[4.] There are many things to invite us to desire presence with Christ, as there are many things to show us why we are not satisfied wdth remaining in the body. While we remain in the body we dwell in an evil world, Gal. i. 4, which is a place of sins, snares, and troubles. But of this, see ver, 4 of this chapter.
Use. Let us all be of this temper and frame of spirit, willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. Almost all will prefer th^ life to come, in words, when indeed they utterly neglect it, and prefer the fleshly pleasures of this life before it, cry out of the vanity and vexation of the world, and yet set their hearts upon it, and love it better than God and the world to come, God's children do not often enough compare the difference between being present with the body, and being present with the Lord ; they root here too much. The desire of this life is very natural to us ; but yet if it withdraweth us from these heavenly good things, and weakeneth our esteem of the true life, it should be curbed and mortified, and reduced into its due order and place. Therefore it is very necessary that we should often revive these thoughts, and rightly judge of the present and future life, and use earthly good things piously, as long as it pleaseth God to keep us here ; but still to be mindful of home, and to keep our hearts in a constant breathing after heavenly things.
Two things I shall press upon you —
1. Use the pleasures of the bodily life more sparingly.
2. Let your love to Christ be more strong and more earnest.
1. Use the pleasures of the bodily life more sparingly. They tliat have too great a care and love to the body, neglect their souls, and disable themselves for these heavenly desires and motions ; they cannot act them in prayer : 1 Peter iv. 7, ' Be sober, and watch unto prayer.' And they lie open to Satan's temptations : 1 Peter v. 8, ' For your adversary, the devil, goetli- about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." Therefore, unless there be a great deal of moderation, and a spare meddling of earthly delights, they are indisposed for the christian warfare : 1 Tlies. v. 8, ' Let us who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breast-plate of faith and love.' We cannot exercise faith and love with any liveliness, nor expect the happiness of the world to come : 1 Peter i. 13, ' Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end.' Whilst we hire out our reason to the service of lust and appetite, and glut ourselves with the delights of the flesh and worldly pomp, as dainty fare, costly apparel, sports, plays, and gaming, there is a strange oblivion and deadness groweth upon our hearts as to heavenly things. A christian looketh for days of refreshing from the presence of the Lord; but these must have their refreshings here. The drunkard seeketh his refreshing in pleasing his palate ; the idle man is loth to be put to work, he would have his rest here ; the vain, they must have their senses tickled and pleased ; pomp and vanity, and sj)orts and pastimes, are the great business and pleasure of most men's lives.
2. Let your love to Christ be stronger and more earnest ; for
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34 SERMONS UPON 2 CORINTHIANS V. [SeR. XI.
where love is, we desire union and presence. It is but a pretence of love where we aim not at the nearest conjunction that may be. If we love our friend, his presence is comfortable, liis absence troublesome ; as Delilah said to Samson, ' How canst thou say thou lovest me, when thy spirit is not with me ? ' Judges xvi. 15. If we love one, we desire to be with him.
Doct. 4. That this will and choice cometh from confidence of a better estate, and our own interest in it.
For while the soul doubteth of the thing, or of our enjoying it, we shall desire the continuance of our earthly happiness, rather than to depart out of the body with fears of going to hell.
1. It is faith that breedeth hope, which is a longing and desirous expectation. For it is the substance of things hoped for, Heb. xi. 1.
2. It is assurance that doth increase it. It is easy to convince men that heaven is the only happiness ; but is it thy happiness ? Though the knowledge of excellency and suitableness may stir up that love which worketh by degrees, yet there must be the knowledge of our interest to set a-work our complacency and delight. We cannot so delightfully and cheerfully expect our change till our title be some- what cleared. It is sad with a man that is uncertain whither he is a-going.
Use. Let us labour for this confidence, a holy and well-built confi- dence. For he is not in the best condition that hath least trouble about his everlasting estate, but he that hath least cause. Many that have been confident of their integrity and safety have miscarried for ever ; yea, that have had a great name in the church : Mat. vii. 22, ' Many will say unto me in that day, Lord, Lord, we have prophesied in thy name, and in thy name have cast out devils, and in thy name done wonderful things ; ' yet Christ saith, ' I know you not,' in the next verse. And Luke xiii. 25, 26, ' When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shiit to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us; and he shall say unto you, I know you not whence ye are : then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught us in our streets.' So Prov. xiv. 12, ' There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.' The foolish virgins. Mat. XXV., made full account to enter into the nuptial chamber, but were f^hut out. Many now in hell little thought of coming thither, those not only of the brutish multitude, but of great note, that have lived in the light of the gospel, and heard the difference between the wicked and the godly.