1. Believe that there are invisible good things to be enjoyed in another world. Here is our first work, when we hear of these great promises : ' Believest thou this ? ' John xi. 26. The things are glorious and cer- tain, but our persuasions of the reality of them are too weak and feeble. That there is a world to come, and a state of invisible happiness and glory, nature guesseth at ; for such a conceit hath been noted in the minds of men of all religions, not only Greeks and Romans, but barbarians, and people least civilised. This tradition hath passed from hand to hand throughout all successions of ages ; and the nearer we trace it to the first originals of mankind, the more strong and pressing hath been the persuasion hereof. But still it hath borne up itself against all encounters of time, and in the midst of so many revolutions of human affairs, through which many truths are lost ; yet this hath maintained itself.
SERMON UPON ACTS VII. 55, r,6. 79
and been readily received by all nations. But if it be dark to nature, the light of Christianity doth more clearly discover it. Life and immor- tality are brought to light in the gospel, 2 Tim. i. 10. Christ, that purchased heaven for us, is gone into it himself, to give us a demon- stration of the reality of it, 1 Peter i. 21. Having first left a promise of eternal life to all that believe in him, 1 John ii. 25, which promise was outwardly confirmed by divers miracles. Inwardly in the hearts of his people, by forming them for this estate, and giving them a taste of it in their own souls, 2 Cor. v. 6. Now, is the scripture false, the gospel a fable, the oracles of the prophets, the doctrine of Christ, his miracles, resurrection, and ascension, but a dream ? AVere they all deceived that followed Christ upon these hopes, and took such pains in subduing the flesh, and hazarding their interests upon the hopes of another world ? Are the wisest sort of men the world ever saw fools ? Is sanctifying grace a fancy ? or the joys of the Spirit delusions or fantastical impressions ? The foretastes of the children of God a mere imposture ? And is it any way likely that all this solemnity should be used to establish a vain conceit? Well, then, be persuaded of it, as if you saw it with your eyes.
2. Let us often raise our thoughts to the meditation of this heavenly bliss and glory. As a man is, so are his musings. Thoughts, being the genuine birth and immediate production of the soul, do discover the temper of it : Eom. viii. 5, ' They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh,' &c. Those that are of an heavenly temper and frame do often exercise their minds in heavenly things ; their happiness lieth there, and their business tendeth thither. Our Lord telleth us, that where the treasure is, there the heart will be, Mat. vi. 21. If the mind were more taken up with these great things, they would breed in us a more excellent and choice spirit. But alas ! in most men, thoughts of heavenly blessedness are few and cold, when in the meantime their minds are thronged with all manner of vanity ; and therefore do they feel so little of the joys of the Spirit and the efficacy of grace, and do no more get uj? above the hopes and fears of the world. Certainly they do not hope for heaven that seldom cast a look that way. Where any- thing is strongly expected, the mind is wont to create to itself images and thoughts, whereby we preoccupy and foretaste the delight of what
, we expect ; for thoughts are the spies of hope sent toward the thing hoped for. If a man were adopted unto the succession of a crown, would he not please himself with the supposition of the honour and' pleasure of the royal estate that he shall one day enjoy ? They that do not earnestly and warmly think of heaven and heavenly things have little expectation this way.
3. An earnest and desirous expectation. ' Looking for the blessed hope,' Titus ii. 13. Set your affections on it : Col. iii. 2, ' Set your affections on things above.' Groaning after it : 2 Cor. v. 2, ' In this we groan earnestly, desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven ; ' Phil, i, 23, ' I am in a strait between two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ ; which is far better.' Without this, faith is a dead opinion or speculative assent ; hope but some cold ineffectual thought. Well, then, long to be at home. Heaven is opened for us ; Christ hath carried our nature, our flesh thither, and
80 SERMON UPON ACTS VII. 55, 56.
advanced it on tlie Father's right hand ; let us long in person to get thither.
4. tSo look to these things, that you may get your hearts above all earthly things : 2 Cor. iv. IS, 'While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen : for the things which are seen are temporal ; but the things which are not seen are eternal.' The act is not simply denied as to things seen, but comparatively, that the world's honour or dishonour may have less influence upon us. In all our actions: 1 Cor. vii. 29, 31, ' The time is short : it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none ; and they that weep, as though they wept not ; and tliey that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not ; and they that buy, as though they possessed not ; and they that use this world, as not abusing it : for the fashion of this world passeth away.' We mourn for sin as if we mourned not. We should grow more dead to all impressions of sense. Though carnal satisfactions be near at hand, yet they are but short and inconsiderable : ' Demas loved the present world,' 2 Tim. iv. 10.