1. The formal and explicit intention is by express thoughts of the world to come, when the mind and heart is in heaven. Now these thoughts should be frequent ; for ' where the treasure is, the heart will be also,' Mat. vi. 21. Can you travel one whole day to such an end, and never think of the place you are going unto ? Certainly the end must be intended in every holy action, and therefore often thought of.
2. The implicit and virtual intention is by the ready unobserved act of a potent habit. As a man in a journey doth not always think of the p'ace to which he is going, yet his motion is influenced by it, he is still drawing toward that place ; so by the impression of a powerful habit, a christian liveth for God, and heaven, and glory, though he doth not always think of it : ' But our conversation is in heaven,' Phil. iii. 20.
But here ariseth a question, When doth the virtual intention suffice without formal noted thoughts ?
Ans. (1.) In momentous actions we must notedly, formally, and expressly mind our great end, as when we are to do any notable thing for God. As Moses in his eminent self-denial had an eye to the recom- pense of reward, Heb. xi. 26. In lesser things the heavenly frame and bent of heart sufficeth.
(2.) Weak habits and inclinations need more express, formal, noted thoughts than the strong, for without them they cannot do their work ; and the habits of grace in most men are weak, temptations many, and the difficulties of obedience great. They cannot easily keep up their lively zeal and earnest diligence if they seldom think of heaven. They are called upon to raise their minds and affections : Col. iii. 1, 2, 'If ye be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God : set your affections on things above, and not upon things of the earth.' But now powerful and strong
100 SERMONS UPON PHILIPPIANS III. [SeR. XI.
habits, when men have accustomed themselves, and in a manner naturalised themselves to a heavenly mind, the strength of the general inclination sufficeth, and need not so often raise their thoughts as the weaker christians ; it is their constant frame : Phil. iii. 20, ' But our conversation is in heaven.'
(3.) When spiritual necessity calleth for it through some present dis- temper or temptation, drawn either from the delights of sense : 1 Peter i. 13, ' Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind ; be sober and hope to the end, for the grace that is brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ ; ' or from the terrors of sense : Horn. viii. 18, ' For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.' In the general, there must be a frequent reviving.
But why must we keep up this fixed intention, and make heavenly things our scope ?
[1.] That we may be sincere. One main difference between the sound christian and the hypocrite is in the end and scope ; the one looks to men, the other to God ; the one is ' fleshly wisdom/ the other is ' godly simplicity,' 2 Cor. i. 12. The one acts to be seen of men, respected and applauded of men ; the other maketh God his paymaster, for he expecteth his reward in heaven, and so can go on with his duty when man seeth not, ' because his Father seeth in secret,' Mat. vi. 8. When man liketh not what he doeth : Mat. v. 11, 12, ' Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my name's sake. Kejoice, and be exceed- ing glad ; for great is your reward in heaven.' Nobody will commend him but God. When man persecuteth him for what he doeth, he looketh upon God that he will recompense his loss, and repay all his cost : Mark x. 29, 30, ' And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake and the gospel's, but he shall receive a hundred-fold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecution ; and in the world to come eternal life.' As he taketh the other world for his whole treasure and happiness, so he can take God's word for his whole security, which is a notable point of sincerity.
[2.] To direct our way. When the heart and eye is upon the mark, you may the better steer your course in order to it. Finis est mensura mediorum — Men take their measures from the end, and by it can the better judge of the aptitude and seasonableness of the means. As the mark guideth the archer how to direct his arrow, so doth the intention guide and direct the soul in all its actions. Certainly if a right mark be in our eye, we are more like to level at it than if we mistake our mark. Therefore fix your end, and you will the better understand your way, and address yourselves to such means as are suited to that end ; for our Lord tells us that if our ' eye be single, the whole body is full of light,' Mat. vi. 22. Our end shineth to us all the way along, and helpeth us to cut off both those impertinences and inconsistences with which men fill up their lives. What is the reason that men who hope to go to heaven yet spend their time in vanities which have no respect to such a purpose, yea, sometimes seem plainly to take the direct way