ble to set our own hearts on heaven; this must be the I know, while we have flesh about us, and any remains § 3. (1.) Consider, a heart set upon heaven will be one of the most unquestionable evidences of your sincerity, and a clearer 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 infalliable, from the mouth of Jesus Christ himself; "where your treasure is there will your hearts be also." 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 the 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 the 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. § 4. (2.) A heart in heaven, is the highest excelI lence 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 of 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 had 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 heaven; and he is the choicest Christian, whose most frequently and most delightfully there. hath lived near the king, or hath seen the heart is If a man 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 admit. tance 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. § 5. (3.) A heavenly mind is the nearest and truest way to a life of comfort. The countries far north are cold and frozen, because they are distant from the sun. What makes such frozen uncomfortable Christians, but their living so far from heaven? And what makes others so warm in comforts, but their living higher, and having nearer access to God? When the sun in the spring draws near our part of the earth, how do all things congratulate its approach! The earth looks green, the trees shoot forth, the plants revive, the birds sing, and all things smile upon us. If we would but try this life with God, and keep these hearts above, what a spring of joy would be within us! How should we forget our winter sorrows! How early should we rise to sing the praise of our Great Creator! O Christian, get above. Those that have been there have found it warmer; and I doubt not but thou hast sometimes tried it thyself. When have you largest comforts? Is it not when thou hast conversed with God, and talked with the inhabitants of the higher world, and viewed their mansion, and filled thy soul with the forethoughts of glory? If thou knowest by experience what this practice is I dare say thou knowest what spiritual joy is. If as David professes, the light of God's countenance more gladdens the heart than corn, and wine; then surely they that draw nearest, and most behold it, must be fullest of these joys.Whom should we blame then, that we are so void of consolation, but our own negligent hearts? God hath provided us a crown of glory, and promised to set it shortly on our heads, and we will not so much as think of it. He bids us behold and rejoice, and we will not so much as look at it; and yet we complain for want of comfort. It is by believing, that we are filled with joy and peace, and no longer than we continue our believing. It is in hope the saints rejoice, and no longer than they continue hoping. God's Spirit worketh our comforts, by setting our spirits on work upon the promi ses, and raising thoughts to the place of our comforts. As you would delight a covetuous man by showing him gold; so God delights his people by leading them, as it were into heaven, and showing them himself and their rest with him. He does not cast in our joys while we are idle, or taken up with other things. He gives the fruits of the earth while we plough, and sow, and weed, and water, and dung, and dress, and with pa tience expect his blessing, so doth he give the joys of the soul. I entreat thee, reader, in the name of the Lord, and as thou valuest the life of constant joy, and that good conscience, which is a continual feast, to set upon this work seriously, and learn the art of heavenly-mindedness, and thou shalt find the increase an hundred-fold, and the benefit abundantly exceed thy labor. But this is the misery of man's nature, though every man naturally hates sorrow, and loves the most merry and joyful life, yet few love the way to joy, or will endure the pains by which it is obtained; they will take the next that comes to hand, and content themselves with earthly pleasures, rather than they will ascend to heaven to seek it; and yet when all is done, they must have it there, or be without it. § 6. (4.) A heart in heaven will be the most excellent preservative against temptation to sin. It will keep the heart well employed. When we are idle, we tempt the devil to tempt us; as careless persons make thieves. A heart in heaven can reply to the tempter, as Nehemiah did, "I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come." It hath no leisure to be lustful or wanton, ambitious or worldly. If you were but busy in your lawful callings, you would not be so ready to harken to temptations; much less if you were also busy above with God. Would a judge be persuaded to rise from the bench, when he is sitting upon life and death, to go and play with children in the streets? No more will a Christian, when he is taking a survey of his eternal rest, give ear to the alluring charms of Satan. The children of the kingdom should never have time for trifles, especially when they are employed in the affairs of the kingdom; and this employ ment is one of the saint's chief preservatives from temptations. §7. A heavenly mind is the freest from sin, because it hath truer and livelier apprehensions of spiritual things. He hath so deep an insight into the evil of sin, the vanity of the creature, the brutishness of fleshly sensual delights, that temptations have little power over him. "In vain the net is spread," says Solomon, "in the sight of any bird." And usually in vain doth Satan lay his snares to entrap the soul that plainly sees them. Earth is the place for his temptations, and earth the ordinary bait: and how shall these ensnare the Christian, who hath left the earth, and walks with God? Is converse with wise and learned men, the way to make one wise? Much more is converse with God. If travellers return home with wisdom and experience, how much more he that travels to heaven? If our bodies are suited to the air and climate we must live in; his understanding must be fuller of light, who lives with the Father of lights. The men of the world, that dwell below, and know no other conversation but earthly, no wonder if their understanding be darkened, and Satan takes them captive at his will. How can worms and moles see, whose dwelling is always in the earth? While this dust is in their eyes, no wonder they mistake gain for godliness, sin for grace, the world for God, their own wills for the law of Christ, and, in the issue, hell for heaven. But when a Christian withdraws himself from his worldly thoughts, and begins to converse with God in heaven, methinks he is, as Nebuchadnezzar, taken from the beast of the field to the throne, and his reason returneth unto him. he hath had a glimpse of eternity, and looks down on the world again, how doth he charge with folly his neglects of Christ, his fleshly pleasures, his earthly cares? How doth he say of his "laughter, it is mad;' and of his vain "mirth, what doth it?" How doth he verily think there is no man in bedlam so truly mad, as wilful sinners, and unworthy slighters of Christ and glory? This makes a dying man usually wiser than others, because he looks on eternity as near, and hath more heart-piercing thoughts of it than he ever had in health and prosperity. Then many of the most bitter enemies of the saints have their eyes opened, and like When 19 |