse of a muck-worm say in the heart of any rational man, that heaven and heavenly excellencies are not before their eyes or thoughts? O what a deep silence is there concerning these in the conversations of men! Heaven is such a stranger to the most, that very few are heard to enquire the way there, or so much as ask the question in earnest, what they shall do to be saved. The most express no more desires of attaining heaven, then those blessed souls now in heaven do of coming again to dwell on earth; Alas, their heads are full of other projects, they are either as Israel, scatter'd over the face of the earth to gather straw, or busied in picking that straw they have gathered, labouring to get the world, or pleasing themselves with what they have got. So that it is no more than needs to use some arguments to call men off the world, to the pursuit of heaven, and what is heavenly.

First, for earthly things, it is not necessary that you have them; that is necessary which cannot be supplied per vicarium, with somewhat besides it self. Now there is no such earthly enjoyment, but may be so supplied, as to make its room more desirable then its company. In Heaven there shall be light and no Sun, a rich feast and yet no meat, glorious robes and yet no cloathes, thete shall want nothing, and yet none of this worldly glory be found there; yea, even while we are here, they may be recompenced; you may be under infirmities of body, and yet better than if you had health: The Inhabitant shall not say, I am sick, the people that dwell therin shall be forgiven their iniquiy, Isaiah 33:34. You may misse of worldly honor, and obtain with those Worthies of Christ, Heb. 11. a good report by faith, and that is a name better than of the great ones of the earth: you may be poor in the world, and yet rich in grace, and Godliness with content is great gaine. In a word, if you partest with your temporal life, and findest an eternal, what doest you lose by the change? but heaven and heavenly things are such as cannot be recompenced with any other. You have a heavenly soul in your bosome, lose that, and where can you have another? There is but one heaven, misse that, and where can you take up your lodging but in hell? One Christ that can lead you there, reject him, and there remains no more sacrifice for sin. O that men would think on these things! Go sinner to the world, and see what it can afford you in lieu of these; may be it will offer to entertain you with its pleasures and delights; O poor reward for the losse of Christ and heaven! Is this all you can get? does Satan rob you of heaven and happiness, and only give you this posie to smell on as you are going to your execution? will these quench hell-fire, or so much as cool those flames you are falling into? who but those that have foredone their understandings, would take these toyes and new nothings for Christ and heaven? while Satan is pleasing your fancies with these rattles and bables, his hand is in your treasure, robbing you of that which is only necessary; 'Tis more necessary to be saved then to be; better not to be then to have a being in hell.

Secondly, earthly things are such, as it is a great uncertainty, whether with all our labor we can have them or not. The world, though so many thousand years old, has not learn't the Merchant such a method of trading, as that from it he may infallibly conclude he shall at last get an estate by his trade: nor the Courtier such rules of comporting himself to the humor of his Prince, as to assure him he shall rise. They are but few that carry away the prize in the worlds lottery, the greater number have only their labor for their paines, and a sorrowful remembrance left them of their egregious folly, to be led such a wilde goose chase after that, which has deceived them at last. But now for heaven and the things of heaven, there is such a clear and certain rule laid down, that if we will but take the counsel of the Word, we can neither mistake the way, nor in that way miscarry of the end. As many as walk by this rule, peace be upon them, and the whole Israel of God. There are some indeed who run, and yet obtain not this prize, that seek & find not; knock and find the door shut upon them but it is, because they do it either not in the right manner, or in the right season. Some would have heaven, but if God save them he must save their sins also, for they do not mean to part with them; and how heaven can hold God and such company together judge you; As they come in at one door, Christ and all those holy spirits with him would run out at the other. Ungratful wretches, that will not come to this glorious feast, unlesse they may bring that with them, which would disturb rhe joy of that blisseful state, and offend all the guests that sit at the Table with them, yea, drive God out of his own mansion-house. A second sort would have heaven, but like him in Ruth, ch. 4. v. 2, 3, 4. who had a minde to his Kinsman Elimelechs land, and would have paid for the purchase, but he liked not to have it by marrying Ruth, and so missed of it: Some seem very forward to have heaven and salvation, if their own righteousnesse could procure the same, (all the good they do, and duties they performe they lay up for this purchase) but at last perish, because they close not with Christ, and take not heaven in his right. A third sort are content to have it by Christ, but their desires are so impotent and listlesse, that they put them upon no vigourous use of means to obtain him, and so (like the sluggard) they starve, because they will not pull their hands out of their bosome of sloth to reach their food that is before them: for the world they have mettal enough, and too much, they trudge far and near for that, and when they have run themselves out of breath, can stand and pant after the dust of the earth, as the Prophet phrass it, Amos 2:7. But for Christ and obtaining interest in him, O how key-cold are they! there is a kinde of cramp invades all the powers of their souls when they should pray, hear, examine their hearts, draw out their affections in hungrings and thirstings after his grace and Spirit. 'Tis strange to see how they even now went full soop to the world, are suddenly becalm'd, not a breath of winde stirring to any purpose in their souls after these things, and is it any wonder that Christ and Heaven should be denied to them that have no more mind to them? Lastly, some have zeal enough to have Christ & Heaven, but it is when the Master of the house is risen, and has shut to the door, and truly then they may stand long enough rapping, before any come to let them in. There is no Gospel preached in another world; but as for you poor soul, who are perswaded to renounce your lusts, throw away the conceit of your own righteousnesse, that you may run with more speed to Christ, and are so possest with the excellency of Christ, your own present need of him, and salvation by him, that you pantest after him more than life it self; In Gods Name go on and speed, be of good comfort, he calls you by name to come unto him, that you may have rest for your soul. There is an office in the Word, where you may have your soul and its eternal happiness ensured to you: Those that come to him, as he will himself in no wise cast away, so not suffer any other to pluck them away. This day (says Christ to Zaccheus) salvation is come to your house, Luke 19:9. Salvation comes to you (poore soul) that openest your heart to receive Christ, you have eternal life already, as sure as if you wert a glorified Saint, now walking in that heavenly City. O Sirs, if there were a free trade proclaimed to the Indies, enough gold for all that went, and a certainty of making a safe voyage, who would stay at home? But alas, this can never be had: all this, and infinitely more may be said for heaven; and yet how few leave their uncertain hopes of the world to trade for it; what account can be gigiven for this, but the desperate atheisme of mens hearts? they are not yet fully perswaded whether the Scripture speaks true or not, whether they may relie upon the discovery that God makes in his Word of this new-found land, and those mines of spiritual treasure, there to be had as certain. God open the eyes of the unbelieving world, (as he did the Prophets servants,) that they may see these things to be realities and not fictions; 'tis faith only that gives a being to these things in our hearts. By faith Moses saw him that was invisible.

Thirdly, earthly things when we have them, we are not sure of them; like birds, they hop up and down, now on this hedge, and anon upon that, none can call them his own: rich to day, and poor to morrow: In health when we lie down, and arrested with pangs of death before midnight: Joyful Parents, one while solacing our selves with the hopes of our budding posterity, and may be ere long knocks one of Jobs messengers at our door to tell us they are all dead; now in honor, but who knows whether we shall not live to see that butied in scorn and reproach? The Scripture compares the multitude of people to waters, the great ones of the world sit upon these waters; as the ship floates upon the waves, so do their honours upon the breath and favor of the multitude; and bow long is he like to sit that is carried upon a wave? one while they are mounted up to heaven, (as David speaks of the ship) and then down again they fall into the deep. We have ten parts in the King, (say the men of Israel,) 2 Samuel 19:45. and in the very next verse, Sheba does but sound a trumpet of sedition, saying, We have no part in David, no inheritance in the son of Jesse, and the winde is in another corner presently: for it's said, Every man of Israel went up from after David, and followed Sheba. Thus was David cried up and down, and that almost in the same breath. Unhappy man he, that has no surer portion then what this variable world will afford him. The time of mourning for the departure of all earthly enjoyments is at hand, we shall see them as Eglons servants did their Lord, fallen down dead before us, and weep because they are not. What folly then is it to dandle this vaine world in our affections, whose joy like the childes laughter on the mothers knee, is sure to end in a cry at last, and neglect heaven and heavenly things which endure for ever? O remember Dives stirring up his pillow, and composing himself to rest, how he was call'd up with the tydings of death, before he was warme in this his bed of ease, and laid with sorrow on another, which God had made for him in flames, from whence we hear him roaring in the anguish of his conscience. O soul, couldest you get but an interest in the heavenly things we are speaking of, these would not thus slip from under you; heaven is a Kingdom that cannot be shaken, Christ an abiding portion, his graces and comforts sure waters that faile not, but spring up unto eternal life. The quailes that were food for the Israelites lust soon ceased, but the rock that was drink to their faith followed them; this rock is Christ: make sure of him and he will make sure of you, he'll follow you to your sick-bed, and lie in your bosome, chearing your heart with his sweet comforts, when worldly joyes lie cold upon you, (as Davids cloathes on him) and no warmth of comfort to be got from them. When your outward senses are lock't up, that you can neither see the face of your dear friends, nor hear the counsel and comfort they would give you, then he will come (though these doors be shut) and say, Peace be to you my dear child; feare not death or devils, I stay to receive your last breath, and have here my Angels waiting, that assoon as your soul is breathed out of your body, they may carry and lay it in my bosome of love, where I will nourish you with those eternal joyes that my blood has purchased, and my love prepared for you.

Fourthly, earthly things are empty and unsatisfying. We may have too much, but never enough of them, they oft breed loathing, but never content and indeed how should they, being so disproportionate to the vast desires of these immortal spirits that dwell in our bosomes? A spirit has not flesh and bones, neither can it be fed with such, and what has the world, but a few bones covered over with some fleshly delights to give it? The lesse is blessed of the greater, not the greater of the lesse. These things therefore being so far inferiour to the nature of man, he must look higher if he will be blessed, even to God himself who is the Father of spirits. God intended these things for our use, not enjoyment; and what folly is it to think we can squeaze that from them, which God never put in them? They are breasts, that moderately drawn, yield good milk, sweet refreshing, but wring them too hard, and you will suck nothing but winde or blood from them. We lose what they have, by expecting to finde what they have not; none find lesse sweetnesse and more dissatisfaction in these things, then those who strive most to please themselves with them. The cream of the creature floats a top, and he that is not content to fleet it, but thinks by drinking a deeper draught to finde yet more, goes further to speed worse, being sure by the disappointment he shall meet to pierce himself through with many sorrows. But all these feares might happily be escaped, if you wouldest turn your back on the creature, and face about for heaven: labor to get Christ, and through him hopes of heaven, and you takest the right road to content, you shalt see it before you, and enjoy the prospect of it as you goest, yea, finde that every step you drawest nearer and nearer to it; O what a sweet change wouldest you finde? As a sick man coming out of an impure unwholesome climate, where he never was well, when he gets into fresh aire or his native soile: so will you finde a cheering of your spirits, and reviving your soul with unspeakable content and peace. Having once closed with Christ, first the guilt of all your sins is gone, and this spoil'd all your mirth before; all your dancing of a child, when some pin pricks it will not make it quiet or merry; well, now that pin is taken out which robbed you of the joy of your life. Secondly, your nature is renewed and sanctified; and when is a man at ease, if not when he is in health? and what is holiness, but the creature restored to his right temper, in which God created him? Thirdly, you becomest a child of God, and that cannot but please you well (I hope) to be son or daughter to so great a King. Fourthly, you have a right to heavens glory, where you shalt ere long be conducted to take and hold possession of that your inheritance for ever, and who can tell what that is? Nicephorus tells us of one Agbarus, a great man, that (hearing so much of Christs fame, by reason of the miracles he wrought,) sent a Painter to take his picture, and that the Painter when he came was not able to do it, because of that radiancy and divine splendor which sate on Christs face. Whether this be true or no, I leave it; but to be sure, there is such a brightnesse on the face of Christ glorified, and that happiness which in heaven Saints shall have with him, as forbids us that dwell in mortal flesh to conceive of it aright, much more to express; 'tis best going there to be informed, and then we shall confesse we on earth heard not halfe of what we there finde, yea, that our present conceptions are no more like to that vision of glory we shall there have, then the Sunne in the Painters table, is to the Sunne it self in the Heavens. And if all this be so, why then do you spend money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which satisfis not, yea, for that which keeps you from that which can satisfie? Earthly things are like some trash, which does not only not nourish, but take away the appetite from that which would. Heaven and heavenly things are not relished by a soul vitiated with these. Manna, though for deliciousnesse called Angels food, yet but light bread to an Egyptian palate. But these spiritual things depend not on your opinion, O man, whoever you are (as earthly things in a great measure do) that the value of them should rise or fall as the worlds exchange does, and as vain man is pleased to rate them; think gold dirt, and it is so; for all the royal stamp on it, Count the swelling titles of worldly honor (that proud dust brags so in) vanity, and they are such: but have base thoughts of Christ, and he is not the worse; slight heaven as much as you will, it will be heaven still, and when you comest so far to your wits with the Prodigal, as to know which is best fare, husks or bread; where best living, among hogs in the field, or in your Fathers house, then you will know how to iudge of these heavenly things better, till then go and make the best market you can of the world, but look not to finde this pearle of price, true satisfaction to your soul in any of the creatures shops; and were it not better to take it when you may have it, then after you have wearied your self in vaine in following the creature, to come back with shame, and may be misse of it here also, because you wouldest not have it when it was offered?

_VERSE 13._Wherefore take unto you the whole Armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand.

THe Apostle in these words re-assumes his former Exhortation mentioned, verse 11. and presses it with a new force, from that more particular discovery which he gives of the enemy, verse 12. where like a faithful Scout he makes a full report of Satans great power and malice, and also discloss what a dangerous design he has upon the Saints, no lesse then to despoil them of all that is heavenly: from all which he gives them a second Alarm, and bids them Arme, arme, Wherefore take unto you, &c. In the words consider,

First, the exhortation with the inference, Wherefore take unto you the whole Armour of God.

Secondly, the argument with which he urgeth the exhortation, and that ss double.

First, That ye may be able to withstand in the evil day.

Secondly, having done all to stand; that is, both able to fight, and able to conquer. As for the first general, the Exhortation, we shall wave it as to the substance of it, being the same with what we have handled, v. 11. only there are two observables which we shall lightly touch. The one from the repetition of the very same exhortation so soon, one verse only interposed. The other from the verbe the Apostle useth here, which being not the same with v. 11. affords a different note. There it is▪[illegible], here, [illegible].

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