Use 1. Well then, here is great comfort for those that are now hard at work for God ; the time of your refreshing and ease is at hand.
2. To support us against the terrors of death. In martyrdom, if you are slain, the sword is but a key to open the door, that you may presently be with Christ ; if strangled, the animal life is put out that the heavenly may begin ; if burnt, it is going to heaven in a fiery chariot. In the general, ' death cannot separate us from the love of God in Christ,' Kom. viii. 38, 39. Though we die, the soul is capable of loving God, and being beloved by him.
3. To support us under the pains of sickness. It is but enduring pain a little longer, and in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, you shall be with God. Angels will bring you to Chiist, and Christ present you to God, and then you shall enjoy an eternal rest.
4. Here is comfort to the dying. Commend your souls to God ; as Stephen, Acts vii. 59, ' Lord Jesus, receive my spirit' There is a redeemer ready to receive you ; heaven will be your residence, and God will be your happiness and portion for ever.
Doct. 3. This presence with the Lord is earnestly desired and chosen by the saints, as far more pleasing to them than remaining in the body.
32 SERMONS UPON 2 CORINTHIANS V. [SeR. XI.
1. The thing itself is true, that presence with the Lord is infinitely much better than remaining in the body, and will abundantly recom- pense the absence from it. Grod's gracious presence is better than life bodily : Ps. Ixiii. 3, ' Thy loving-kindness is better than life.' It is that which giveth a value to life itself, without which it were little Avorth. Alas ! what should we do with human nature, or a rational soul, if it were not capable of loving, knowing, and enjoying Grod? What ! employ it only to cater for the body ? That is to act but as an higher and wiser sort of beast. Life is no life without God ; then we do live when we live to him, enjoy him and his love. Now if his gracious presence is more worth than life, what then is his glorious presence ? Phil. i. 21, ' To me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.' A christian loseth nothing by death, but he gaineth abundantly more by his being present with Christ. And ver. 23, ' I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart and to be with Christ, which is far better.' There is no proportion between the choicest contentments which we attain unto here, even those which are spiritual, and that blessed estate which the saints enjoy hereafter. Now there being such a dispro[)ortion in the things themselves, there should be in our desires and our choice ; for we are to judge and be affected according to the nature or worth of things, otherwise we act not only irrationally, but feignedly and hypocritically, shunning that by all means which we profess to be our happiness.
2. He is not a true christian that doth not love Christ more than his own body, and his own life, or any worldly thing whatsoever. It is one of Christ's conditions, Luke xiv. 26, ' If any man come to me, and hate not father and mother, brothers and sisters, and wife, and children, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.' All things must be trampled upon for Christ's sake, or else his heart is not sincere with him. A choosing earth before heaven, preferring present things before Christ, a fixing our happiness here, these things are contrary to the integrity of our covenanting with God. Our valuation of the presence of Christ should be so high, and our affection to it so great, that we should not exchange our title to it, or hopes of it, for any worldly good whatsoever. If God would give thee thy health and wealth upon earth, then thou wouldst look for no other happiness ; this is naught.
3. As he cannot be a true and sound christian, so neither discharge the duties of a christian, who is not of this frame and constitution of spirit.
[1.] Not venture his life for Christ : Heb. xii. 4, ' Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin ; ' unless willing rather to be with the Lord than in the body.
[2.] Not employ his life for Christ, nor live iu order to eternity, unless he hath been kept looking and longing for this happy change : Gen. xhx. 19, ' Lord, 1 have waited for thy salvation.' As if all his lifetime he had been waiting for this. None live the heavenly life but those that look upon it as better than the worldly, and accordingly wait and prepare for it ; it is the end sweeteneth the means.
[3.] Nor lay down nor yield up his life with comfort. The very fore-thoughts of their change are grievous to most men, because they
VeR. 8.] SERMONS UPON 2 CORINTHIANS V. S3
are not willing rather to be with Christ than in the body ; and so they move from that which they speculatively call their blessedness, and count themselves undone when they come to enjoy.