This house is described, First, By the efficient cause, expressed negatively and positively. (1.) Negatively, the false cause is removed ; 'an house not made with hands.' Not built by man, of terrestrial and feculent matter — not contrived with man's art and care or skill: things made by man are not comparable to things made by God ; for, as the workman is, so is the work. Man being a finite creature, limited and confined, his work cannot be absolute, as God's is ; the holy places made by Bezaleel and Aholiab had their glory, but they were nothing
a
VeK. 1.] SERMONS UPON 2 CORINTHIANS V. 429
comparable to the holy places not made with hands, Heb. ix. 24. Those were figures ; these are true. Whatever God doth, it is done in a more glorious manner; he discovereth his magnificence in the work. (2.) The true cause is assigned — olKoBofj-r}v e'/c @€ov, 'A building of God.' So it is called, Kom. v. 2, ' We rejoice in hope of the ^lory of God.' God raised this house out of the greatest wisdom and highest love : an house to show the riches, and glory, and honour of him that made it. So, where heaven is compared to a city, it is said, Heb. xi. 10, ' He looked for a city which had foundations, whose builder and maker is God.' He is the builder or architect that doth frame and devise it according to model, and he is the workman that did set it together : man hath no hand in this at all ; God contrived it and prepared it. It is so far above the art and power of man, that only God could make it. God is not only the principal, but sole efficient of it. Secondly, By the adjunct ; it is an eternal house. All other houses moulder to dust ; cernimus exemplis oppida posse mori. All other buildings are infirm and movable, obnoxious to change, decay, and ruin. Experience doth sufficiently prove this by the ruin of so many castles, palaces, cities, and kingdoms which have flourished in great splendour, power, and strength, yet now lie in the dust, and do not appear. But this city hath foundations, Heb. xi. 10. Nothing can be firm that is not firmly fixed upon an unmovable ground ; but this hath foundations, the unchangeable law of God, and the everlasting merits of Christ. Thirdly, The place where it is situated: in the heavens. The place where God doth manifest himself in a more glorious manner than here on earth, which is a common inn for sons and bastards, a receptacle for sinners and saints ; yea, for man and beast, where God showeth his bounty to all his creatures ; a valley of tears, where is the place of our trial and exercise. But this is the place of our recompense ; there God will manifest himself in the greatest latitude that the creature is capable of. We shall have a place agreeable to our state, and a state agreeable to the place. The pave- ment is very glorious ; the starry heaven, we cannot look upon it with- out wonder and astonishment. Adam's happiness was in an earthly paradise, but ours is in heaven, Eph. i. 3. We have such a glorious place and glorious company. That happy region of the blessed, which is properly called the heavenly Jerusalem, doth as much excel all other countries in height, amplitude, and beauty, as the inhabit- ants excel the inhabitants of other countries in wisdom, nobleness, and grace. For sublimity. The stars seem to be like so many spangles for the distance. It is above all mountains, elements, sun, moon, and stars. So far is it distant from the place of vicissitudes and changes. And then for its breadth as well as height ; some stars have a body bigger than vast countries, yea, than the whole earth. Then what is the capacity of heaven itself! For beauty. This world, that is a stable for beasts, the place of our exile, the valley of tears, hath a great deal of beauty; what hath God bestowed then upon heaven! Oh ! when we shall meet with all the holy ones of God, then how shall we rejoice ! And the innumerable company of angels that shall all join in concert ! There is no pride or envy to divide us, or make us contemn one another; but love and charity reigneth, that the good of
430 SERMONS UPON 2 CORINTHIANS V. [SeR. I.