Beloved, there is none but a Christian that can desire death ; because it is the end of all comfort here, it is the end of aU callings and employments, of all sweetness whatsoever in this world. If another man that is not a Christian, desire heaven, he desires it not as heaven, or to be with Christ as Christ ; he desires it under some notion suitable to his corruption ; for our desires are as ourselves are, as our aims are. No carnal worldly man, but hath carnal worldly aims. A worldly man cannot go beyond the world. It is his sphere. A carnal man cannot go beyond the flesh. Therefore a carnal man cannot desire heaven. A man that is under the power of any lust, can desire nothing but the satisfying of that lust. Heaven is no place for such. None but a child of God can desire that ; for if we consider heaven, and to be with Christ, to bo perfect holiness, can he desire it that
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hates holiness here ? can he desire the image of God upon him that hates it in others and in himself too ? can he desire the communion of saints, that of all societies hates it the most ? can he desire to be free from sin, that engulfs himself continually in sin ? He cannot, and therefore as long as he is under the thraldom and dominion of any lust he may desire heaven indeed, but it is only so far as he may have his lusts there, his pleasures, honours, and riches there too. If he may have heaven with that, he is contented ; but alas ! brethren, heaven must not be so desired. St Paul did otherwise ; he desired to he dissolved, to be with Christ. He desired it as the perfection of the image of God, imder the notion of holiness and freedom fr'om sin, as I said before.
Which is far better.
Obs. Again, we see that God reserves the best for the last (b). God's last works are his best works. The new heaven and the new earth are the best ; the second wine that Chiist created himself was the best ; spiritual things are better than natural. A Christian's last is his best.
God wiU have it so, for the comfort of Christians, that every day they Hve, they may think, my best is behind, my best is to come, that eveiy day they rise, they may think, I am nearer heaven one day than I was before, I am nearer death, and therefore nearer to Christ. ^Vhat a solace is this to a gracious heart ! A Christian is a happy man in his life, but happier in his death, because then he goes to Christ ; but happiest of all in heaven, for then he is with Christ. How contraiy to a carnal man, that lives according to the sway of his owti base lusts ! He is miserable in his life, more miserable in his death, but most miserable of all after death. I beseech you, lay this to heart. Methinks, considering that death is but a way for us to be with Christ, ichich is far better, this should sweeten the thinking of death to us, and we should comfort om'selves daily that we are nearer happiness.
Quest. But how shall we attain this sanctified sweet desire that Paul had, to die, and be with Christ ?
Ans. 1. Let ?<s carry ourselves as Paul did, and then we shall have the same desires. St Paul, before death, in his lifetime, ' had his conversation in heaven,' Phil. iii. 1. His mind was there, and his soul followed after. There is no man's soul comes into heaven, but his mind is there first. It was an easy matter for him to desire to be with Christ, ha^iug his conversation in heaven already. Paul in meditation was, where he was not, and he was not where he was. He was in heaven when his body was on earth.
2. Again, St Paul had loosed his affections from all eai-thhj things; there- fore it was an easy matter for him to desire to be with Christ. ' I am crucified to the world, and the world is crucified to me,' &c.. Gal. vi. 14. If once a Chi-istian comes to this pass, death will be welcome to him. Those whose hearts are fastened to the world, cannot easily desire Christ.
3. Again, holy St Paul laboured to keep a good conscience in all things. ' Herein I exercise myself, to have a good conscience towards God and men,' &c.. Acts xxiv. 16. It is easy for him to desire to be dissolved, that hath his conscience sprinkled icith the blood of Christ, Heb. x. 22, fi'ee from a purpose of Kving in any sin. But where there is a stained, defiled, pollu- ted conscience, there cannot be this desire ; for the heart of man, naturally, as the prophet saith, ' casts up mire and dirt,' Isa. Ivii. 20. It casts up fears, and objections, and murmurings, and repinings. Oh, beloved, we think not what mischief sin will do us, when we sufler it to seize upon our consciences : when it is once wi'itten there ivith the claw of a diamond^