2. The object or thing affected — To he clothed upon toith our house which is from heaven, whei'e our glory and blessedness is set forth by a double metaphor — a house, and a garment. Men do not clothe themselves with houses ; but this is such a house as is so fitted for us, and we for it, as apparel is for the body. Well then, the state of glory is called a house with respect to the deliverance which we have from the pressures which the bodily life is subject unto ; as in a house we are sheltered and defended from the injuries of wind and weather. And then it is compared to an upper garment, to hide our blemishes and imperfections. Because the apostle used the word iTrevSvo-aadai, some have thought the apostle's meaning to be, that he would have that life clothed upon this life, as tlie tunic upon the vest ; that he would not put off the body, or die at all, but go to heaven by that sudden change spoken of, 1 Cor. xv. 51, 52, and 1 Tlies. iv. 17. Indeed, many of the expressions of the context seem to look that way. But I shall adjourn the debate till I come to open the third and fourth verses.
Doct. Those that sincerely believe and wait for a blessed immor- tality do also groan for it and earnestly desire it.
The reasons for this groaning are —
1. Because of the pressures and miseries of the present life, ' Being burthened, we groan,' verse 4. We are pressed under a heavy weight, burthened both with sin and misery, and both set us a-groaning very sorely.
[1.] With sin. To a waking conscience and a gracious heart this is one of the greatest burthens that can be felt ; see that Rom.
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452 SERMONS UPON 2 CORINTHIANS V. [SeR. IV.
vii. 24, ' 0 wretched man that I am ! who shall deliver me from the body of this death ?' If any had cause to complain of his afHictions, Paul much more ; he was whipped, imprisoned, stoned, in perils by land and by sea ; but afSictions did not sit so close to him as sins. The body of death was his greatest burthen, and therefore did he long for deliverance. A beast will leave the place where he findeth neither food nor rest. It is not the bare trouble of the world which sets the saints a-groaning, but indwelling corruption, which may be cast down, but is not cast out. This grieveth them — they are sinning whilst others are pleasing God, serving him with weakness and mani- fold defects whilst others are serving him without spot and blemish. They see clearly what we see darkly, and as in a glass, and adhere to God perfectly, whilst we are distracted with sensual and worldly affec- tions, and many incident fears and cares. They are enjoying and praising God while we are mourning under sin, and such a heap of remaining infirmities. Surely it is weariness of sinning which maketh the saints groan. As light and love increaseth, sin groweth a greater burthen to them ; they cannot get rid of this cursed inmate, and there- fore are longing for a change. A gracious heart seeth this is the greatest evil, and therefore would fain get rid of it ; not only of the guilt and power, but of the very being of it, which will never be till this tabernacle be dissolved. Then sin shall gasp its last, because death removeth from us this sinful flesh, and admits into the sight of God. And therefore the saints are groaning and longing for the parting day, when, by putting off flesh, they shall put off sin, and come and dwell with God.
[2.] They are also burthened with miseries ; and these are not the only causes, yet they are a cause of the saints groaning. For they have not divested themselves of the feelings of nature, nor grown senseless as stocks and stones. The apostle telleth us, Rom. viii. 20, 21, that the whole creation groaneth, because it is put under misery and vanity. It is a groaning world, and God's children bear a part in the concert, because they live here in a valley of tears and snares — blessed be God that there are any hopes mingled with our tears ! — therefore they groan, and desire earnestly. ' Few and evil are the days of the years of my pilgrimage,' said holy Jacob, Gen. xlvii. 7. Our days are evil, and it is well they are but few ; that in this shipwreck of man's felicity we can see banks and shores, and a landing-place where we may be safe. Here all our days are sorrow, and our travel grief ; but there is our repose. There are many things to wean a christian from the present life : manifold temptations from Satan, grievous persecutions from the world, and sharp afilictions from God himself. All these may be ranked under the head of miseries.
(1.) Ma'nifold temptations from Satan, who seeketh all advantages, either to dissuade us from serving God, or distract us in it : 1 Peter V. S, 9, ' All these things are accomplished in our brethren which are in the flesh.' They are all acquainted with a busy tempter, who seek- eth to ensnare their souls ; and this is one of a christian's burthens, that in this world, which is Satan's walk and circuit, they meet with so many snares laid for them.