VeR. 54.] SERMON^S UPON PSALM CXIX. 67
most effectually draw off the heart of man from this world is the expectation of a far better state in the world to come: 2 Cor. iv. 18, ' While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.' Heathens could call the world an inn, but they had only glimmering conceptions of another world. A Christian, that believetli it, and looketh for it on God's assurance, he is only the joyful stranger and the pilgrim. Common sense will teach us the necessity of leaving this world, but faith can only assure us of another ; they are believers and expectants of heaven.
4. They do not only look for it, but seek after it. We read of both looking and seeking : Heb. xi. 14, ' They declare plainly that they seek a country;' Heb. xiii. 14, 'Here we have no continuing city, but we seek one to come.' Seeking implieth diligence in the use of means. All the life of a Christian is nothing but the seeking after another country, every day advancing a step nearer to heaven ; and therefore their iroXiTev/xa, their ' conversation ' is said to be ' in heaven,' Phil. iii. 20. This is their great business upon earth, to do all to eternal ends : all other works and labours are but upon the bye, and subordinate to this. Their main care is to obtain this blessed con- dition ; therefore they use word and sacraments, that they may grow in grace, faith, repentance, new obedience. Every degree in grace is another step towards heaven : Ps. Ixxxiv. 5, ' Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee, in whose hearts are the ways of them ;' ver. 7, ' They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God.' Some of the saints are in patria, others in via, still bending homeward.
5. Because they are so, the children of God are dealt with as strangers. Difference of scope and drift will procure alienation of affection : 1 Peter iv. 4, ' Wherein they think it strange that you run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you ;' and John XV. 19, ' If ye were of the world, the world would love its own ; but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.' Other cannot be expected but that the servants of the Lord should be ill rewarded and treated here, not only out of the world's ignorance — they know not our birth, breed- ing, expectations, hope : 1 John iii. 2, ' Beloved, now are we the sons of God ; but it doth not yet appear what we shall be ; but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is ' — but enmity, as the different carriage of the one puts a dis- grace upon the course of life which the other doth affect ; the one fixeth their home here, the other looketh for it elsewhere ; and the world is sensible this is an excellency, and therefore those that are at the bottom of the hill, envy and malign those that are at the top.
Use. Are we thus minded ? There are two sorts of men in the world — the one is of the devil and the other is of God ; for all men seek their rest and happiness on earth, or rest in heaven. Naturally men were all of the first number, for the rational soul without grace accommodateth itself to the interests of the body; but when sublimated and transformed by grace, the world cannot satisfy it, and it can find
68 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SeR, LX.
nothing there which may finally quiet its desires, for the new life infused hath other aims and tendencies. As saints are new-born from heaven, so for heaven ; and therefore the new nature cannot satisfy itself in the enjoyment of the creature, with the absence of Grod. The apostle saith, ' While at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord,' 2 Cor. v. 6, 7. In this life we are not capable of the glorious presence of God ; it is not consistent with our mortality ; and our being present with him in the spirit is but a taste that doth provoke rather then cloy the ap- petite : Rom. viii. 23, ' Ourselves also, which have the first-fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.' These tastes do but make us long for more ; they are sent down from heaven to draw us up to that place of our rest where this glory and blessedness is in ful- ness. Now wdiicli sort are ye of ? the city of God, or under the dominion of Satan and the power of worldly lusts?
1. There are some that take up here, and never consider whence they are, nor whither they are going ; as Christ saith, ' I know whence I am, and whither I go.' They look altogether for the present, and if they be well for the present, they are contented. Alas ! in what a miserable case are these men, though they mind it not ! they seem to me to be like men that are going to execution. A man that is going to the gallows for the present is well, hath a great guard to attend him, an innumerable multitude of people to follow him : you would think that hardly could a man be such a, sot and fool as to think all this should be done for his honour, and not for his punishment, and should only consider how he is accompanied, but not whither he goeth. Many such fools there are in the world, that only consider how they are attended and provided for, but never consider whither they are going. 0 wretch ! whither goest thou ? may we say to one that should pride himself in the resort of company to his execution. Dost thou not see thou art led to punishment, and after an hour or two these will leave thee hanging and perishing infamously as the just reward of thine offences ? So many that shine now in the pomp and splendour of worldly accommodations, and are merry and jocund as if all would do well, alas! poor creatures, whither are they going? Job xxi. 12, 13, ' They take the timbrel and the harp, and rejoice at the sound of the organ ; the}" spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down into hell.' Ye still live, and are going to punishment, but mind it not ; but 5'our wealth, and honours, and servants, and friends will all leave jou to your own doom ; and yet you are merry and jocund as if your journey would never end, or not so dismally ; as if you were hastening to a kingdom, and not to an eternal j)i"ison : one moment puts an end to all their joy for ever.