[2.] The enjoyment of any temporal blessing should stir us up to the more serious consideration of heavenly blessings ; there are better things laid up in heaven. As the prodigal's husks put him in mind of the bread that was in his father's house, and the cities of the Amorites put Abraham in mind of the city that had foundations, whose builder
Ye1:S. 9, 10.] SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. 2G1
and maker is God ; so should we be put in mind of heaven by those things we enjoy here. If a strange place affords us content and re- freshment, will not our country much more ? If the creature be sweet, lieaven is better. Look through the glass to the sun, it is our medium, not our object. A spiritual use of the creature doth much raise our iiearts. We help our souls by our bodies, and make the senses which were wont to be the inlets of sin to be instruments of heavenly- luindedness. Grace can work matter out of anything it seeth ; a good man can distil precious liquor out of common matters; he can see another world in this world, and doth not only make a temporal use of the creatures, but a spiritual.
[3.] Go to God to circumcise the foreskin of the heart. There is a fleshliness that cleaves to us which maketh us altogether for a present good, the world is at hand. God can only cure this by infusing a divine nature : 2 Peter i. 4, ' That by these ye may be made partakers of a divine nature, having escaped the corruptions that are in the world through lust.' There must be a heavenly birth, or else a man taketh himself for this world's child, and will go no further.
[4.] Get a clearer and more sensible interest in Christ. He that is in Christ is in heaven already : Eph. ii. 6, ' And hath raised us up to- gether, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.' He is there in his head ; a christian holdeth all iji capite. When Christ was glorified, he seized on heaven in our right. We use to say of an old man, He hath one foot in the grave ; so a believer that is in Christ hath more than a foot in heaven, his head is there, he is ascended with Christ. Nothing but faith can unriddle this mystery, how a be- liever should be on earth and yet in heaven ; his heael is there, and this draweth the heart after it ; head and heart must be together. And therefore acquaint yourselves with Christ, clear up your interest in him, this will wean you from the world. The woman left her pitcher when she knew Christ, John iv. 28. There is your treasure, and your affec- tions will carry you where Christ is : Col. iii. 1, ' If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God ; ' Phil. iii. 20, ' For our conversation is in heaven, whence we look for a saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.'
[5.] Meditation is of great use ; it bringeth a believer into the com- pany of the blessed, and puts his head above the clouds, in the midst of the glory of the world to come. Meditation is but a more tempe- rate ecstasy. As Paul by his rapture was in the third heavens, so are we by our thoughts ; we get upon the top of Nebo or Pisgah, and take a view of the promised land. Great hopes are known by thoughts ; thoughts are the spies of the soul. Where a thing is strongly expected, the thoughts are wont to spend themselves in creating images and suppo- sitions of contentment we shall receive when we enjoy this thing. If a poor man be adopted into the succession of a crown, he would be feasting and entertaining himself with the happiness and pleasure of that estate. When a man minds only earthly things, earthly thoughts salute him first in the morning, busy him all day, lay him down in his bed, play in his fancy all night ; the thoughts of God and his kingdom find no access. Glances only on heaven are an evidence of a carnal heart that is at home. The more heavenly a christian is, the more he
262 SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XL [SeR. XLIII.
is himself ; as the more rational and considerate a man is, the more he is a man.
[6.] Prize the communion of saints, this is heaven begun. A godly man, when he was to die, said, I shall change my place, but not my company. They that expect to be there where God, and Christ, and the saints are, should delight more in converse with them here. In a foreign land a man is glad to meet with his own countrymen ; we should be glad to meet with those that go with us to heaven. A christian will converse with such as he shall be with hereafter ; it is of great use and quickening to him. Good discourse con veyeth warmth : Luke xxiv. 32, ' Did not our heart burn within us while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures ? ' Saul in the company of the prophets became a prophet. Earthly men will gain benefit hereby ; as a dead man will have some heat, being plied with warm clothes.