§ 3. (1.) Consider, a heart set upon heaven will be one of the most unquestionable evidences of your sincerity, and a clear discovery of a true work of saving grace upon your souls. You are often asking, "How shall we know that we are truly sanctified?" Here you have a sign, infallible, from the mouth of Jesus Christ himself; _where your treasure is, there will your hearts be also_.[304] God is the saint's treasure and happiness; heaven is the place where they must fully enjoy him. A heart therefore set upon heaven, is no more but a heart set upon God; and surely, a heart set upon God through Christ, is the truest evidence of saving grace. When learning will be no proof of grace; when knowledge, duties, gifts, will fail; when arguments from thy tongue, or hand may be confuted; yet then will this from the bent of thy heart prove thee sincere. Take a poor Christian, of a weak understanding, a feeble memory, a stammering tongue; yet his heart is set on God, he hath chosen him for his portion, his thoughts are on eternity, his desires there, he cries out, "O that I were there!" He takes that day for a time of imprisonment, in which he hath not had one refreshing view of eternity; I had rather die in this man's condition, than in the case of him who hath the most eminent gifts, and is most admired for his performances, while his heart is not thus taken up with God. The man that Christ will find out at the last day, and condemn for want of _a wedding-garment_, will be one that wants this frame of heart. The question will not then be how much have you _known_, or _professed_, or _talked_? but, how much have you _loved_, and where was your heart? Christians, as you would have a proof of your title to glory, labor to get your hearts above. If sin and Satan keep not your affections from thence, they will never be able to keep away your persons.
[Footnote 304] Matthew vi, 21.
§ 4. (2.) A heart in heaven, is the highest excellence of your Christian temper. As there is a common excellence, by which Christians differ from the world; so there is this peculiar dignity of spirit, by which the more excellent differ from the rest. As the noblest creatures, so the noblest of Christians are they, whose faces are set most direct for heaven. Such an heavenly saint, who hath been wrapt up to God in his contemplations, and is newly come down from the views of Christ, what discoveries will he make of those superior regions! how high and sacred is his discourse! Enough to convince an understanding hearer, that he hath seen the Lord, and that no man could speak such words, except he had been with God. This, this is the noble Christian. The most famous mountains and trees are those that reach nearest to heaven; and he is the choicest Christian, whose heart is most frequently and most delightfully there. If a man hath lived near the king, or hath seen the Sultan of Persia, or the Great Turk, he will be thought a step higher than his neighbors. What then shall we judge of him that daily travels as far as heaven, and there hath seen _the King of kings_, hath frequent admittance into the Divine presence, and feasteth his soul upon the tree of life? For my part, I value this man before the noblest, the richest, the most learned in the world.