Heavenly- mindedness, AND Earthly-mindedness.  
In Two PARTS.  
With an APPENDIX Concerning Laying hold on Eternal life.  
By JOHN ROWE.  
LONDON: Printed by J. C. for Francis Titan, at the three Daggers in Fleetstreet. MDCLXXII.   

To the READER.  
IT is the chief point of Wisdom, to know what is true happiness: If we place happiness in that which is not happiness, we shall be deceived so much the more at last. The things of this world cannot be happiness to us, because the soul must live beyond them: when the soul is gone out of the body, it sees itself encircled with broad and vast ●●ternity: and when it is in its separate state, it meets with none of those sensible Objects, which it endavoured to suck contentment from, whilst it lived in the body: at what a loss then must that soul be for happiness, who knew no other happiness, but what was to be taken in from sensible things?  
The design of this small Tract is to put us upon the contemplation of that which must be happiness to us at last. It is no difficult thing for us to come in our thoughts, to the end of all those things which now we take comfort in: Life itself, and all the comforts of it, must shortly have an end. Now since all these things must have an end, a short and speedy end, it may not seem unreasonable for us to consider what the next state of things is like to be, and what it is that must make us happy at last. 
2 Cor. 4.18.  The things that are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. The mind of man is not quieted (neither indeed can it be) until it meets with something that will be happiness to it; and it never meets with happiness, until it sindes all the good it would have, and also knows it shall have that good always, without diminution, intermission or cessation. God alone is an infinite and an eternal good. Nothing can be happiness to the reasonable creature, but to enjoy him as the chief good, and to acquiesce in him as its last and; and then is the mind quieted, when it comes to six and rest in him. The scope of the whole Discourse is, to gather in our souls from sensible things unto God, and to six them in the contemplation of that which must be our happiness at last. That which was mainly designed in the first Part, which concerns Heavenly-mindedness, was to make some Essay how we might be brought to some suitableness and conformity to the life of Heaven, and to show (so far as we could) how we might be led into the beginnings of that life here on earth: And that is the true reason, why that which concerns that Matter is more insisted on, and drawn out to a greater enlargement than might seem preportionable to the rest of the Discourse. The other Part, which concerns Earthly-mindedness, was not to be omitted, because it lies so full in the Text; and too sad experience teacheth, that we need not more to be stirred up to the desire and love of eternal things, than we do need to be warned against the love of this World, which is the great Rock upon which many Professors split their Profession; and indeed, the great obstacle which keeps them off from the pursuit of eternal things. All that I shall add more, is, that if Divine Grace help us to get up a little into the Spirit of the future life, I am persuaded we shall find it the sweetest frame of spirit whilst we live, and to be sure, most comfortable to us when we come to die. I doubt not, but upon experience this will be found true, that the firm and steadfast belief, the desire and expectation of eternal things, is much more sweet than the highest enjoyment of temporal things: And it will be no grief of heart to us when we come to die, that we have been a little acquainted with, and in some sort accustomed unto that life here on earth, which must be our life when we enter into the other world, and must continue to be so unto Eternity.   

THere is newly printed a Book, entitled, The worm that dyeth not: Or, Hell-torments in the certainty and eternity of them; plainly discovered in several Sermons preached on Mark 9.48. by that painful and laborious Minister of the Gospel, William Strong: published by Dr. Thomas Manton, and Mr. Jo. Rowe. Sold by Fran. Titan, at the three Daggers in Fleetstreet.   

The first part, Concerning Heavenly-Mindedness.  Colos. Chap. 3. Vers. 1, 2. 
Vers. 1. If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.  
Vers. 2. Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth.  
THe scope of the Apostle in the whole context, is to press us to the great Duty of Heavenly-mindedness. 
Hic Paulus Colossenses hortatur ad meditationem caelestis vitae. Calv. in Loc.  Calvin. observes, the Apostle doth here exhort us to the meditation on of the Heavenly life. We find it very difficult for us to get up our hearts into Heaven: we are most prone to stick in this earth, and to rise no higher in our thoughts and affections then visible things; and therefore there is great need that this duty of Heavenly-mindedness should be pressed upon us. Now the Apostle propounds his exhortation, whereby he presseth us to the Duty of Heavenly-mindedness two manner of ways.  

1. Affirmatively.  
2. Negatively.   
I. Affirmatively, in two expressions.  
1. Seek those things which are above, in the first Verse.  
2. Set your affections on things that are above, 
Verbum cogitandi magis exprimit assiduitatem studii, & vehementiam, ac si diceret, sit haec tota vestra meditatio, huc ingenuum, huc animum applicate. Calvin.  in the second Verse. The Apostle aims at one and the same thing in both expressions. Seek those things that are above: Set your affections on things that are above: All that the Apostle aims at in both is this, that he would have us to be Heavenly-minded; only to enforce the exhortation the more, he repeats and doubles it; and the variation of the phrase adds some more weight to the exhortation: we must not only seek, but set our affections upon the things which are above. It is not enough for us to seek the things that are above in any manner, or after any sort, in a careless indifferent way; but we must set our affections upon these things; that is, our hearts must be taken up in them, these must be the great things that must take up our souls.  
II. The Apostle having propounded this exhortation affirmatively, he comes to propound it negatively, at the latter end of the second Verse: Not on things which are upon the earth: Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth. So that as the Apostles scope is to press us to Heavenly-mindedness, so his design also is to press us to a holy contempt of this world, and to take us off from an inordinate minding of earthly things. The Spirit of God foresaw how prone our hearts were to be taken up with this world, and with earthly things; and therefore he is not content to press us to the duty of Heavenly-mindedness in general, but gives us an express and particular caution against the love of the things of this world: Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth. Now than this being the Apostles scope to press us to Heavenly-mindedness; and to take us from earthly-mindedness; there are several Motives he useth in the context, to enforce these things upon us.  
The first Motive or Argument the Apostle useth to press this duty of Heavenly-mindedness, is taken from the consideration of our fellowship or communition with Christ: If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above. A Believer is risen with Christ, and therefore he ought to seek the things which are above. Although Believers have not as yet attained to glory in their own persons, yet they have attained it in the person of their Head: A Believer is risen in Christ, ascended in Christ, glorified in Christ his Head. Christ's Resurrection, Ascention, Glorification, is a pledge and an earnest of his Resurrection, of his Ascension, of his Glorification: Therefore eternal life and glory being secure to us in Christ, and we having a right and title to it in our Head, it becomes us to set our hearts on that which is our proper inheritance. We are risen with Christ, that is, in Christ our Head; we have a right and title to Heaven and Glory: therefore Heaven and Glory being secure to us in Christ our Head, who hath taken possession of it in our name and stead, we ought to set our hearts upon that which is our great and proper inheritance. That is the first Motive, the consideration of our fellowship and communion with Christ; we are risen with Christ. A Believer hath glory already given him in his Head, he is destinated unto glory, and this his Head hath already taken possession of in his Name and stead.  
The second Motive to press us to Heavenly-mindedness, and to take us off from earthly-mindedness, is taken from the consideration of our present state. A Believer's present state is a dead state: Ye are dead, saith he, verse the third. Seek the things that are above, set your affections on things that are above; for ye are dead. Ye are dead; that is, dead to the world, dead as to any earthly happiness: Your happiness lies not in the road of this world. Ye are dead; that is, ye are like to dead men: though you have a life in this world, yet the life you have in this world as men (not to speak of your life as you are Saints) it is but a dead kind of life; though you may have some comforts and enjoyments in this world as other men, yet they are all as dead comforts and enjoyments in comparison of what is your true happiness; your true happiness is to live with God and Christ. The Apostle hints so much, that true happiness is to live with God and Christ, as he saith afterward; Your life is hid with Christ in God; therefore your present life and comforts are all dead things in comparison of what is your true life and happiness. Now if a Believer be dead to the world, if all his happiness in this world be but the picture and shadow of true happiness, than it is all the reason that his heart should be taken off from earthly things, and set upon that which is indeed his happiness.  
The third consideration to press us to Heavenly-mindedness, is, that a Believers life is a hidden life: You are dead, your life is hid with Christ in God. A Believers true life, his true happiness, lies not within sight, within view, it is hid with Christ in God. If we will find out true happiness, we must not look for it in the road of present sensible things, but we must look for it with Christ in God: Your life is hid with Christ in God. Mark it, if we would find out true happiness, we must consider what it is that Christ as man, and as the Head of the Church, enjoys in the presence of the Father. A Believers happiness lies in communion with his Head, in enjoying blessedness in communion with the Father, like unto that which Christ as man enjoys now in the presence of the Father. Our life is hid with Christ in God; as much as if the Apostle had said, Your happiness lies not in any thing in this world, but your happiness is of the same kind as Christ's happiness is: look what happiness Christ as man enjoys in the presence of the Father, that is your happiness, and nothing else. Now this being a Believers true happiness, it concerns him to clevate his thoughts and affections unto the things that are above, where Christ sits at the right hand of God.  
The fourth and last Motive the Apostle useth to press us to the duty of Heavenly-mindedness, is the consideration of the certainty that is given to a Believer of future glory. A Believer hath already a title to glory in Christ his Head; yea, after a sort, he hath an inchoate possession of it, forasmuch as Christ is possessed of Glory in his name and stead; but at last a Believer shall be brought to a full, perfect, complete possession of glory in his own person, as now he hath it inchoatively in the person of his Head. This the Apostle intimates in the fourth verse: When Christ who is our life shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory; that is, we shall actually appear with him in glory; that is, as another Apostle expresseth it, We shall be like him, 1 Joh. 3.2. We know when he shall appear, we shall be like him. Look what glory is given to Christ the Head of the Church, the same glory in a proportion shall be given to the Members. Now than the future happiness of the Saints being so sure, it being as certain that they shall have it, as if they had it in hand; the glory and happiness of Heaven being no notion, no fiction, but as sure as Christ is glorified, so shall all his Members be glorified; then certainly it becomes Believers to set their hearts upon these things. These are the Motives the Apostle makes use of to press the great duty of Heavenly-mindedness upon us.  
The Observations that arise from the Text are these two.  
Doct. 1 It is the duty of Christians to seek after, and to set their affections on the things that are above.  
Doct. 2 That Christians ought to have their hearts taken off from the world, and from earthly things, and to have their hearts carried forth to an holy contempt of this world. Set your affections on things that are above, not on things on the earth.  
Doct. 1 That it is the duty of Christians to seek after, and to set their affections on the things that are above.  
For the Explication of this Doctrine, two things are to be spoken unto.  
1. To show what these things above are, that we are to seek after, and to set our affections upon.  
2. What it is to seek after, and to set our affections on things that are above.  
1. What are these things above that we are to seek after, and to set our affections upon?  
This shall be opened in four Particulars.  
I. By the things above, we are to understand God and Christ: we ought to seek the things that are above; that is, we ought to converse much in our thoughts with God and Christ. That these are the things above here intended, is clear from the Context: If ye be risen with Christ, seek the things which are above: What follows? where Christ sits at the right hand of God; it is as much as if the Apostle had said, Christ is above, and God is above; now let your hearts be upon these things: Seek the things which are above, where Christ sits at the right hand of God; that is, let your thoughts dwell much upon God and Christ. So at the third verse, Your life is hid with Christ in God: If our happiness lie hid in God and Christ, than we do seek the things which are above, when our hearts are mainly and principally carried out after God and Christ, in whom only our true happiness is to be found, 1 Joh. 1.3. Truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. When may our fellowship be said to be with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ? Certainly one way whereby we have fellowship with the Father and Jesus Christ, is this; when we converse much in our thoughts with God and Christ; that is, when God and Christ have more of our thoughts then any earthly thing. My meditation of him shall be sweet, saith David; then do we seek the things above, when our Meditation is taken up about God and Christ. Joh. 17.3. This is life eternal, to know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent: The perfect knowledge of God and of Christ, is our perfect happiness in Heaven; and so much as we do know of God and Christ here on earth, so much happiness do we enjoy here on earth: there is more sweetness, more comfort, more satisfaction to be taken in from the knowledge of God and of Christ here on earth, then from all earthly enjoyments whatsoever: might it not seem too much for me to speak, I might adventure to say, Though it be but a little of God and Christ that I know, yet I would not exchange or part with the thoughts of God and Christ, which are to be had in this world, for all the Kingdoms upon earth. Now if the thoughts of God and Christ, and the little knowledge that may be had of God on earth, have so much sweetness in it; what will the vision of him in heaven? and what will the perfect knowledge of him there be? When the Apostle Paul desires the highest thing he could do for the Saints, it is this, that they might have a greater measure of the knowledge of God and Christ: let us consider the Text, for it is a great Text, Col. 2.1, 2. For I would that ye knew what great conflicts I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; that their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ. See with what a magnificent Preface the Apostle ushers in this desire. 1. He tells them he had a great conflict for them: the word in the original signifies an agony; 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  the Apostle was in an agony of desire for these Saints. 2. He tells them he would have their hearts comforted; he longs after their comfort, the highest measure of consolation for them. And what is all this Preface for? only to usher in this, to tell them he would fain have them come to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ: that which put him into such an agony of desire was, that they might come to a fuller measure of the knowledge of Go● and Christ, and that because he knew this was the only way for their comfort; That their hearts might 〈◊〉 comforted, being knit together in lov● and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of Go● and of the Father, and of Christ: h● knew there was no better way fo● their comfort, then to come to 〈◊〉 clear knowledge of the Mystery o● God and Christ. Observe how th● Apostle expresseth this he would have them come to the riches of th● full assurance of understanding, to th● acknowledgement of the mystery of God and of the Father, and of Christ. Then are several things of great moment to be considered in these words 〈◊〉 1. The Apostle teacheth us here, that the knowledge of God is a Mystery to the riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God: There is a great Mystery in the knowledge of God 〈◊〉 poor creatures that we are, we are apt to think we know enough of God at first; but there is a Mystery in the knowledge of God; and what this Mystery is, the Apostle tells us, it is the mystery of the Father, and of Christ: And what is this Mystery? what is this mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ? So far as we can conceive of it, it lies in this, to know God in the unity and simplicity of the Divine Essence, to know God in the Trinity of Persons, to know Christ as Mediator, and to be able to apprehend the Father in Christ: it is the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ, to be able to apprehend the Father in Christ, as Christ says, He that hath seen me hath seen the Father; that is, to apprehend the Divinity to be so in Christ, as that we see, that by having the Son we have the Father, and in possessing Christ we possess whole God. This is the Mystery of God the Apostle here speaks of, and we have reason every day to be more and more diving into it, to labour to come to a clear knowledge of it. That is the first thing; there is a Mystery in the knowledge of God. 2. The Apostle would have them to come to the acknowledgement of this Mystery; to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God; that is, he would have them to come to a clear and distinct knowledge of all the Principles concerning God and Christ: the word signifies an accurate, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Phavorinus.  or more exact consideration of a thing: after the first perception of it, we have some knowledge of God and Christ at first; but we must labour to come to a more accurate exact knowledge of God and Christ. 3. The Apostle would have them come to the riches of the full assurance of understanding. 1. Here is riches, that sets forth copiousness and abundance: The Apostle would not have them have some slender tastes of God and Christ only, but he would have them enriched with the knowledge of God and Christ, Phil. 1.9. This I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more, in knowledge, and in all judgement. 2. He would have them labour to attain unto the greatest certainty and assurance in their knowledge; he would have them come to the riches of the full assurance of understanding. This full assurance of understanding, I take to be opposed to wavering and to doubting: The Apostle would have us to come to a certainty in our knowledge: A Christian should not be fluctuating and hesitating in his thoughts concerning God and Christ; but he should endeavour to come to this, that he may be able to say, Upon this bottom I can live and die; that which I know concerning God and Christ is such a bottom, that I can venture my hope, my happiness, my all upon. This I take to be the meaning of that expression, the full assurance of understanding. Now these are the things above that we are to seek, and to set our affections upon, viz. God and Christ; our thoughts are to be conversant about these things; we ought to be taken up in the study of the mystery of God and Christ: and then do we seek the things that are above, when we converse much in our thoughts with God and Christ.  
2. By the things above, we are to understand the glory and blessedness of heaven; by the things above (saith a Learned man) we are to understand the kingdom of heaven, 
Davenant.  the beatifical vision of God; those joys which the saints shall one day partake of with Christ their head, and the holy angels: We ought to seek the things which are above, as much as if he should say, we ought to mind the glory and blessedness of the future state. This is also to be gathered from the context; If ye be risen with Christ, seek the things which are above, where Christ sits at the right hand of God; as much as if the Apostle should say, When I speak of the things above, I intent nothing else but such things as are in Heaven, such things as Christ enjoys in the presence of the Father. Seek the things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God: It is as much as if the Apostle had said, consider what it is Christ now enjoys in the presence of the Father; consider what glory Christ is possessed of: Christ is above sorrow, above pain, above misery, above death: Christ enjoys perfect happiness in the presence of the Father; now consider what Christ enjoys, and these are the things which are above. This is manifest to be the Apostles scope, from the fourth verse, When Christ who is our life shall appear, then shall we also appear with him in glory: It is as much as if it had been said, Christ is now in glory, and we shall one day be made like our Head, we also shall appear with him in glory. The Apostle would have us to mind this, to think what that glory is, that Christ our head is possessed of, and what the glory is we shall be brought unto, in conformity to Christ our Head: the Head and Members must be like one another; if Christ be now in glory, the same glory is prepared for all that are Christ's; and this appears from our Saviour's last prayer, The glory which thou gavest me, I have given them, that they may be one, even as we are one, Joh. 17.22. Therefore look what glory Christ as man and Head of the Church enjoys, we in our measure shall have a share in, if we be Christ's, and Members of his Body. This than we are to understand by the things above, the glory and blessedness of the future state. I have often thought there is nothing we are more wanting and defective in then this, viz. in studying and contemplating what the glory and blessedness of the future state is; we stick in present sensible things, and do not elevate our hearts to the future glory: but we ought to be of another frame; 
2 Cor. 4.  Paul tells us, He looks to the things which are not seen; that is, unto the things of the invisible world, to the glory of heaven, and the blessedness of the Saints there: elsewhere he saith, He reckons that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us, Rom. 8.18. that was an argument he had his heart taken up with the glory of that state.  
3. By the things above, we may understand, the life and employment of the saints in heaven, and our communion with God in heaven: we ought to seek the things above; that is, we ought to think much of our future life, and consider what our life and employment in eternity is like to be: though this be of near affinity with the former, because our happiness in heaven, and the glory and blessedness of that estate consists in the life we shall live there; yet we may consider this under a distinct head; and the distinct consideration of this will help to illustrate the former particular: The Apostle tells us, when we are absent from the body, we shall be present with the Lord, 2 Cor. 5.8. From this Scripture we may argue, If when we are absent from the body, we are present with the Lord, than there is a life in which the soul shall live with God, when it is in a separate state from the body, a life that we shall live in the Divine Presence. Now this is to seek the things that are above, to consider what the life is that we shall live in the presence of God and the holy Angels, when we have laid down this burden of flesh, and are discharged from the body of death, and shall be made free among the heavenly Society, and admitted into the number of the Spirits of just men made perfect; to know what our life and employment shall be in that state, this is to seek the things which are above. Though we cannot comprehend fully and perfectly what this life will be, yet we may understand a little of it, as the Scripture doth reveal it: the Scripture teacheth us thus much, that hereafter we shall walk by sight, 2 Cor. 5.7. Now we walk by faith, not by sight: That intimates, when the life of faith ends, than the life of sight and vision gins. Here indeed we live the life of faith, hereafter we shall live the life of sight and vision; Matth. 5.8. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. The Scripture teacheth us, when we shall appear, we shall be like him, 1 Joh. 3.2. So that our life in heaven is so far revealed in the Scriptures, that it is to see God, to be like him; that is, that we shall live a life like to his life, so far as the Creature is capable. These are the things above that we should seek. Phil. 3.20. Our conversation is in heaven. 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  Our converse is in heaven. If Paul's converse was in Heaven, than we must suppose he did contemplate in his mind what the life of Heaven was; and his aim was to walk as the Saints in Heaven did, to walk as one free of that corporation. Our conversation is in heaven: his endeavour was, that his behaviour, carriage, and deportment might be such, as if he were in Heaven among the Saints there: This is to seek the things which are above, to study what the life of Heaven will be, what our employment and converse there is like to be.  
4. Lastly, By the things above, we are to understand such things as have a tendency to the future life, and the future state. It is the observation of a Learned man, 
Davenant.  As by the things above we ought to understand the glory and blessedness of heaven primarily, so secondarily and consequentially, by the things above we are to understand those gifts of Grace, which are as the seeds of this desired Glory; as Faith, Love, Holiness, and the rest of the Graces of the Spirit, by which we are brought to eternal Glory. The Graces of the Spirit may well be called the things that are above, because (as Anstine expresses it) in respect of their excellency they do excel all earthly things. So then as we ought to seek the things above in this sense, that is, seek after the glory and blessedness of Heaven; so we ought to seek that Grace that hath a tendency in it to bring us to this glory. Phil. 3.15. Let us therefore as many as be perfect be thus minded. How would the Apostle have us minded? he would have us minded like himself: and what was Paul's frame? read the former verse; I press toward the mark for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus; that is, I press towards the mark of perfection: Why so? for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. As if he had said, I would get as high in grace here, as is possible, that I might be fit for glory hereafter: I press toward perfection in Grace, as that which is the way to bring me to that Glory. As many as be perfect be thus minded: The meaning is, If you would approve yourselves to be grown Christians, excellent Christians, Christians of the highest rank and form, aim at perfection; look at the highest attainments in Grace here, that so you may be fitted for glory hereafter. So that to seek the things which are above, is to seek for a suitableness & a meetness for the future life and state. It is a great expression which we have, 2 Cor. 5.3. If so be that being clothed, we shall not be found naked. The Apostle is speaking of the glory of Heaven, and of the Saints entering into that glory in their souls, when their body is dissolved. Now the Apostle's jealousy is this, If so be that being clothed, we shall not be found naked; that is, lest he should be destitute and void of those graces, ornaments, and spiritual affections, that might render him in some measure suitable to that state. The Apostle Peter exhorts the Saints to furnish themselves with variety of grace, all sorts of grace, 2 Pet. 1.5. Add to your faith virtue; and so one grace to another: And what is the end? that they might be brought to a greater suitableness to the future life; so we have it at the eleventh verse: For so an entrance shall be administered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. As much as if he should say, If you add grace to grace, and grow to a greater excellency in every grace; So there shall be an abundant entrance administered to you into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; so that, this is to seek the things which are above, when we mind and intent the acquiring and getting of grace above any earthly thing; when by the strength of Christ, and the grace of Christ in us, we are still polishing and refining our souls, growing up to more spirituality, and aspiring to get higher and higher in grace, that so we may be more and more fitted for the coming of the Bridegroom, and that we may be found ready, as it is said of the Bride the Lamb's Wife, she had made herself ready. 
Rev. 19.7.  So that when we are trimming, and refining, and polishing our graces in the strength of Christ, and endeavouring to attain to a greater suitableness to the heavenly life, then do we seek the things which are above.  
2. I come now to the second Inquiry, to show what it is to seek after, and to set our affections upon these things.  
This we shall open in a few Propositions briefly.  
I. To set our affections on things above, it is to think much of these things: If we would set our affections upon the things above, our thoughts must be much employed about these things: 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  This word translated set your affections, elsewhere is translated to mind, Rom. 8.5. Those that are after the flesh, do mind the things of the flesh. So here, we are exhorted to mind the things which are above: the meaning is, we should cause out minds and thoughts to be occupied and taken up about these things.  
1. We ought to think of the reality of invisible things; we ought to think that the the things which are above are real things, substantial things: many do not think them to be so: a great many think, whatever is spoken of the other world, and of the blessedness of the Saints above, it is but a fiction and a fancy: this is the temper of the Atheistical age in which we live; but we ought to think of these things as realities, as the greatest realities: Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen, Heb. 11.1. Faith ought to make that present and real to us, which is remote from sense.  
2. We ought to think of these things, so as to study the nature and excellency of these things.  
3. We ought to think of them; that is, our thoughts ought to dwell upon them: we should not be content to have transient thoughts of these things, but we should dwell much in the Meditation of these things. This is one thing employed in that expression, set your affections; that is, set your thoughts on things above, let your mind dwell on these things.  
II. To set our affections on things above, is to value and esteem these things above all other things. The Critics in the Greek tongue observe, that the word (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) signifies to value and esteem a thing, as (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) signifies to undervalue and despise a thing; and this appears by the Text itself: Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth. The Antithesis and opposition that is between these two, shows what we are to understand by setting our affections on things above. Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth; as much as if he should have said, Have the highest value for spiritual things; set the highest price upon spiritual things; esteem spiritual things above all earthly things. This value and estimation of spiritual things Paul had, when he said, 
Phil. 3.8.  I count all things but loss and dung for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. Spiritual things bught to bear the greatest weight in our thoughts; we ought to approve them as the best things, and see a far greater excellency in them, then in all temporal things. 
Davenant.  There is a Learned man that observes upon this Text; this word translated to set our affections, comprehends two acts in it: 1. It notes the act of the mind or understanding, when it thinks of any thing. 2. It notes the act of th● will or affections, approving or loving a thing: so that to set our affections on things above, is to approve of them in our estimation as the be● things, Phil. 1.10. That you may approve the things which are excellent.  
III. To seek the things which are above, it is to intent these things as our principal aim and scope, Matth. 6.33. Seek first the kingdom of God; that is, let your principal aim and scope be to get an interest in the kingdom of God: So here, Seek the things which are above; that is; let your principal aim and scope be to acquire and get these things: let the main bent and tendency of your souls lie towards these things. Every rational Agent that acts out of reason and understanding, intends some end; now that which the Apostle would press us to, is this, to intent and design spiritual and eternal things as our great end. There is no man but he hath some last end that he prosecutes; now that which the Apostle would press us to, is, to make eternal things (the things of the other world) our great and last end: as much as if he should say, Whereas others are sursuing after other things, Riches, Honour, Pleasures, and making them their uttermost end; do you intent another end; do you make God and Christ, and the things of other world, your principal aim and scope. Seek the things that are above: Two are employed in it.  
1. Make this your end, to make sure your interest in these things.  
2. Get a holy meetness and preparedness of Spirit to enjoy these things.  
1. Make this your end, to make sure your interest in these things, 2 Pet. 1.10. Give all diligence to make your calling and election sure. Phil. 3. ●4. I press toward the mark, for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Paul pressed toward the mark of eternal Glory; Paul's great ambition was to win the price of eternal Glory.  
2. As we should make sure our interest in these things, so we should make this our end, to get a holy meetness and preparedness of spirit to enjoy these things. Seek the things which are above; that is, labour as much as may be to get up into the Spirit of heaven here on earth; labour to get a suitableness to the future life: Others converse with present sensible things, but do you converse with the things of the other world: see how you may get up into a spirit and temper; that is, fit for the life which is above, Phil. 3.20. Our conversation is in heaven; that is, we labour to converse as men in heaven, and to get our spirits suited and adapted to that life.  
iv To seek the things which are above, it is to see that our affections b● mainly carried out after these things; to see that our desire, love and delight do run out after these things, and lie in these things: where the treasure is, there the heart will he: If we judge and esteem these things as the best things, if we intent them as our principal aim and scope, than these things ought to draw our affections after them; our desire, love and delight should be carried out after these things; God and Christ should have more of ●ur hearts than the creatures have; we should solace and delight ourselves in the thoughts of the future life, and ●e more pleased in the thoughts of what we shall enjoy hereafter in ●he future state, then in any thing we ●njoy at present here on earth. To ●et our affections on things above, is to have our affections so fixed on these ●hings, as that nothing here on earth should be able to loosen, unhinge, unsettle, or take off our affection from these things. To set our affections on things which are above, it is to cleave to God as our chief good, to embrace God as our only portion, with the full bend of our affections. 
Scis occultorum cognitor Deus, quod non solum terrâ & omnibus quae in ea sunt mihi cariores, sed etiam coelo & omnibus quae in ca sunt mihi acceptabilior es.  They are rare strains of affection which Austin hath: O God (saith he) the knower of all secrets, thou knowest that thou art not only dearer to me then the earth, and all things that are in it; but thou art more acceptable to me then heaven itself, and all things that are in it. God is the sum of all good things to us, God is our chief good. O how happy were it for us, if we could get such strains of love to God, and appeal to God as he did, and say; O God, the knower of all secrets, thou knowest that thou art not only dearer to me then the earth, and all things that are in it; but thou art more acceptable to me then heaven itself, and all things that are in it. This is to seek the things which are above, when our souls cleave more to God then to any created thing.  
V last, To seek the things which are above, it is to use our uttermost care, study, diligence and endeavour to get an interest in these things, and to be fitted for the enjoyment of these things. It is observed by a Learned man, 
Quaerendum vocabulum indicat laborem & conatum, atque excludit otïosam velleitatem. Davenant.  This expression of seeking notes labour and industry, and it is opposed to an idle velleity; we may not content ourselves with general desires and faint wishes after the things which are above, but we must strive to enter in at the strait gate, as our Saviour's expression is: to seek after a thing, 
Quaerere, est cum studio ferri & tendere ad res habendas vel fruendas.  is to be carried out with study, care, and endeavour for the having and enjoying of that thing which we so seek after: Heb. 12.15. Looking diligently, lest any man fail of the grace of God: The word in the original is an emphatical word, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, using diligent care and inspection over yourselves, lest any fail of the grace of God: If we would therefore seek the things which are above, we ought to use the uttermost care and diligence for the acquiring of these things.  
Thus we have the Doctrine opened: We come now to the Application.  
Use. The great Use which shall be made of this Doctrine, shall be by way of Exhortation, to exhort us all to put in practice this great duty of Heavenly-mindedness; let us labour to get our hearts out of this world, above this earth, and to get up our hearts into Heaven, where our true happiness and felicity lies. It was a familiar expression used by the ancient Church, Let us lift up our hearts: 
Sursum corda.  let our hearts be above: our hearts should be above; they should be above this lower world, they should be conversant in the upper world, where God and Christ, the Saints and Angels are, and where our true rest, happiness and felicity is to he expected. In the prosecution of this Use, there are three things to be done.  
1. Give a few Motives briefly to quicken, and to press us to the great duty of Heavenly-mindedness.  
2. Lay down some Directions for the putting in practice this duty.  
3. Show what the great Impediments of Heavenly-mindedness are.  
For Motives to quicken us to Heavenly-mindedness, consider,  
Motive 1 I. Our Regeneration, and the life which we live as Christians, calls u● to Heavenly mindedness: If ye be rise● with Christ, seek those things which ar● above. A Christian is one risen from the dead, he is risen from the death of sin, to the life of grace. Now a man that is risen from the dead, doth not live like other men; we ought to live as those who are risen from th● dead: what an unsuitable thing were it, to see a man risen from the dead, to be much concerned about the affair of this world? he is called to another state, to another life: a Christian is a man risen from the dead, and therefore he ought not to converse as other men do: our vocation and calling, as we are Christians, calls us off from sin, from the world, from sublunary vanities, and calls us up to God, to seek for our happiness and satisfaction in God. 1 Cor. 1.9. God is faithful, by whom ye are called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord: A Christian is called unto fellowship with God and Christ, to have his happiness in God and Christ. This is life eternal, 
Joh. 17.3.  to know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent: A Christians happiness is to know God, and enjoy God in Christ; and therefore his heart should be where his happiness lies. Before conversion, the soul seeks for happiness in the creature, and in sensible things; the work of conversion brings the soul off from the creature unto God in Christ. Now then, God and Christ being in Heaven, our hearts should be where the centre lies: the end of our vocation or effectual calling, was to bring us unto God in Christ, as the point and centre of our rest; we do not understand the end of our calling, unless we know this, that our calling was intended to bring us to God in Christ, & to take up our rest in God by Christ: it is the end of our vocation, that we should seek the things which are above.  
Motive 2 II. To press us to Heavenly-mindedness, consider, our country is above: men's hearts do naturally lie in their own Country; now all the Saints of God may say, 
Coelum nobis Patria.  heaven is our country. It is said of the ancient Saints expressly, They seek an heavenly country, Heb. 11. That is a man's Country, which is the place where he was born, the place where he lives, and where his inheritance lies: the Saints are born from above; it is our Saviour's expression, 
John 3.  unless a man be born from above: the Saints are born from above; their original is from the Spirit of God, who comes from above: and their inheritance is above, and they must live for ever above, and therefore their hearts ought to be above; whence their original was, where their inheritance lies, and where they must live for ever.  
Motive 3 III. Christ our Head is in Heaven, and that is Motive sufficient to press us to Heavenly-mindedness. Paul thought it so here in the Text, Seek those things which are above: Why so? where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God. As much as if he had said, Christ our Head is in Heaven, he is possessed of happiness, and our hearts should be where our Head is: look what happiness Christ as Man and Head of the Church enjoys, the same blessedness is destinated and appointed for us in our measure: what happiness Christ as man is brought unto, is but an instance what all the Saints in their measure shall be brought to. Doth Christ as he is man live in the sight of God? we also at last shall be brought to that sight: Is Christ, as he is man, above misery, above pain, above death? Is Christ's humane body clothed with glory and immortality? unto the same condition shall we be brought at last: So the Apostle tells us in Phil. 3.21. Who shall change our vile bodies, and make them like unto his glorious body. Now we ought to think what happiness Christ our Head enjoys, and to consider that the same happiness in a degree and proportion is prepared for us: Christ is entered into Heave● as our forerunner, 
Heb. 6.20.  and all the members shall follow the Head: If Christ be in Heaven possessed of glory for us and have given us an earnest in wha● he possesseth, what we shall be brought unto; it is an unworthy thing for 〈◊〉 to mind this earth, and forge● what our Head is possessed of for us and will bring us unto.  
Motive 4 IU. Consider, our true happiness lies above, and it is a vain thing t● expect it in this life: This the Apostle intimates in this place, You ar● dead, and your life is hid with Chris● in God. As much as if he should say. You will never be happy, you will never come to true happiness, till yo● come to be where Christ is, till you come to enjoy what Christ enjoys: your life is hid with Christ in God; that is, your happiness is to live as Christ lives, to enjoy what Christ enjoys; and till you come to possess what Christ possesseth, you are never happy. Now then, if our happiness consists in what Christ enjoys, than it becomes us to study and meditate much what the happiness and glory of Christ is, and what our happiness will be in conformity to what our Head enjoys; we shall never be happy till we are arrived to that happiness Christ is possessed of. Aquinas in his Book Contra Gentes, lays down this as one position, That man's last happiness cannot be in this life; and there are many arguments he gives to prove it, among which these are some.  
1. One reason why our last happiness cannot be in this life, is, because we cannot see God as he is; we cannot see God in his Essence (as his expression is) here on earth: 
Per essentiam.  No man can see my face and live, saith God to Moses: Our mortality will not bear the sight of God face to face. Now without the clear sight and vision of God, there cannot be perfect happiness; for this is life eternal, 
John 17.3.  to know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.  
2. Another Argument that happiness cannot be attained in this life, is, True happiness can never be attained, unless the natural desire and appetite which is in man, be satisfied: then is a man happy, when he enjoys all the good he would have: if there be any good wanting to a man he would have, such a man cannot be happy, because his desire and mind is not quiet: Happiness consists in this, when the mind hath all it would have: Now there is no man knows or enjoys so much here on earth, but he still desires to know and enjoy more: now until the natural appetite, which is in man, be filled up, there cannot be perfect happiness.  
A third Argument is this: Man's natural desire is carried out after stability in happiness; as every man desires happiness, so he desires a stable happiness: if a man have that which he accounts happiness, unless it be stable and constant to him, such a man hath not attained to true happiness; for it is of the nature of happiness to be unchangeable: that which is possible to be lost or interrupted, is not worth the name of happiness. Now there are many accidents that may occur, that may interrupt the best happiness we can have here on earth; and whilst there is a possibility that a man's happiness may be interrupted, the midne cannot be quieted, as to the enjoyment of what it apprehends as its chief good. Now if a man's last happiness cannot possibly be attained in this life, it concerns us to have our thoughts elevated to the other world, and to mind that state where true happiness is indeed to be found.  
Motive 5 V. Lastly, to persuade us to seek the things which are above, consider, the things which are above, are the most durable and permanent things. What folly is it to set our hearts upon things which will not last always? riches, pleasures, earthly delights, life itself, will not last always; but the things of the other world last always: God and Christ are always the same; the life which we shall live above, is a perpetual constant life; 
2 Thess. 4.17.  we shall ever be with the Lord. Certainly this is true wisdom, to fix our hearts upon eternal things, to keep our hearts upon those things which will always abide by us. The things of this world are transient things, and pass away: we may have them so long, and n● longer; there is an end of them ove● a few days: but the things which are above are permanent, stable, always the same. A man shall never be deceived in his hope of happiness, if he fix his heart upon eternal things; and thereason is, because these things do always remain, and the object of his happiness is still the same: therefore it is a good speech of Austin, 
Junge cor tuum aeternitati, & ●ternus eris.  Join thy heart to eternity, and th●● thyself shalt be eternal: The way to have an unchangeable happiness, is to love unchangeable things; it is not possible a man's happiness should last any longer than the things he placeth his happiness in: if he love changeable things, than a man will have but a changeable happiness; if he love unchangeable things, than he will enjoy an unchangeable happiness: if we love the unchangeable God, we shall then never be to seek of happiness, our happiness shall still be the same. These be the Motives.  
II. We come now to the Directions, to show how we ought to put in practice the great duty of Heavenly-mindedness.  
1. If we would put in practice this great Duty of Heavenly-mindedness, let us contemplate and meditate much of the future life; we should transfer and carry ourselves in our thoughts out of this world, and by holy contemplation set ourselves down (as it were) in the other world: it were good for us, if now and then we could leave this earth behind us, and climb up to heaven in our thoughts, and consider a little, so far as we may, what the state and condition of the other world is; we should study what God is, and what Christ is; we should contemplate how it is that God communicates himself to the souls of his people in the other world; we should contemplate what the actings of the soul upon God the chief good are, and what the delights and satisfactions of the soul are like to be: this is to meditate on the future life: the more we contemplate the future life, and make the things of the other world present and familiar to us, the greater alienation of spirit shall we find from this world, and the more will our minds and hearts be carried forth to the future state.  
2. Let us labour as much as may be to get up into the spirit and life o● Heaven: labour for an Heaven-like frame; that is, such a frame as is most suitable to the life and spirit of the Saints in Heaven. It is the observation of a Learned Divine, when the Apostle exhorts the Saints to seek the things which are above, his intention is, we should be daily conforming our life to the example and pattern of that heavenly life: 
Ad exemplar illius vitae coelestis. Zanch.  we ought to study what the life of Heaven is, what the frame and disposition of the Saints in Heaven are, and to get a frame and spirit as suitable to their frame and spirit as is possible. It is a great expression of the Apostle, Paul in 2 Cor. 5.9. We labour, that whether present or absent we may be accepted of him. He had said in the verse before, We are confident, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. Paul was confident, that when his body was dissolved, he should immediately be with God in his spirit, that his soul should be taken into glory: this was his confidence; Now, saith he, we labour, that whether present or absent we may be accepted of him; as much as if it had been said, Although we cannot be so happy as yet to get into Heaven, although we cannot be present there in person, yet we would fain have an Heaven-like frame, we would have such a frame of heart here on earth, as should bear proportion to that frame and temper we hope to be of in Heaven: We labour, that whether present or absent we may be accepted of him; we would be such to the Lord in the frame and disposition of our spirit, whilst we are on earth, as we hope to be to him hereafter; whether present or absent, we would be acceptable to him. But here the great Inquiry will be,  
Quest. How may we get more up into the spirit and life of Heaven? since a great part of our seeking the things above, consists in a conformity to the Heavenly life; how may we do to get more up into the spirit and frame of the Saints in Heaven? This is a noble Inquiry, and deserves to be the matter of our study and contemplation all our days. What is the great concernment of a Christian, but (after he hath gotten into Christ, and hath gotten some assurance he is in the state of Salvation) to be working up his heart into the spirit of the future life? A Christian hath two great Works to intent in this world: first, to make sure his title to Salvation, to pray for a more clear and distinct understanding of his union with Christ, that he may see he hath a sound title to eternal life and glory. Secondly, to pray for Grace, that God would work up his heart into the Spirit of the future life, that so he may be adapted and suited to that life, and brought to as great a conformity to it, as may be here on earth. Now what Directions may be given us as to this, to bring us more up to the spirit and life of heaven here on earth, before we come to be taken thither in person? This being the main thing intended in the whole Discourse, I shall take liberty to be a little large here; and there are many particulars that must be spoken unto.  
Answ. 1. If we would get up into he life and spirit of Heaven, let us begin by degrees to withdraw our hearts and affections from present sensible things. What is the life of Heaven but this? God shall be all in all: hereafter we shall live upon God purely, and immediately, without all creatures; therefore by degrees we should labour to have our hearts more taken out of the creature, and gathered into God. Mistake me not, whilst we are here on earth, we must use the creatures, and it is the will of God we should use them; and not to use them to those ends God hath appointed them, were to tempt God, and make ourselves wiser than God: But here lies the skill of a Christian, while we do use the creature, converse with sensible things, still to labour to see God in every creature, and to pass from every creature to God: not to stick in the creature, but to pass from the creature to God, and then, to think of such a time when we shall live upon God without these things. 
Non te pr●hibet Deus amare ista, sed diligere ad beatit●dinem.  It is a good speech of Austin: God doth not forbid thee to love these things (speaking of created things) but he forbids thee to love them as thy happiness. We ought to keep our hearts free and reserved for God in the use and presence of all creature enjoyments: we ought to love nothing as our happiness but God: I should be all one with us as to this, whether we have the creature, or have not the creature; whether we are full or empty; whether we want or abound: we should still be at the same point of rest in God, as in the centre; we should cleave to him as our chief good, and embrace him as our only portion: If God gives us creature's comforts and enjoyments, we should labour to see God in them, and find out God in them: and when we taste any sweetness, any delight in the creature; when we find any suitableness or conveniency in the creature, we should say, Here is God: This sweetness, this suitableness, this convenience is but a drop of the Ocean; all this is to elevate me to the Fountain: There is nothing more in any creature-comfort or enjoyment, than what God hath put into it; therefore must my soul say, I look at God in all these things; I stick not in the creature, but I look at God; the creatures are made to show me God. This should be our frame in the presence and enjoyment of the creatures, and then we should think much of that time, when God will communicate himself to us immediately. There is a time when I shall drink no more from the Cistern, but shall take in all from the wellhead: There is a time when I shall have no more need or use of these things, which are now as so many organs or pipes to convey comfort to me by: God shall be all himself, and shall supply all by himself: God shall be instead of Sun and Moon to me, instead of meat and drink to me, instead of all relations; God himself shall be all things: We should think much of that time and state, when God shall be thus to us. This is one way to get up into the spirit of the future life, by degrees to begin to withdraw our hearts and affections from present sensible things.  
2. If we would get up into the life and spirit of Heaven, let us mind a spiritual happiness, seek after a spiritual happiness, and be taken up in the thoughts and desire of a spiritual happiness: The happiness of Heaven is mainly and principally a spiritual and an intellectual happiness: the happiness of God himself is a spiritual, an intellectual happiness: The Being of God is a spiritual being, and the happiness of God is a spiritual happiness suitable to his Being: God hath no other happiness, then to know himself, and understand himself. The happiness of the Saints and Angels is a spiritual intellectual happiness. The Angels and Souls of glorified Saints are spiritual substances, and therefore their happiness must needs be a spiritual happiness: The Angels and glorified Saints have no gross material objects to live upon, they have no other happiness then what they take in by their understandings and wills. O consider it, true happiness consists mainly and principally in what the soul enjoys: not but that the body shall at last participate of happiness with the soul: when the body shall be raised, the body shall participate in its kind with the happiness of the soul: but the Essence of true happiness lies mainly and principally in what the soul enjoys; and that appears from those words of our Saviour: 
John 17.  This is life eternal, to know thee the only true God. It is the soul that is capable of knowing and enjoying God; and therefore true happiness and eternal life consists properly in what the soul enjoys. Sensual minded men are apt to think there is no happiness but what the body enjoys, and is taken in by the senses; but true happiness is an inward thing, and it consists in what the mind enjoys: There is more true happiness which the mind takes in, in one single thought of God, th●● the body and outward senses can take in by all the variety of objects that are most pleasing to them: look as the understanding or mind in man is a higher principle than sense is in a brute; and as the objects of the mind are higher and more excellent than those of sense; by so much the more is the mind or understanding capable of taking in a greater happiness than sense can do. Sense in a brute is capable only of taking in present mutable things; the understanding is capable of conversing with eternal and immutable things: therefore that which quiets the mind most, which is of the greatest capacity, that must needs be the greatest happiness. The mind of man covets eternal things, and is satisfied with nothing but eternal things; therefore to know that a man is in the love and favour of God, whose love or hatred is eternal; to know that a man shall be freed from everlasting misery and condemnation; to know that a man shall be happy in living with God for ever: these are eternal things, and such things as will quiet the mind of man. Divines observe, that eternal life in the beginning of it, consists in Justificatien and Sanctification: and this is truly asserted; for what is happiness, but the inward quiet of the mind? Now when the soul is in a justified state, when it apprehends itself reconciled to God, this brings in inward quiet, the peace of God that passeth all understanding. So in Sanctification, when the work of Sanctification is begun, we are in some measure brought to a conformity and likeness unto God, and there is an harmony and an agreement between our wills and the Divine Will. Now from this conformity unto God, and the agreement and harmony that is between our wills and the Divine Will, there ariseth peace: This is certain, so much holiness, so much peace: we should therefore look after a spiritual happiness, an happiness consisting in peace of conscience, in the apprehension of the savour of God, an happiness consisting in holiness: so much true peace of conscience, so much holiness, so much true happiness: This is the beginning of eternal life: The kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness and peace, and joy in the holy Ghost. The happiness of Heaven consists in this, that we shall be filled with Grace, and the Spirit of God: In Heaven the Spirit of God shall act us perfectly and universally; therefore the more Grace, and the more of the actings of the Spirit of God we feel in ourselves here on earth, the more we have of the beginning of heaven, of the beginning of eternal life. The happiness of heaven is a spiritual happiness, because it consist● in the spiritual actings and operatitions of the soul upon God: whe● the soul is full of Grace, and of the Spirit of God, than it knows God perfectly (so far as the creature is capable) it loves him and delights in him perfectly, and then it is most happy: I say, when Grace is perfected and consummated, and the operations of the soul are carried highest in the exercise of Grace, then is happiness most completed. This should cause us to covet Grace and the Spirit of God in the highest manner; we should covet Grace and the Spirit of God more than any temporal thing: Certainly so much of Grace, and of the Spirit of God as we feel working in ourselves, so much may we perceive of the dawnings of heaven and eternal life in our souls: He that feels much of the presence of the Spirit of God in his soul, and feels the lively sensible actings of Grace in his soul, may know he hath the beginning of heaven in himself. Let us covet a spiritual happiness, a happiness consisting in the exercise of Grace, and in the spiritual actings of the soul upon God: we should often think with ourselves, What is it that must satisfy the soul to eternity? suppose I had the greatest enjoyment of sensible things, would these things satisfy me? what is it that my soul can rest in ultimately? what is it the mind can be quieted with? If I know I am beloved of God, if I know I shall one day certainly enjoy God, and live with him for ever; here is some stay and quiet for the mind; this will quiet the mind more than all sensible things can do. Happiness consists in the highest operations of the mind; therefore when the mind is most carried out after eternal things, which are most suitable to the mind, than it enjoys most happiness: A great part of the happiness of heaven consists in this, that the Saints know, what happiness they do now enjoy, they shall always enjoy: If it were possible that such a thought could be let into their minds, that what they now enjoy, they should not always enjoy; this would rende● their happiness imperfect: true happiness consists in the highest operations of the mind, when the mind● is most carried out after eternal things; let us mind this happiness and be taken up in the thoughts o● this happiness.  
3. If we would come more up into the spirit and life of heaven, let 〈◊〉 think much of the beatifi●●il vision, and breath much after it. The great ●rappiness of heaven is this, that we shall see God, Matth. 5.8. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Saith Austin, 
Ibi videbis faciem Dei tui.  There shalt thou see the face of thy God. What greater happiness to the creature, then to see the face of the Creator, to see him who made heaven and earth? to behold the Glory and Majesty of the first and most excellent Being? 
Deus cum sit simpliciter perfectus, suâ persectione omnes rerum perfectiones comprebendit. Aquinas.  God being simply and absolutely perfect, in his perfection comprehends all the perfections of things. In the sight of God we behold all perfection at once. If all the beauties in the world were contracted into one beauty, what a rare sight would that be? in the sight 〈◊〉 God we see all beauty, all perfection at once: In the sight of God we see the Centre from whence all ●he lines are drawn; whatever is sweet, amiable, pleasant, delectable in the ●reature, it all issued from this Fountain: how sweet, how pleasant, how delectable then must the Fountain itself be? God is the rule and measure of all good, 
Deus est omnis boni bonum.  God is the good of every good: nothing is good but as it participates of God, and as it hath some similitude and resemblance of the Divine goodness; how sweet then will it be, to see the first original independent good, who is a sea and an abyss of good, who hath all good in himself without stint and limit? Those several delights we have from the variety of creatures, God hath all in himself, and much more abundantly: all the creatures are too narrow and too short to exhibit and represent to us the immensity and infiniteness of the Divine perfection: God is not only all that perfection that is in the creature, but he is infinitely more; and the reason is, because if all the perfections of th● creature were summed up into on● it is but finite perfection: it is 〈◊〉 contradiction, to suppose an infinite creature; but God's perfection is infinite perfection; what happiness then must it be, to be admitted t● see him, who hath all this perfection in him! This should make us, 1. To think much of the beatifical vision; ou● thoughts should be much upon it. 2. We should have great and admiring thoughts of it. O let us not thin● it is a light thing to be admitted into the Divine presence; the more you think of it, the more will you find your hearts swallowed up in the thoughts of it: I say, let us not think that it is a light thing to be admitted into the Divine presence, and to stand before him, who made heaven and earth: We ought to think this is the highest dignity and honour that can be cast upon us: if the Queen of Sheba was so much taken with the admiration of Solomon's wisdom, as that she said, Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom; well may we say to our Maker, Happy Lord are they that may be admitted into thy presence, and may stand continually before thee, to behold the glory and beauty of thy Majesty: let us have great and admiring thoughts of the beatifical vision: Do not think it a light thing to be admitted to the fight of God. 3. We should pray much that we may be accounted worthy to be admitted to this sight: It is that which deserves to be made the great request of our souls all our days, that we may be accounted worthy to be admitted into the Divine presence, and live in the sight and presence of God to eternity. And as ever we hope to come to the sight of God, to the beatifical vision, be sure to remember this, that Christ must be our way: I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh to the Father but by me, Joh. 14.6. It is Christ that must bring us to the Father whilst we are here on earth, and it is he that must make way for our admission to the sight of God in heaven: It is Christ as Mediator must bring us to this sight, and let us into th● sight; his humanity opens the 〈◊〉 to the Divinity. Christ as man, by ●●tue of the Hypostatical or personal ●●nion, hath a right to the sight of God and Divines commonly say, Th● Christ as man, from the moment 〈◊〉 his conception, had the sight of Go● Our nature was alienated from Go● and deprived of communion wi● God by our sin in Adam: But th● Son of God, the second person i● the Trinity, by assuming our nature and taking of it into Unity of people with himself, hath brought our nature near to God; and our nature, 〈◊〉 it stands in Union with Christ the Head of the Church, hath recovered 〈◊〉 right to communion with God; and Christ by the merit of his obedience, hath purchased a right for us to the sight of God: so that when we have thoughts of the beatifical vision, and have breathe in our souls after it, we must keep our eye upon Christ, and remember it is by him we must be admitted into the presence of God: ●ever think of seeing God without Christ; never think of being admitted into the Divine presence, without Christ's being your way and door.  
4. If we would get up into the spirit and life of heaven, We must labour to adhere to God, and to cleave to him as the chief good. In heaven, as there will be the clear sight of God, so there will be the most perfect adherence of the soul to him: The glorified soul must needs see God to be its life, its strength, its happiness, and all good to it, and therefore it must needs cleave perfectly to him. Now if we would come up into the spirit of heaven, we should labour to have our souls cleaving to God here on earth: we should rest in God as in our Centre: we should labour to cleave to God more than to any created thing: in a strict and proper sense, ourselves should cleave to nothing but God; though we may and aught to love the creature in its place, yet we may not love it as we love God: Our souls must cleave and adhere to nothing as our chief good, as the matter and object of our happiness, but God: of God only it is that we must say, He is my life, my strength, my salvation, my happiness: this was the Church's Song, The Lord Jehovah is my strength and my salvation: 
Isa●. 12.  We ought to cleave intimately and inseparably unto God. God ought to be the stay and rest of our souls: so much as our souls come to stay and rest themselves upon God as our chief good and only happiness, so near do we come to the life of Heaven. It is a proper and an apposite expression to help us to understand this, that which we have in Isa. 26.3. Thou shalt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee. This expression shows us what the carriage of the soul ought to be towards God the chief good; the soul ought to cleave to God most intimately, and to stay itself upon him. The Saints in heaven do thus stay themselves upon God, God is the great basis they lean upon: they have no sensible comforts to live upon, as we have, but they see all in God, and therefore he is their stay: it is upon him they lean for happiness: the more we can adhere to God, and eleave to him, and stay our souls upon him as our chief good, the more do we come up to the life & spirit of heaven.  
5. If we would get up into the life and spirit of heaven, Let us labour to take complacency in the glory and blessedness of God: Here ly●s the quintessence and perfection of the heavenly life, so far as we are able to conceive of it here on earth. The glorified Saints look off themselves, and out of themselves, and take complacency in the glory and happiness of God, who is the first and most perfect Being. It is matter of delight and joy to them, to see God so holy and so happy as he is. The Schoolmen rightly observe, that to love God for himself, 
V●lle Deum esse Deum.  it is to will that God should be God: Then do we love God for himself, when we take complacency in the glory and blessedness of God; when we are well pleased to see God to be what he is; that is, to see him to be the most excellent and most perfect being. Our happiness (as it is in us) it is but a finite thing, the happiness of smite creatures: but God's happiness is the happiness of the first infinite and eternal Being. Now it becomes us to be more pleased to see God happy, then that we are so; and to see him great and glorious, then that we are so. Here lies the prefection of a created will, to take complacency in the Divine perfection, as being the highest and uttermost object that it can acquiesce in. The highest strains of grace lie in these two things: 1. To desire the glory of God above all things: 2. To take complacency in the glory of God above all things. The more we can attain to these here on earth, the nearer do we come to the life and spirit of heaven.  
6. If we would come more up into the life and spirit of heaven, Let us labour to have the most immediate dependence upon God, and to expect all from God. The Saints in heaven have the most immediate dependence upon God for every thing; they see all comes from God, and they depend upon him for all. The Saints in heaven do not receive their happiness, comfort, and satisfaction from the organs and pipes of the creature, as we do; but they receive all from God immediately: and as they receive all from God immediately, so they know they receive all from God immediately; and they depend upon God focyll, and expect all from God: therefore the more immediate our dependence is upon God, and the more we expect all from God, the nearer do we come to their life. Psal. 62.5. My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. The time is coming, when we must depend upon God for all: when we come to die, none can help us but God; friends cannot help us, no creature can help us, and life itself will fail us; all our expectation then must be from God; if he fails us, all fails us: when this life fails and ceaseth, we must depend on God to give us eternal life; no creature can give us eternal life; no friends, no not the nearest Relations can help us when we come to extremity, God then must be our only friend: it is good therefore to have all our dependence upon him, and expectation from him now: If we expect no good, no happiness, no comfort but what comes through the conduit-pipes of the creature, when they fail, all our happiness must fail; therefore it is good to expect that God should give us that which no creature can; that God should communicate himself to us, when all creatures fail: When we have all creatures round about, they can afford us little help or relief in a time of extremity; therefore it is good to have our expectation raised above all creatures, and to expect all from God immediately: And this is to be brought nearest to the life of the Saints above. Only let us take this Caution: When we say that we should depend on God immediately, and expect all from God immediately, the meaning is not, as if we might not make use of the creatures as helps appointed by God in their proper places: we may and aught to use the creatures, in that way, and for those ends unto which God hath appointed them; but take heed you expect not too much from the creature: our expectation ought to be raised above the creature; we ought to consider, no creature can do us good, but as God puts virtue into it, makes use of it for our good, and as God acts it and communicates himself by it; our great dependence therefore aught to be upon God himself above all creatures.  
7. If we would come more up into the life and spirit of the Saints in heaven, we should labour to take up our rest and satisfaction in God. The Saints in heaven are perfectly satisfied with God, and in God, Psal. 17.15. When I awake, I shall be satisfied with thy likeness: that is, when I awake in the morning of the resurrection, I shall be satisfied with the vision of thy face. The sight of God is the most satisfying sight, and that will appear from these three considerations. 1. Because the Saints in seeing God, see all things in God; there is nothing in the effect, but what is in the cause; the Saints by seeing God, must necessarily see the perfection of all things in him. 2. The Saints in seeing God, are arrived to the uttermost perfection, beyond which there is no perfection. That which causeth unquietness in the mind of man here in this world, it is, because when he hath found one good, still he thinks yet there is a higher good; and when he hath found that, still he thinks there is a higher to be enjoyed: but when the soul once comes to the highest good, which is truly so, and knows there is no higher, than it rests and quiets itself here. Now the Saints that are come to the sight of God, know there is no higher good than God, therefore their minds are satisfied in God. 3. The Saints in beholding God, behold infinite perfection; they see that in God, that will fill their capacity brimful; now than the Saints having their uttermost capacity filled, this is that which must needs breed perfect satisfaction. So then, if the Saints in heaven are perfectly satisfied in God, and desire nothing more than what they have in God, we should labour to come up to this spirit, to be satisfied in God, and with God: We should rest in God as in our Centre, Psal. 116. Return O my soul unto thy rest. Though we desire many things for our necessity, as food, raiment, outward conveniency, and the like; yet we should covet nothing as our rest but God: Here is my rest, whether I have much or little, want or abound, God is my rest; we should labour to say so inwardly, sensibly and experimentally, that God is my rest, I need nothing as my happiness but God.  
8. If we would get more up into the spirit and life of heaven, Let us look down upon all the things of this world as poor and mean things. The Saints in heaven, who live with God, and have the sight of him, see that in him, and have that before their eyes, which makes all the things of this world seem poor and mean to them. Most true is that saying; 
Q●i parum de luce Creatur●s aspexerit, breve ei e●i 〈◊〉 quo● cr●atum est.  He that hath seen a little of the Creator's light, every thing that is created seems little to such a one. When the Sun appears, the Stars vanish and disappear; a greater glory buries and swallows up a less: We should labour to have such great thoughts of God, as that the creatures may seem but little to us. That which causeth admiration, is some surpassing excellency in the object: when we find something to parallel, or to go beyond that which we did admire, we shall cease to admire that which at some times we did admire. Now we shall never find any thing here below that will parallel that glory that is above: we ought therefore to have our hearts fixed in the admiration of eternal things, and look down with a holy contempt upon temporal things: This made Paul say, 
2 Cor. 4.18.  We look not to the things which are seen, but to the things which are not seen: the things which are seen are temporal, the things which are not seen are eternal.  
9 If we would come up more into the spirit and life of heaven, Let us labour for the most perfect acquiescence in the Divine Will. The Saints in heaven do think that is always best which God doth; their wills fall in with God's Will, and they have a perfect acquiescence in the Divine Will. The Saints in heaven do know that what God wills is always best; therefore there is not any hard thought, any contradicting thought, the least reluctancy in them against the Divine Will; but their will doth presently fall in with the Divine Will. Hence is that of our Saviour, Thy will be done on earth as it is done in heaven. In heaven there is a perfect compliance with and satisfaction in the Divine Will, now we should labour after this frame here on earth, that our wills might perfectly fall in with the Divine Will. It was an expression I once heard from a holy man: I have obtained that grace from God, to acquiesce in the Will of God, when once it is manifested. This is the very spirit of heaven, to acquiesce and take complacency in the Will of God, when once it is mafested: there is not any the least murmuring thought in the hearts of any of the Saints or Angels in heaven against that which God doth, but they think all is well done that God doth, and their wills rest in his. This is a great piece of heaven, when we make the Will of God the ground of our acquiescence and satisfaction: God hath willed it, and therefore we acquiesce. It is one thing to be satisfied with a man's condition from some moral considerations, and another thing to make the Will of God the ground of our satisfaction and acquiescence: the ground of our satisfaction ought to be, God hath willed such a thing, therefore I acquiesce: the perfection of a created will, is to follow the Divine and increated Will.  
10. If we would get up into the life and spirit of heaven, Let us lahour to be more deeply sensible of the infinite distance that is between God and us. In heaven, the Saints and Angels are most sensible of the distance between God and them: the more perfect our knowledge of God is, the more clearly shall we discern the distance that is between God and us: the more clearly we understand the Divine perfection, the more clearly shall we see our infinite distance from God. This is certain, The clearer our knowledge of God is, the greater foundation there is for humility: Never so humble a creature as the humane soul of Jesus Christ; and the reason is, because Christ as man had the most perfect knowledge of God; and Christ knowing God most perfectly, he understood the distance that was between his Humanity and the Divinity: therefore this is certain, The clearer our knowledge is of God, the more humble-shall we be. When the Lord sat upon the Throne, the Seraphims covered their faces, Isai. 6.1, 2. and what did that speak, but the deep sense that they had of the infinite distance that was between God and them? The most perfect creature in its kind, a glorified creature, is but a creature: now between the creature and the Creator, there is an infinite distance: the more we are reduced and sunk down into nothingness in ourselves, in the apprehension of the infinite distance that is between God and us, the nearer do we come to the spirit of heaven. In heaven we shall most perfectly understand our dependence upon God, that the creature is a mere dependent thing; and if God abstract and withdraw from the creature what he hath given to the creature, the creature vanishes into nothing: the creature is nothing, hath nothing, but what it hath received; if God abstract what he hath given, the creature returns to nothing. O labour to keep up a deep sense of the infinite distance that is between God and us.  
11. If we would come more up into the spirit of heaven, Let us labour to hate sin, not only because of the effects and consequents of it (as that it is damning, and the like) but because it is an uncomely thing in its self, and because it is contrary to the purity and perfection of God, who is the first and most perfect being, and the rule and measure of all good. This is certainly the spirit of heaven; the Saints in heaven having the sight of God, must needs see and know how contrary sin is to God; they see clearly that sin is contrary to the being of God, to the purity of God, to the life of God, to the will of God, and to the glory of God: and therefore they must needs hate it as such. The Saints also in heaven see how contrary sin is to their own beings, and to that rectitude that is put upon them, they being made of God to be such creatures as they are; the principles of their own being, as they are made and framed of God to be new creatures, being set in a direct contrariety unto sin, and therefore they hate it upon that account, so that the bent and poise of their wills is set against sin, as it is sin, as it is contrary to the Divine Being, Purity, Life and Glory; and as it is contrary to that rectitude which God by the work of the new creature hath put upon them. Now we should labour and pray that we may come up as much as may be into this spirit; we should labour to hate sin as it is an uncomely thing in itself, as it is most contrary to God, contrary to the Divine purity and perfection, and contrary to the Divine stamp, make, and frame of the new creature in us; and the more we can hate sin upon this account, and under this notion, the nearer do we come to the life and spirit of heaven.  
12. If we would come up more to the life and spirit of heaven, Let us value and prise the knowledge of God and Christ above all earthly things. You know what our Saviour saith, This is life eternal to know thee: 
John 17.  Eternal life, the happiness of heaven, consists in this, to know God; the perfection and consummation of eternal life consists in this, to know God in a way of vision: and the beginning of eternal life, it is to know God in a way of faith; that is, to know God as he hath revealed himself to us here in the way of his Word. It hath been showed before, how we ought to breath after the beatifical vision: that which now we are speaking of, is to show that we ought to covet after the knowledge of God in a way of Faith; we should covet after the knowledge of God, which is to be had from the Word, and is possible to be attained unto here on earth. Here we walk by faith, not by sight, 2 Cor. 5.17. although we cannot know God in a way of vision, as we shall know him hereafter, yet we may know him in a way of Faith: Now we should covet to know God in a way of Faith, as he hath revealed himself in his Word; we ought to prize and covet after the knowledge of every truth of God, but especially we ought to covet after the knowledge of God himself, who is prima Veritas, the first original Truth. The Scripture doth every where commend to us the knowledge of God: Col. 1.10. Increasing in the knowledge of God. 2 Pet. 3.18. Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Then shall we know the Lord, if we follow on to know the Lord, Hosea 6.3. 
Jer. 9.23, 24  Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, nor the strong man glory in his strength; but let him that glorieth glory in this, that he knoweth me, saith the Lord. I have often thought that it is the great sin of Professors, that they do no more press after the knowledge of God and Christ here on earth, and that they are no more taken with the discoveries of God and Christ that are made to them: we hear often of the great things of God and of Christ; but alas, these things are little valued and esteemed by us: but it ought not to be thus with us. Certainly, if our ultimate and last happiness be to know God in the way of the beatisical vision, the next happiness to this, it is to know God as he may be known here on earth: and this will be found in experience to be true, that there is more true sweetness to be taken in from the knowledge of God that is attainable here on earth, than there is from the enjoyment of any temporal thing: And therefore holy souls are wont to bless God more, for revealing himself and his Son to them, then for the greatest temporal thing he ever gave them. God is the highest and most Supreme Object that the mind of man can converse with: and the more the mind of man is taken up in the contemplation of this Supreme Object, the greater amplitude, liberty and enlargement will it find in itself. Inferior things do but limit, narrow, and confine the soul: for this is certain, that the soul it takes in liberty, amplitude, enlargement, greatness; I say, the soul takes in amplitude or confinement according to the nature of the objects it doth converse withal: Lower and inferior objects do but narrow and confine the soul, because they are beneath the capacity of the soul: but if the soul did rise up to the knowledge and contemplation of God, who is the first eternal Truth, than it would find liberty, amplitude and enlargement; than it would see it had a broad and spacious field to walk in. Certainly, if the greatest happiness of heaven be to know God, so far as we are capable to know him, our greatest happiness here on earth is to attain as great a measure of the knowledge of God as it is possible.  
13. If we would come up into the spirit and life of heaven, Let us keep the eye of the mind, as much as may be, fixed upon God. It is said of the holy Angels, that they always behold the face of their Father which is in heaven. The Saints and Angels are never weary of beholding the face of God. The Saints in heaven, as they do see God, so they do always see him, and they are never weary of seeing of him: 
Nihil quod cum admiratione consideratur potest●esse sassidiosum. Aquin.  when we have beheld God never so long, we may still see that in God which may draw forth our admiration. It is a true observation, Nothing which is beheld with admiration can be nauseous and wearisome to us: and the reason is, because, as long as we are under the admiration of a thing, so long our desire remains to that thing. Now the Saints in heaven do always behold God with admiration, and therefore they are never weary of the sight of him. God is an infinite object, and therefore cannot be comprehended by a finite understanding; therefore the Saints in heaven when they behold God, being never able to come to the bottom of his perfections, are still detained in the admiration of him; as they always see him, so they always desire to see him. The Saints in heaven are never weary of their happiness; as they see God, so they always desire to see him. Now in imitation of the Saints above, we should keep the eye of our minds, as much as may be, fixed upon God: When the eye of the soul is off from God, it is off from its centre; and when things are off from their centre, they are never quiet and at rest: if we consider it well, we shall find that the cause of all our trouble and disquietment is, when our hearts are unhinged, and when they are taken off from God: when the eye of the mind is turned upon God, than the soul is in its proper place, and there it finds rest: we should therefore keep our mind as much as may be at a point of rest in God: if we keep the eye of the soul fixed and intent upon God, we shall always find that in God which will give rest and contentment to the soul. It is said of Moses, That he saw him who was invisible, Heb. 11.27. Moses kept the eye of his mind fixed and intent upon God. And David saith, Mine eyes are ever towards thee, Psal. 25.15. So much as the Divine excellency draws the eye of the soul towards it with admiration, so much do we come up to the spirit of heaven: an heavenly-minded soul thinks it much to have its eye taken off from God, not but that there will be many things that will interpose to divert us while we are in our present state: but then we ought to remember, so far as we are grown up to Heavenly-mindedness, we shall never think it well with us, till we are returned and brought back again to the admiration of God. The sense that is of God's excellency in holy souls, makes them thus to pray: O, that our souls may be eternally ravished with thine eternal excellencies.  
14. If we would get up into the spirit of heaven, Let us desire nothing so much as God. Isai. 26. 9 With my soul have I desired thee in the night, yea with my spirit within me will I seek thee early. This is the language of the Church: the Church needed many things, and she desired many things; she needed liberty and deliverance, and she desired liberty and deliverance, (for this Song, as is conceived by judicious Divines, is penned with relation to the Church in Babylon) yea, but when the Church was in the greatest trouble and distress, she desired nothing so much as God himself: With my soul have I desired thee in the night: as much as if the Church should say, Though I need many things, yet it is thee that I desire, thyself, Lord, thyself, rather than liberty and temporal deliverance, Psal. 73.27. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee. It is the property of the Saints to desire nothing so much as God. Whom have I in heaven but thee? The Saints look at nothing greater or more excellent in heaven itself then God: All the glory, blessedness, joy and delight that is in heaven, is nothing in comparison of God himself; nay, all the joy, happiness, and felicity that they have in heaven, it is from what God is to them: This is certainly the spirit of heaven; as the Saints in heaven have all their happiness in God, so they desire to have it not where else but in God. It is truly so, saith Austin, that God himself would not satisfy me, unless he promised me himself: Whatsoever God promiseth thee, is worth nothing besides God himself: 
Ipsum fontom vitae sitio esu●io.  It is the Fountain of Life that I thirst after. I take it, that a great part of the holiness of heaven lies in this, that the Saints in heaven would not have their happiness in any thing but God: they are so pleased with God, as that they would not exchange their happiness in him for any thing else: so sweet shall the face of God be to them, so beautiful, that his face being once seen, nothing else can delight them: If we would come up into the spirit and life of heaven, we should labour to be of this frame and temper, not to be willing to exchange our happiness in God for any thing else that can be presented to us. Now this aught to be understood aright, when it is said that the Saints should desire nothing so much as God, the meaning is not but we may desire other things in their place, and in subordination to God the chief good: but when God and the creatures come in competition, when God and the creatures are compared together, then should we say, Thyself, Lord, and no created thing, thyself, Lord, without all things, rather than all things without thyself. It is a speech of Bernard; 
Ipse per se placet.  God is pleasing by himself; and we should say, his gifts are not so pleasing, but that himself is more pleasing: We should not desire so much any thing that God can give us, as himself: God himself should be more pleasing to us then all his gifts.  
15. If we would come up into the life and spirit of heaven, Let us labour for affections and dispositions most like to God: The happiness of heaven is described by th●●;▪ That we shall be like him, 1 Joh. 3.2. We shall be like him; that is, we shall be like him in holiness, like him in happiness; we shall be holy as he is holy, happy as he is happy, according to the capacity of creatures: It is the greatest happiness of the creature, to be assimilated to the Creator: It is the greatest happiness of the creature, to have his life brought as much as may be to an agreement and similitude to the Divine Life. The Saints in heaven have the same judgement and estimation of things that God hath; they will what God wills, they love what he loves, they delight in what God delights, they a in at the same ends that God aims at. The Divine understanding is the measure of Truth, and the Divine will is the measure of Good: what God judges to be best, the Saints in heaven judge to be so; what God wills to be best, the Saints will it as such. God values holiness and spiritual excellencies above external things, Psal. 147.10. He delights not in the strength of the horse, he takes not pleasure in the legs of a man. The Lord takes pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy. God values grace and spiritual excellencies above all external things, and therefore the Saints in heaven do so. God knows that he doth most for a man, bestows most favour upon him, when he gives him most grace, and not when he gives him any temporal thing; and therefore holy souls think so too. God wills holiness, loves holiness, and delights in holiness; and therefore the Saints in heaven must needs will it, love it, and delight in it. The Life of God is to know himself, to behold his own excellencies, and to refer all things to himself; and the life of the Saints in heaven is to contemplate God, and to refer themselves wholly to God: we should labour and pray to be brought to as great a conformity to God here on earth, as it is possible. Be ye holy, for I the Lord your God am holy: be ye perfect as your heavenly father is perfect. We would labour to have the same thoughts and apprehensions of things as God hath: we should have the same value and estimation of holiness as God hath: we should labour to have the same hatred of sin as God, the same love and delight as God hath. God loves himself, and delights in himself above all things; and we should love God, and delight in God above all things. God wills his own glory infinitely, and we should will it to the uttermost of our possibility. This is to come up to the life and spirit of heaven, when we labour for affections and dispositions most like to God, when we are brought up to as near a similitude to the Divine life, as it is possible.  
16. If we would come up to the spirit and life of heaven, Let us value all our comforts by what we see of God in them: the state of heaven is described by this; That God shall be all in all. What is that? among other things, this is certainly one thing comprehended in that expression: the Saints in heaven see God in all things, and all things in God; and every thing is amiable to them, as they see God in it, and no farther. It is a memorable passage of a Modern Divine; We shall, saith he, in heaven see God, and embrace him in ourselves, out of ourselves, and in all things; so that though we shall see all the holy Prophets, Patriarches, Martyrs, also our own kindred and acquaintance, yet all our affections shall rest in one God by Christ. Nothing is sweet to the Saints in heaven, but as they see God in it; and nothing should be sweet to us, but as we see God in it: we should labour to see God in every thing, find out God in every thing, and pass from every thing to God: The best enjoyments, the best comforts, the best conditions in this world are pitiful things, poor, dry, sapless things, any further than we see God in them. God is the good of every good; and if God be the good of every good, than nothing is truly good but as we see God in it. Abstract and take God out of any creature, any condition, any enjoyment; that creature, that condition, that enjoyment, is but a dry husk, a shell without substance. Our great misery and infelicity in this world, is, that we stick in the creature, and forget God; we do not rise up in our thoughts to God: all particular and inferior goods, are subordinate to the universal and supreme good; and they were given us on purpose to lead us by the hand to the chief good, and when we stick and rest in any lower and inferior good, we forget the true end for which these things were given us by him, and that was to bring us to the chief good. They are memorable passages which Austin hath: Unhappy man is he, which knows all these things, (meaning created things) and knows not thee; but blessed is he that knows thee, although he knows not those things: and he that knows thee and them too, is not the happier because of them, but it is by thee only that he is happy. And it is a memorable comparison which that holy man useth: If (saith he) the bridegroom should make a ring for his spouse, and she when she had received that ring, should love the ring more than her husband who had made her that ring; would there not an adulterous mind appear in her, towards the gift of her husband, although she loved nothing but what her husband had giver her? For this certainly did the bridegroom bestow that pledge of his love upon her, that he himself might be beloved in his own love-token: Therefore hath God given thee all those things, that thou mightest love him, who gave thee those things: It is more that he would give thee, to wit, himself, who gave thee those things. This is Austin's comparison. O let us not stick in the gifts of God, but let us labour to see God in his gifts, and pass from the gifts to the Giver.  
17. If we would come up into the life and spirit of heaven, Let us be much in acts of praise and adoration. That which we call praise, is nothing else but the declaring and setting forth of another's excellency; and adoration is the giving of honour, reverence, and respect to another, suitable to the excellency that is in him: Praise may be given to the creature, but Adoration is to be given to God only: Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Adoration is due to God only; and the reason is, because in God only is the Supreme Excellency: and the most Supreme Honour is due to the Supreme Excellency. Now the life of heaven is the life of praise and adoration: the Seraphims say, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts, Isai. 6. and the heavenly host, Luk. 2. cry, Glory to God in the highest. Praise and adoration is the proper work of heaven. In heaven there will be no room for prayer, because in heaven there will be no wants, no imperfection, and there is no good the Saints can desire, but they will be sure to have; but praise will still remain. The Divine Excellency is still the same; and whilst the excellency of God remains to be the same, there will be still matter for praise and adoration: It will be matter of wonder to Saints and Angels, to behold the glory of the Divine Majesty. Saints and Angels will wonder at the infinite perfection of the Divine being: they will not wonder at the being of God simply considered; that is, they will not wonder that there should be such a one as God; for than they will know and understand most clearly, that the being of God is most necessary; that God always was, is, and shall be; and that he could not but be: but that which they will wonder at is this, they will wonder at the greatness of God's Majesty, when they see the divine excellency to be so much above their comprehension; they will wonder to see so glorious a being as God; and they will wonder at the divine goodness, that he should make such creatures as they are, to behold his perfections. We should therefore inure ourselves to acts of praise and adoration here on earth: let us be much in admiring and adoring the divine perfection; this will bring us nearest the life of heaven.  
Lastly, If we would come up to the life and spirit of heaven, Let us labour for the most perfect love one to another. The Saints in heaven, as they have the most perfect love to God, so they have the most perfect love each to other: the Saints in heaven do not grudge one at another; they do not envy each others happiness: the Saints in heaven take complacency in the good and happiness of each other, as well as in their own good and happiness. It was an Expression I once heard from an holy man; I am (saith he) come to that piece of heaven, that I do not envy any one that is above me. Certainly it is a great piece of heaven, that we shall not envy the gifts and graces of others: nay, if we are come into the spirit of heaven, we shall hearty rejoice in the gifts and graces of others. A spirit of envy is most contrary to the spirit of heaven: for, in heaven we shall rejoice in what God hath done for others, as well as in what he hath done for ourselves: and the reason is, because in heaven we shall not look so much at our own private happiness, but we shall look at the glory of God. Now because God is glorified in doing good to others, as well as to ourselves; therefore we shall rejoice that God is glorified in what he hath done for others, as well as in what he hath done for us.  
Thus have I shown, according to the measure that I have attained, how we may get a little up into the life and spirit of heaven. I am very sensible how far short the best of the Saints come, as to the full attaining unto these things: yet these are the things we should be aspiring and reaching after; and so far as we can in any measure and degree attain to these things, so far shall we feel the buddings, and perceive the dawnings of eternal life in our own souls: and how sweet is it to have experience of such a life began in our souls here on earth, as shall never expire or have an end? This natural life which now we live, is but a poor dying thing at best; O but this spiritual life which hath been discoursed of, if so be we can but feel the beginning of it in our souls, O then we have that life set up in us that shall never end. So far as we find these holy dispositions growing up in us, we shall evidently perceive the dawnings of eternal life in our own souls: wherefore let us make it our study and business all our days, to be growing up more into the spirit of heaven: the more we study these things, and meditate on them, the more reason shall we see, why we should prise such a life, and labour to get up into it.  
It remains only now, that I should show you what the principal Impediments of Heavenly-mindedness are, and so I shall put an end to this Doctrine. There are several Impediments of Heavenly-mindedness.  
1. The first grand impediment of Heavenly-mindedness is Unbelief. Faith is the substance of things not seen, the evidence of things hoped for, Heb. 11.1. It is the property of faith, to make absent things present; to give things that are absent to sense, a subsistence by faith in the soul. Now if a man want that faith that should realize future things, and give them a subsistence in his mind; it is no wonder that his heart is not carried forth in desire after them. The affections follow the apprehensions of the mind: if a man do not apprehend future things to be real or certain, it is no wonder if he do not affect them. Now the greatest part of men look upon nothing as real or certain, but what is obvious and present to sense: they doubt and suspect the truth of all that which is spoken concerning a future life, and a future state: a man will never part with or forgo a certain good for an uncertain: Riches, honours, pleasures, the comforts of this life, men look upon as present and certain; but the joys of heaven, the blessedness that is above, the pleasures that are at God's right hand, they look upon as things at a distance, and uncertain; and therefore they will not quit their interest in present things, for the hope of future things. This evil heart of unbelief in men, is that which causeth them to departed from the living God: and this unbelief is too prevalent in the hearts of the godly themselves. The holiest men, and those that have most grace, are most sensible of the buddings and puttings forth of unbelief within them: although they do not question the truth of the future life, and of the future state, as other men do; yet they complain that they do too often find secret doubts arising in their hearts about these things: and although there be a seed of faith, yet it is not so actuated as it ought to be: for if we had such a firm and deep belief about future things as we ought, it is not possible that we should be so much captivated by present things as we are. Certainly, the deep, rooted, steadfast belief of eternal things, would produce other effects, and another kind of change then what is found in the most of our hearts. It were not possible we should live as we do, had we a clear prospect by faith of eternal things. Therefore as ever we desire to be heavenly-minded, we must pray that this evil root of unbelief might be eradicated and taken out of us: and we should pray, 1. That God would clear up the eye of our faith, that we may more clearly discern and apprehend the things contained in the promises. 2. We should pray that we may give a more firm assent to the truth of the promises concerning future things, and may not stagger at the promises through unbelief. 3. We should pray that we may live much in the hope and expectation of the accomplishment of the things contained in the promises. It is a proper Scripture to illustrate this, Rom. 8.25. We are saved by hope. The meaning of that Scripture I take to be, The grace of hope doth gradually bring us into the possession of Salvation: Therefore doth the Apostle say, If we hope for that we see not, than we do with patience wait for it: It is as much as if it had been said, By a patiented expectation of the things God hath promised to us, we are gradually brought into the possession of the things we hope for: If our hope do not slack or fail, but we are still kept up in the expectation of what God hath promised, our hope shall at last be turned into fruition and possession.  
2. A second impediment of Heavenly-mindedness, is want of more experience in divine and heavenly consolations. He that hath tasted of the sweetness of God's presence here on earth, cannot but be meditating and longing after the full enjoyment of that presence hereafter. It is reported of Austin in his life, That his desire was not so much of any thing here on earth, not of gold, or silver, or precious stones; not of honours, or dignities, or of the pleasures of the flesh; nay, not so much of those things as were necessary to the present life: but all his desire it was of the Lord himself, whose name was a refreshment to him, and the memory of whom was his consolation: They are expressions that he himself useth: Lord (saith he) since I have learned thee, thou abidest in my memory, there do I find thee; when I remember thee, I am delighted in thee; these are the delights which thou hast given me. The sweetness which the Saints find in God, keeps their hearts fixed and intent in the thoughts of him; and the more they taste of the sweetness of his presence here on earth, the more sweet is it to them to think what God will be to them hereafter. How great is thy goodness which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee? Psal. 31.19. The Saints taste a little here, but they know there is much more laid up then ever yet they took in, or can take in here on earth: It is but a sip, a taste they have here, but the full draughts are reserved till hereafter. Now want of more experience of the sweetness of God's love and presence here on earth, is one cause why we are no more taken up in the meditation of what we shall enjoy hereafter: we think there are no higner delights than what are to be enjoyed in sensible things; but we ought to remember, that his loving kindness is better than life, and one day in his house is better than a thousand. It is an expression that Austin hath, So great is the blessedness that is to be found in God's presence, that if we could abide no longer in it then one days space, innumerable days in this life, filled up with the confluence of all earthly goods, were to be despised in comparison of it: for, saith he, this was not spoken out of mistaken affection, when that holy man said, One day in thy house is better than a thousand. Now we taste but little of this presence here on earth, and therefore we desire and long no more, and are looking no more into what we shall enjoy hereafter. The Apostle prays for the Philippians, that they might abound more and more in knowledge and in all judgement, Phil. 1.9. In all judgement, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  or in all sense, or in all experience, we ought to abound in spiritual sense and experience, as well as in knowledge: we content ourselves with a notional knowledge of God and of Christ, but we should pray for spiritual sense and experience, as well as knowledge. O taste and see that the Lord is gracious: the more experimental sense we have of the sweetness of God and Christ in our own souls here on earth, the more ardent will our desires be after the full enjoyment of him in heaven; and the more shall our hearts be fixed and set upon the contemplation of what we shall there enjoy.  
3. Another great impediment of Heavenly-mindedness is sensuality, and too much addictedness to present things: It is the property of sensuality to be conversant about present things. The Schools observe, the motions of sensuality do tend to such things only as are delectable to the outward senses; sensuality minds nothing but the delights of the body. Now this principle of sensuality pulls us down so much to these inferior things which are present, and occur to sense, that we cannot rise up in our thoughts to things that are absent, and out of sight: Sensuality is like a plummet of lead that hangs upon the soul, and presseth it down, and hindereth it from rising up unto its proper object: it hinders the soul from ascending unto the contemplation of God and eternal things. 
Austin.  If the mind have that from whence it may be delighted from without, it will remain without delight from within. Sensuality is a strong and forcible principle; it carries us with a great force and violence, and with a great impetuousness, to those things that delight the senses; and so strong is the power of sensuality, that it oftentimes captivates the will and understanding, and draws those superior faculties of the soul after it: so strongly is sense bend and set upon its object, that it violently hurries the understanding and will, and causes the mind to think of nothing else, and the will to pursue nothing else, but what sense is inclined unto. When the soul is in this hurry, it cannot be free for the contemplation of heavenly things: holy contemplation requires a free, sedate, serene, and well-composed soul. When the soul is bend downward to temporal and earthly things, it cannot rise up to the contemplation of eternal things.  
4. Another impediment of Heavenly-mindedness is unmortified lust. When the Apostle had exhorted us here in the Text, To seek the things which are above, he bids us in the next place, to mortify our members which are upon the earth: Intimating this, that without the mortification of our lusts, we shall never be fit to practise the great duty of Heavenly-mindedness. Mortify your members which are upon the earth. Why members on the earth? because corrupt lusts, they do always tend to earthly things, and they do detain and keep the mind to earthly things only. Now these fleshly lusts, they are said to war against the soul, 1 Pet. 2.11. One unmortified lust draws the strength of the soul after it, and therefore they are said to war against the soul. Fleshly lusts hinder the soul in the pursuit of its great interest: the great interest of the soul is to enjoy God, and maintain communion with God: Now unmortified lust carries the strength of the soul another way, and so it hinders the soul in its ascent to the chief good.  
5. Another impediment of Heavenly- mindedness is multiplicity of worldly business, and immoderate cares about the things of this life, Luk. 21.34. Take heed lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. Here are two impediments of Heavenly-mindedness, spoken of by our Saviour: The first is sensuality, comprehended in those words: Take heed lest your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness. A man that is given up to those lusts, surfeiting and drunkenness, is a sensual-minded man, he is drowned in sensuality. The other impediment is the cares of this life. When a man is oppressed with worldly care, this hinders him in his preparation for death and judgement. A man that is involved in multiplicity of worldly business, and oppressed with earthly cares, hath no time or leisure to think of his soul, to meditate on eternity, and to contemplate the things of the other world: His head and heart is so full of other things, that he hath no time or leisure to mind eternal things: It is the wisdom of a man that would keep his spirit free for God, not to thrust himself into more worldly encumbrances then needs he must. It is true, if God call a man to more than ordinary work or business, if his call be clear, he may expect so much the more grace and assistance; for God is not wont to be wanting to us, when he gives us a call: but when a man out of a covetous humour grasps at more than he is able to manage without prejudice to his spiritual state and calling as a Christian; this oftentimes proves a great snare, and a great impediment to Heavenly-mindedness. It is true, there is a double extreme, Too much business, or too little: it is the will of God we should walk in a particular Calling, and be diligent in it: Christianity is no patron to idleness. But then as the neglect of a lawful Calling is one extreme, so too much worldly business, too much encumbrance about earthly things more than we are called to, is another extreme, and oftentimes proves a great impediment to Heavenly-mindedness. How is it possible a man should be free for God, and heavenly things, that is wholly drunk up and immersed in the cares of the world?  
6. Another impediment of heavenly-mindedness, is inordinate affection to lawful things. When a man loves lawful things inordinately, and too much, this is a great impediment to heavenly-mindedness. If any thing have more of the heart than God and Christ, that must needs hinder the ascent of the soul to its proper object. Where a man's treasure is, there will his bear't be: if a man's treasure be above, if he account it his great happiness to live with God, and to enjoy him for ever; such a man will keep his heart free for God. A man who is heavenly-minded, whose treasure and happiness is in heaven, is most careful to keep his heart free for God: he is most curious and jealous over his affections, fearing lest any thing should have that room and place in his affection, that should be reserved for God and Christ. When we let out our affection inordinately, beyond due bounds and measure; when we overlove the creature, and over-delight in the creature; this is a great impediment to heavenly-mindedness. Nothing can be that to us, which God and Christ is; nothing ought to be that to us, which God and Christ is. Holy and experienced souls are wont to say as Austin doth, There is no reward more sweet to be had from God, than God himself: whatever God gives thee beside himself, is less than himself. Now when we set up the creature in the place of God, and give that to the creature which is due to God only; this must needs be a great impediment to heavenly-mindedness. A man that would be heavenly-minded whilst he is using lawful things, aught to think with himself, These things are good for present use, these things are suitable to my present state, these things are good so far as I see God in them; but these things are not my happiness; my happiness is a superior happiness; my happiness is to live with God and Christ in the other world: therefore though I use these things, I ought not to think them to be my chief good, nor to take up my rest in them.  
7. Another impediment of heavenly-mindedness, is too much addictedness to the love of this life. We are exceeding loath to think of going hence; we would fain live a little longer here on earth, that we might solace ourselves in outward comforts and enjoyments. This addictedness to the present life, is a great impediment to heavenly mindedness. He that would be heavenly minded, aught to sit lose from this world, and the present life: he should be able to think with contentment of going hence, and entering into the future state: the thoughts of the divine presence into which we are to enter, should wean us from this world, and the love of this present life. We should labour to have such great thoughts of the Divine presence into which we are to enter, that it should not be grievous to us to part with this world, and all creatures, and to part with this life to go into that presence: 2 Cor. 5.8. Absent from the body, and present with the Lord. No sooner do we leave the body, but presently and immediately (if we be the Lords) we enter into the Divine presence. Now the thoughts of that presence should so overpower our souls, that we should be willing to quit our station here, to enter into that presence. It is a speech which one of the Ancients hath: There are some, saith he, 
Solo leternitatis amore p●●cuntur.  that are fed only with the love of eternity. O these are blessed souls indeed! but how few such souls as these are there to be found? We are so much wedded to the present life, so much addicted to present things, that we cannot rise up to the contemplation of eternal things: we cannot be willing to forgo this life, and present things, to go to God, and live with him in his eternity. This fondness of the present life, is a great impediment to Heavenly-mindedness.  
8. Another impediment of heavenly-mindedness, is presumption of long life. The generality of men are apt to think it is soon enough to think of eternity and the future life when they are grown old, or brought into some great sickness, so that they have no hope of a longer life: and we are apt to think of a long life here on earth: we are too apt to presume there are some more years we may live, and this inclines us to think how we may make the best of this world while we live in it; and so we put off the thoughts of the future state. But we ought to be of another frame and temper; we ought to pray as Moses did, 
Psal. 90.  Teach us so to number our days, that we may apply our hearts to wisdom. And what is it so to number our days, as to apply our hearts to wisdom? but this; So to consider that our present life is short and uncertain here on earth, as to think of another life and state that is more lasting and permanent, and to prepare for it. Death may surprise us before we are ware; and to be sure, we cannot live long, much less always here on earth: this therefore is true wisdom, to consider how we are like to spend the days of eternity, and what the life is we are like to live in the other world. A wise man will consider the end of things; he will consider how things are like to be with him at last. True wisdom respects the longest state and duration of things. To presume of a long life here on earth, which if it were the longest, is not so much as a moment to eternity, and to forget the future state, which is everlasting, this is the greatest folly.  
9 Another impediment of heavenly mindedness, is a false opinion of the world, and of earthly things. Men think there is more good, more happiness, more satisfaction in the world, than indeed there is to be found in it. No man will mind and look after an absent and an unseen happiness, when there is an happiness, as he imagines, that is present, and lies before him. The world lies before men as a fair and a pleasant field, and there are variety of flowers appear in it, this and the other pleasure, this and the other contentment, that presents itself: Surely, think men, if I am in such a condition, I shall find something there; if I have this enjoyment, I shall find happiness there: but the world is not that which men take it for: when they have tried the variety of pleasures and conditions they expected happiness in, they do not find that happiness and satisfaction in them they expected. All earthly pleasures have an emptiness in them, and leave the soul under a greater thirst after the enjoyment of them than it was in before. It was the speech of a Philosopher that Plutarch mentions: What gluttonous person is there that saith, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  Now I have eaten, and it is enough? and what amorous person saith, Now I have loved, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  and it is enough? Carnal pleasures are so far from quenching the thirst of the soul, that they do increase it; and though it commonly falls out that sensual men are soon surfeited and cloyed with one pleasure, yet not finding that which they expect in one pleasure, that doth beget in them a thirst after some new pleasures. These golden dreams of finding happiness in earthly delights, makes men forget the true pleasures, the pleasures that are at God's right hand. This imaginary happiness which men please themselves with, in earthly things, takes them off from minding that which is solid, substantial happiness indeed.  
10. Another impediment of Heavenly-mindedness, is want of a due consideration of the glory and eternity of the future state. The reason why men desire no more, and long no more, after future things, it is because they do not duly consider the glory and eternity of future things. The Scripture tells us, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. In his presence there is fullness of joy, at his right hand there are pleasures for evermore: and they shall drink abundantly of the river of his pleasure. The glory which thou hast given to me, I have given to them. All these things, and much more, doth the Scripture speak concerning the future state. Now want of a due consideration of these things, is the cause that men are no more heavenly-minded. Things that are not known, are not desired, are not loved, are not longed after: Had we a due consideration of the glory and eternity of the future state, we should be more affected with it. If we consider the glory of the future state, either as to the privative, or positive part of it, we shall find it a glorious and blessed state indeed. 1. If we consider it as to the privative part, to live in a state without sin, without sorrow, without grief or perturbation: to live in such a state, where there shall be no more wants, no more infirmities, no more imperfections: to live in such a state, where we shall be under no more temptations, where we shall be free from death, yea, from the fear or possibility of death or misery: to live in such a state, where there shall be no more eclipses of the Light of God's countenance, where we shall be no more in danger of losing the sight and sense of God's love: This is a glorious state, if you consider it as to the privative part of it. But then, 2. If we consider the positive part of this state, to live in such a state, when we shall see God always; when we shall always love him, always delight in him; to live in such a state, where there shall be a full and perfect communication of God to the soul, where there shall be perfect rest, perfect satisfaction; this is a blessed state indeed: and then to think that there shall be no cessation, no not the least interruption of this peace, this joy, this solace, this satisfaction; this must needs be a blessed and glorious state indeed. Now want of the due consideration of these things, is the cause why we are no more heavenly-minded. Fools and slow of heart that we are, we think there is no happiness, no joy, no comfort, no life to be had, but what is in this world, and to be found within the confines of time: whereas, if we could get our hearts a little out of this world, and get them up into the other world; we should see, there is the true life, there is the true happiness, there is the true consolation to be found, there and there only are these things to be found. What are all the pleasures, and delights, and enjoyments of this world, in comparison of what the glorified Saints enjoy in the presence of God, in the sight of him, and in the communication of him to their souls? want of a deep, solemn consideration of what is to be had and enjoyed in the future life and state, is a great cause why we have our hearts no more taken up with this life and state.  
11. Lastly, the last impediment of Heavenly-mindedness, that we shall mention, is want of a due consideration what is our ultimate and last end. We were not born to live always here on earth, neither to enjoy our last happiness here on earth; but we were created to a blessed immortality, to live in the presence of God and the holy Angels, and to converse with God to all eternity. Now want of a due consideration of this, is that which makes us so little heavenly-minded. Every wise man will mind his last end; the acquiring and attaining of his last end, is his uttermost perfection. If man were not capable of an higher happiness, nor destinated to a higher happiness than what the brutes and sensitive creatures are capable of, and are destinated unto, than it were his interest to mind sensible things only: but man's last end is higher than so, man's last end is to attain the uttermost perfection his being is capable of. Now man is endowed with an intellectual and an immortal principle which God hath put within him; therefore man's last and ultimate end is to have a happiness suitable to this intellectual and immortal principle which God hath put within him. Now want of a due consideration what that is by which our beings are perfected, and in which we enjoy our last happiness and perfection, is one cause that we are no more heavenly-minded. O, do we think that there is no other happiness then what is to be taken in from sensible things, and what is to be enjoyed in this life? This is a thought beneath the dignity and excellency of our own souls: this is to forget the principles of our own being, and the great end we were created for. Certainly our ultimate perfection is to enjoy a blessed state of immortality, an unchangeable state of happiness; and if we observe the pulse of our own souls, which way they beat, and what we do naturally long for, we shall find, that which we do most long for is immortality, and an unchangeable state of happiness: It is to be happy, and unchangeably happy, we naturally desire. Now it is a vain thing to expect either of these in this world: whilst we are here on earth, neither is immortality, nor an unchangeable state of happiness to be expected: No, this is reserved for the other world; therefore there should our thoughts and desires lie. If we would be heavenly-minded, we should say within ourselves, We never expect happiness till we come into our own Country, where we must spend the days of eternity: we never expect happiness till we come where God and Christ is, until we come to see him, be with him, and enjoy him to eternity. This is the last happiness God hath destinated his elect unto: And this is the great happiness our souls should be suspiring and breathing after.   

The Second Part, Concerning Earthly-mindedness.  Col. 3.2. 
Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth.  
THere are two Observations that have been propounded out of these words. The first was this:  
Observe. 1 That it is the duty of Christians to seek after, and to set their affections upon the things which are above. If ye be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above.  
Observe. 2 The second Observation was this, That Christians ought to have their hearts taken off from the world, and from earthly things, and to have their hearts carried forth to an holy contempt of this world. Set your affections on things above, not on things upon the earth.  
Having spoken to the main things which we intended from the former Point, we come to the second:  
That Christians ought to have their hearts taken off from the world, and from earthly things, etc. Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth.  
In the prosecution of this Doctrine, we have three things to speak unto.  
1. To show what we are to understand by earthly things.  
2. To show what it is to have our hearts taken off from the world, and from earthly things.  
3. To show what is that holy contempt of the world that Christians should be aspiring after: we ought to have our hearts taken off from the world, and to be carried forth unto an holy contempt of this world.  
I. What are we to understand by earthly things?  
I shall very briefly touch upon this: By earthly things we are to understand all things on this side God, all things short of God and Christ. In the first verse it is said, Seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God: And at the third verse it is said, Your life is hid with Christ in God. So that the things here on the earth seem to be opposed to God and Christ; whatsoever is not God and Christ, is not to be the great and supreme object of our affection. By the things therefore here upon the earth, we are to understand these lower things, created things, temporal things. Another Apostle explains this at large to us, what we are to understand by the things on the earth: 1 John 2.15. Love not the world, nor the things of the world.  
So that by things on the earth we are to understand temporal things, all things that are found within the compass of this lower world, riches, honours, earthly delights and pleasures, long life itself. Long life, though it be a blessing in itself, yet it is possible we may love it inordinately, as we do other things. Now these are the things we should not set our affections upon, viz. all things short of God and Christ; created things, temporal things, we ought not so to set our hearts upon any of these things, so as to make them the great and supreme object of our affections.  
II. But the second thing is that which will take us up a little more consideration.  
What is it to have our hearts taken off from the world, and from earthly things? How is the Text to be understood, when it is said, Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth? Not on things on the earth. This we shall open two ways, Negatively and Affirmatively.  
1. Negatively, by showing what is not here meant, when we are bid not to set our affections on things on the earth.  
2. Affirmatively, what is here meant, when we are commanded not to set our affections on things on the earth?  
1. Negatively, what is not here meant, when we are bid not to set our affections on things on the earth.  
Negatively, we may take it in three Propositions.  
1. The meaning is not, as if we may not think of earthly things at all: we may think of earthly things as they are the works and gifts of God. The creature was given us as a glass to contemplate God in, and therefore we may and aught to think of these things, so as by them to rise up to the contemplation of God: Every creature is a spectacle, 
Creatura omnis spectaculum est, ut in omnibus Creatorem Artificem quaras. Augustinus.  that in it we may seek for the Creator, who is the former and maker of it: that is a holy and a blessed use of the creature, when by the creature we are led to the Creator; therefore that is not the meaning, when it is said that it is our duty to have our hearts taken off from the world and earthly things, that we may not think of earthly things at all: We may think of them as the gifts of God, and as things to lead us unto him.  
2. The meaning is not, as if we may not care for these things in a moderate and subordinate way. The Apostle tells us, He that cares not for his own is worse than an insidel. There is a moderate and a regular care for these things, which is lawful. The Scripture commands men to work with their hands the thing that is good, that they may give to him that needeth, Eph. 4.28.  
Therefore there is a moderate and a subordinate care about temporal things which is lawful.  
3. The meaning is not, that we may not use earthly things. When it is said a Christian ought to have his heart taken off from the world, the meaning is not, as if a Christian may not at all intermeddle with and use earthly things. It is the observation of a Learned man upon the text: 
Davenant.  The Apostle bids us not to seek or to set our affections upon earthly things, but he doth not forbid us to use earthly things. The Spirit of God makes it a piece of Antichristian superstition, that Antichrist commands to abstain from meats which God hath created to be received with  of them which believe and know the truth, 1 Tim. 4.3. It is a part of Antichristianism, to forbid men to use the creatures of God which are lawful in themselves. And in the same place he saith, Every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with . It is true, we must only use the creatures, but we must enjoy God: the creatures are not so to be used, as that we should stick in them, and go no farther; but we must use the creature to a farther end: we must use the creatures so, as by them to be led to God the chief good: yet use them we may in their place, and to bring us to the last end.  
So much is to be spoken Negatively, what we must not understand by this, when it is said a Christian must have his heart taken off from the world and earthly things.  
But then Affirmatively, what is it that is here intended, when it is said we must not set our affections upon things on the earth? What is it to have our affections taken off from the world, and from earthly things?  
I shall open this in four Particulars.  
1. Not to set our affections on things on the earth, it is, not to make these things our last end and scope. Every man hath his last end, he hath something that he pursues, as his last end; now not to set our affections on things on the earth, it is, not to pursue these things as our last end: our last end ought to be above this world, to lie out of this world. I press toward the mark (saith the Apostle) for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus, Phil. 3.14. Paul had something as his end which lay beyond this world, which lay out of this world: we ought not to be content with an earthly happiness: we ought not to think, If we can acquire an estate, live in pleasure here on earth, provide for ourselves and families, draw forth our lives to a conderable time, and have our days filled up with earthly comforts; that this is our last end, this is all we have to look after, and that we need have no higher scope than these things: A Christian ought to have an end, a scope, and an interest beyond all earthly things.  
2. Not to set our affections on earthly things, it is, not to place our happiness and felicity in these things; we should not take up our rest and satisfaction in these things. When riches increase, set not thy heart upon them, saith the wiseman, and the Spirit of God by him. That which men pursue as their last end, they are apt to take up their rest and happiness in it, when once they have acquired it: That appears from that of the rich man in the Gospel: Soul, soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years, take thine ease, eat, drink and be merry. Worldly men make the world their chief good, and acquiesce in it as their chief good. Now not to set our affections upon the things on the earth, is, not to acquiesce in, and take up with the creature as our chief good and happiness. A Christian ought to say, 
Bonorum summa Deus est, Deus est nobis summum bonum. Aug.  God is my portion, he is my happiness, my felicity: God is the sum of all good things, God is our chief good: this should be the language of a Christian. A Christian should take up in nothing as his happiness but in God himself.  
3. Not to set our affections on things on the earth, is this, not to employ our principal care and industry about these things. Matth. 6.33. Seek first the kingdom of God, and the righteousness thereof. Our chief and principal care ought to be about spiritual and eternal things: and then we do not set our affections on earthly things, when our first and principal care is not about earthly things, but about those other things. To seek after, and to set a man's affections on earthly things in this place, 
Toto cord desider are. Davenant.  it is with all a man's heart to desire after these things, with all a man's might and endeavour to seek after these things. Now in this sense, we should not set our affections on earthly things; that is, the main strength of our desires, the main strength of our endeavours should not run out to these things. It is an expression of Austin, 
Ad Creatorem tendere jubemur, non ad crea. turam, ut efficiamur beati.  We are commanded to have our tendency towards the Creator, not towards the creature, that we may be made happy. The command is, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and all thy soul, and all thy strength, and all thy might. We are not where commanded to love other things so; we are not where commanded to love the creature with all our heart, and soul, and strength, and might: we may and aught to love the creature in its place, and in subordination to God; but we may not love the creature as we love God.  
4. To have a man's heart taken off from the world, it is, to be spiritually dead to the world. Paul saith of himself that he was crucified to the world, and the world was crucified to him, Gal. 6.14. We ought to have dead affections, as it were, to the world and to earthly things, and to have living affections towards God and spiritual things: 
Non usque adeo diligenda terrena, quin & amplius diligendus Deus. Aug.  not but that the creature is to be beloved in its place; but earthly things are not so to be beloved, but that God is much more to be beloved: We ought not to love any thing better than God; nay, we ought not to love any thing equal with God. 
Minus te amat, qui aliqui● tecum amat, quod non propter te amat.  It is a sweet speech of Austin; He loves thee too little, who loves any thing together with thee, which he doth not love for thee. This is to be spiritually dead to the world, when if our love to God and the creature be compared, our love to the creature is but poor and mean, in comparison of that higher love we find working in our hearts towards God himself. A holy soul should be able to say, Lord, thou art dearer to me then heaven and earth, yea, than all things in heaven and earth: David said so, Whom have I in heaven but thee, or whom have I on earth that I desire in comparison of thee?  
III. What is that holy contempt of the world we should be aspiring after? For thus it is expressed in the Doctrine; A Christian ought to have his heart carried forth to an holy contempt of this world.  
That may be opened in a few particulars briefly.  
1. We should have low and mean thoughts of the world. The contempt of the world consists in this, in having low and mean thoughts of the world: he that contemns a thing, hath low and mean thoughts of that thing: He that contemns a thing, apprehends no great worth or excellency in it, for which he should esteem it. A Christian's contempt of the world consists in this; when he hath mean thoughts of the world, he sees no such great worth or excellency in it, for which he should admire it. Paul accounted all things but loss and dung for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ, Phil. 3.8. A Christian that hath a true contempt of the world, apprehends there is little good or worth in worldly things, in comparison of God, and Christ, and eternal things. It is a great expression of the Apostle, We look not to the things which are seen, 2 Cor. 4.18. We look not to them: What then? we overlook them, we despise them, we look above them; we have something greater in our eye, and therefore these things seem little to us: He that hath a greater good in his eye, overlooks a lesser thing; a greater good swallows up a lesser good. This is an holy contempt of the world, to have low and mean thoughts of the world, to look upon the world as having no excellenc●e in it, in comparison of God and Christ, and eternal things.  
2. The contempt of the world we should press after, is this: we should not be too anxious and solicitous about earthly things: Matth. 6.31. Take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? what shall we drink? or wherewithal shall we be clothed? that is, take no anxious, no solicitous thought about these things. 
Contemnere est rem negligere, & de tâ non curare.  To contemn a thing, is to neglect it, and not to take care about it: that is a sign of our contempt of the world, when we have no anxious thoughts about it, when we are not much concerned about it, when we have an holy indifferency of spirit about it; we are thankful to God if he give us these things, and yet we are not too much dejected or cast down if he deny these things to us. I have learned, 
Phil. 4.14.  faith the Apostle, in whatsoever estate I am, therewith to be content. Contentation of spirit with a man's present state, is a sign that a man is crucified to the world: For if a man be wedded to the world, than he is troubled and discontented, if he have not all he would have.  
3. The contempt of the world, and of earthly things, consists in this; when a man accounts and thinks with himself, that he may be happy without these things. Let us observe this well: the contempt of the world lies much in this; when a man accounts and thinks with himself he may be happy without these things; when a man lives under this apprehension, My happiness lies not in these things; if God deny me these things, I may be happy without them; the essence of happiness lies not in these things: This is a sign of the contempt of the world; he that hath such an opinion of a thing, as that he thinks he may be happy without that thing, such a man may be said to have a contempt of that thing: This is the contempt of the world we should labour after, so as to think we may be happy without these things. The Stoics say of their wise man, He may be without many things, but he wants nothing. Truly, a Christian should be able to say so, much more; though he be without many things, yet he wants nothing, nothing that is essential to true happiness: though he be without many earthly comforts that others enjoy, yet he hath God and Christ, and the hope of eternal things to live upon; and he may be happy in these things, although he want other things. When a man is fixed in his own thoughts in the estimation of happiness, he knows he may be happy without this world: this is a sign such a man is crucified to the world.  
4. To contemn the world, is for a man to think he is not made happy by earthly things, when he hath these things: as the Apostle speaks in another case, Meat commends us not to God: If we eat, we are not the better; if we eat not, we are not the worse. So a Christian may say, It is not any temporal thing that commends me to God: if I have much or little, it is not that which makes me accepted with God. But let us not be mistaken here. First, I grant that a Christian may see a vein of love in temporal things: He delivered me, because he delighted in me, Psal. 18. David saw special love, peculiar love, in a temporal deliverance: Having given us his Son, 
Rom. 8.  how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 
Matth. 6.  And seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all other things shall be added to you. When a Christian sees temporal blessings flowing from covenant-love; when he sees them given in as appendices to greater mercies, so far he may see the love of God in these things. Secondly, Temporal things, so far as they conduce to a higher end, may be said in a subordinate way to conduce to a Christians happiness. The things of this world, so far as they conduce to keep a man from sin, and to make him serve God the better, so far they are to be valued. Prov. 30.8. Give me neither poverty nor riches, feed me with food convenient for me: lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the Name of my God in vain. Temporal things, so far as they are means to keep us from sin, and fit us for the service of God; so far they are to be esteemed: but that which I say is, that temporal things considered in themselves, do not constitute or make up a Christians happiness. A Christians true happiness lies out of the road and channel of these things; and therefore when he hath these things, he ought to say, My happiness lies above these things. 
Omnis mibi copia quae Deus meus non est, egestas est.  All that abundance of mine which is none of my God, is but my penury and want, says Austin. All earthly things, compared with God and Christ, are none of a Christians happiness.  
5. The contempt of the world consists in this; and I take it, that much of the spirit of the contempt of the world (if I may so express it) lies in this: When a man's heart is carried off from the world, because his heart is reserved for higher things. We look not to the things which are seen, but to the things which are not seen. Paul's heart was taken off from present things, because his heart was referved for, and taken up with higher things: Our conversation is in heaven, Phil. 3.20. He had spoken of some before, that minded earthly things; now he saith, Our conversation is in heaven. The reason why Paul had his heart taken off from earthly things, was, because his conversation was in heaven; he expected other things. A Christian should have his heart rapt up with the contemplation and admiration of eternal things. A Christian should cry out as Austin doth: 
O amare, O ire, O sibi perire, O ad Deum pervenire.  O to love God, O to go to him, O to die and perish to a man's self, O to come to God A Christian should solace and delight himself with the thoughts of the Divine presence, and account all things here on earth little in comparison of that presence. It is an expression which Luther hath: 
Debemus magno animo contemnere mundum, & pleno pectore anbelare ad gloriam futurae vitae.  We ought with a great soul to contemn this world, and with a full gale of affection to breathe after the glory of the future life. This is the truest contempt of the world, when the thoughts, apprehensions, desires, and expectation of future things causeth us to reserve our affections mainly and principally for these things; when we look upon these as those things which mainly and principally deserve our love. A Christian should keep his heart reserved for God, and say, Lord, I would not love any thing that may not consist with my love to thee; I would not enjoy any thing that may not consist with my communion with thee. A Christian should be able to turn his eye upon God, & say, Here is my riches, here is my true sweetness, my solace, my delight, 
Dominus Deus meus, vita mea, dulcedo mea sancta.  my great happiness and felicity. The Lord my God he is my life, my holy sweetness, saith Austin. This is another discovery of our contempt of the world, when a man hath his heart carried off from these things upon this account, that his heart is reserved for higher things, and that other things have taken up his heart.  
6. The contempt of the world consists in this: When our hearts sit lose from the world, and we are at a parting point with these things: Luk. 14.33. Whosoever he be of you that forsakes not all that he hath, cannot be my disciple: 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  doth not bid farewell to all things, is not ready to take his leave of all things. God doth not always call us to an actual forsaking of all things; but we must be in an habitual readiness to forsake all things when he calls us so to do. Our hearts must not be so riveted and glued to earthly things, but we must be in a readiness to part with them, and quit our interest in them, when God calls us so to do. When a man holds fast his estate and comforts, when it is clear God calls him to forgo them, it is a sign such a man hath little contempt of the world in him.  
7. We ought to contemn the world so, as not to envy others for their worldly prosperity. When a man thinks that others are happy, and that he is not happy, because he enjoys not what they do; this is a certain sign such a man hath too great and admiring thoughts of the world and earthly things. A man that hath an holy contempt of earthly things, knows that men are not made happy by these things; and therefore if God hath given him higher and better things, Himself, his Son, his Spirit, his grace, pardon of sin, and the hopes of eternal things; he is not troubled to see God heaping temporal things upon such to whom he denies these things. Therefore this is another thing wherein the contempt of the world doth consist, when we contemn the world so, as not to envy others for their worldly prosperity.  
We come now to the Reasons of the Doctrine, why we ought to have our hearts taken off from the world, and from earthly things.  
Reas. 1 1. Because there is little good in earthly things. Earthly things are rather good in show and appearance, then have any thing of solid good in them. The good that is in earthly things is more in appearance then reality. And as the world makes a greater show of good then indeed is to be found in it: so what good there is in it, it is so thin and mean, that it is not that which men take it for. Prov. 23.5. Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches take themselves wings, and flee away. Some observe, that here are two Arguments to condemn the sin of Covetousness: the one is taken from the vanity of riches, the other from the instability of them. It is the first of these that I am speaking of: Wilt thou set thy bear't upon that which is not? Riches are not what they seem to be: there is not so much good in them as men take to be in them. External things have little of solid worth or excellency in them. Wisdom saith of herself, that she will cause them that love her to inherit substance: Prov. 8.21. In the Original it is [that which is] that which hath essence, substance, existence. So the meaning is, Those that love wisdom shall inherit substantial riches, such riches as have real worth in them: Christ, grace, and spiritual things, they are real, solid, substantial goods; there is substance, solidity in these things. But now, external things they are not; that is, there is none of that substantial solid worth in them. Not but that the creatures of God are good in their kind, and for the uses for which God hath appointed them: the Lord made all things, and behold they were good, very good. But when we say there is little good in these things, the meaning is, there is little good in them in comparison of spiritual and eternal things. 
Bonum unus gratiae majus bono Naturae totius universi. Aquinas.  The good of one Grace is greater than the good of Nature, even of the whole Universe. Also there is little of that good in them which men take to be in them: men think that perfection is to be found in these things, they think that happiness is to be enjoyed in these things; earthly things are good in their place, and for the uses God hath appointed them; but they are not good to make a man happy, they were never created for such an end: and therefore, if men think that these things are good to make them happy, and that happiness lies in them, they are lamentably mistaken.  
Reas. 2 2. Earthly things are mutable, changeable things: as there is little good in earthly things, so that little good that is in them, is very mutable, variable and inconstant: This appears from the former Scripture, Riches take themselves wings and fly away. If a man should have a flock of Birds pitch in his Field, should he set his heart on them, should he think himself the richer for them? before ever he can get near them, they take the wing and fly away. So unstable and uncertain are the things of this world; no sooner doth a man approach to them, and think to suck a little comfort and contentment from them, but they are gone, and pass away. 
1 Joh 2.17. 1 Cor. 7.31.  The world passeth away, and the lust thereof. The fashion of this world passeth away: Temporal things are Herbae marcescentes, withering Herbs. All flesh is as grass, and the goodliness thereof as the flower of the field, saith the Prophet, Isai. 40. Should a man set his heart on a fine flower in his Garden? to day it flourishes, to morrow all the beauty and glory of it is gone: such are temporal things. It is an expression Austin hath, 
T●●spem poni● in rebus praes●●tibus, nec praesentibus, nec eum dieenda sunt praesentia nunquam stantia.  Thou puttest thy trust in present things, which yet are not present; for those things are not to be called present that have no consistence, that never stand or abide in one constant state. If a man would set his heart upon any thing, it is his greatest wisdom to set his heart upon that which is immutable; for if a man set his heart upon changeable things, his happiness must needs alter and change as oft as the things do, that his happiness is made up of. Now all earthly things are of a changeable nature, and therefore it becomes us not to set our hearts inordinately upon these things: If we love unchangeable things, we shall have an unchangeable happiness: 
1 Joh. 2.15, 16, 17.  Love not the world, nor the things of the world; for the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doth the will of God abideth for ever. The scope of the Apostle is to dissuade us from the love of the world, and to persuade us to the love of God: the argument that he useth to dissuade us from the love of the world, is, because the world is a mutable thing; the argument he useth to persuade men to the love of God, is, because God is eternal and immutable. He that doth the will of God abideth for ever. One of the Ancients reads it thus: He that doth the will of God abides for ever, even as God abides for ever. And Austin hath this expression, Tenete dilectionem Dei: Hold fast your love to God; that as God is eternal, so you may abide for ever.  
Reas. 3 3. Earthly things leave the soul unsatisfied after the greatest in joyment of them; Eccles. 5.10. He that loveth silver, shall not be satisfied with silver. A man may quickly come to the end of all the good, the pleasantness, the sweetness, the delight, that is in any earthly thing; and when he is come to the end of that sweetne's which he did enjoy, he desires more; therefore when a man's enjoyment hath been highest, he still desires more: Nothing can satisfy the soul, but some transcendent good, such a good as is so great, as is more than the soul can take in: So long as the soul is capable of taking in more, it is not satisfied. Now a man may take in all the delight and contentment that is to be found in earthly things; and when he hath taken in all, he is capable of taking in more. This is clear in Solomon, who made an experiment of all things under the Sun; and when he had tried all, he cried out, All is vanity and vexation of spirit. The capacity of the soul is too great, and too big for any earthly thing to fill it; and therefore when the soul hath passed from one temporal thing to another, and tried what is in one and in another, it remains unsatisfied still.  
Reas. 4 4. Earthly things will not comfort a man, when he comes to die: Riches avail not in the day of wrath: it will be little comfort to a man when he comes to die, to think what he hath enjoyed, or what he is like to leave behind him: nay, if a man have placed his happiness and felicity in earthly things, it will be the greatest torment to him, to think that he must leave these things. Come to a man that is at the point of death, and who knows for certain that he shall die; show him gold and silver, bring forth his Jewels and most precious Treasures, tell him of his Lands and Fossessions; and how little will these things signify? Oh but tell him of everlasting happiness, assure him that death shall do him no harm, that there is a life beyond this, and that he shall be certainly happy in that life; and this will signify something to him.  
Reas. 5 5. Earthly things are not our last happiness; our last and true happiness is beyond any thing in this world: 
Mundus non patria, sed captivitas nobi● est.  The world is not our country, but the place of our captivity and bondage. Our last and true happiness, is to live in he Divine presence, to see and enjoy God in the heavens. Now that which is not our last happiness, deserves not to have the main of our affections; that which deserves to take up our hearts, is our last happiness: we should be setting our hearts upon that which will continue always: we should be thinking of the life we must live in the other world, and how we are like to spend the days of eternity; that is the state that is worth thinking of, when time shall be no more, when there shall be no more changes, when we shall be wholly taken up in the contemplation of the first original of all things; that is the state that is worth thinking of, of which I can say, Thus it shall be for ever; that is the state that is worth thinking of, of which I can say, When once I am come into it, there is no alteration in it: Here is always joy, always life, always satisfaction: Here is no sorrow, no pain, no grief, no death, no fear of death.  
Reas. 6 6. Earthly things have no influence as to a man's happiness, so as of themselves to make him ever the happier at last. It is true, Temporal blessings, so far as they are sanctified, so far as they further a man in the ways of God, and help him forward toward the heavenly Country, so far they are mercies, and so far they may in a sort be said to conduce to a man's last happiness; but consider temporal things in themselves, they have no influence upon a man's last happiness. Love or hatred cannot be known by any thing under the Sun. No man can conclude by the mere enjoyment of th●se things, that he is the more beloved of God at present, or that he shall have the higher place in heaven hereafter. Abraham saith to the rich man, Son, 
Luk. 16.25.  remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things, and Lazarus his evil things; but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. God gives to some men their portion in this life: This they shall have, this is all they shall have; He fills their bellies with his hid treasures, but this is all they shall have, he denies to them the heavenly inheritance.  
Reas. 7 7. Earthly things are so far from having an influence upon a man's last happiness, as that they do many times blunt and hinder the soul in its pursuit after eternal things. 
Amor terrenarum viscum spiritualium.  The love of earthly things is as bird lime to the soul, as to the pursuit of spiritual things: when a poor Bird is taken in the lime-twigs, his wings are pinioned that he cannot fly upward: the love of earthly things pinions the wings of the soul, that it cannot ascend to God and eternal things: 
Terrenarum appetitus tenebras animarum nostrarum densat.  The inordinate desire of earthly things thickens the darkness of the soul; the violence and impetuousness of the affections to carthly things, blinds the judgement, and darkens the eye of the mind when the affections are violently set upon earthly things, the mind cannot see and behold the excellency of spiritual things. Nothing so great an enemy to growth in grace, as the love of earthly things. A man that is addicted to the love of earthly things, can neither see the evil that is in sin, nor the beauty that is in holiness. 
Mundo alligati spiritualis vitii vix possunt nomen apprehendere.  Men that are bound and tied fast to the world, can hardly understand the name of a spiritual sin: Tell a man that is immersed and drowned in the world, of spiritual sins, of spiritual pride, self-love, inordinate affection, hypocrisy, formality in duty, and the like; he understands none of these things; his conscience is so benumbed through the love of the world, that he is not sensible of these things And as the love of earthly things dulls the spiritual senses of the soul, that a man cannot apprchend sin; so it blunts the soul in the pursuit after grace and holiness: the love of earthly things kills and extinguishes the love of God: If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him, 1 Joh. 2.15. I remember it is an expression of Peter Martyr concerning Soloman: What love could Solomon have for God, who distributed and parted his love among a thousand wives? And we may say, What love can men retain for God the chief good, who part and divide their love to so many lower and inferior goods?  
Reas. 8 8. It is the depressing and debasing of the soul, for a man to set his affections on earthly things. The soul was made for higher things, and 'tis capable of higher things: the soul was made for converse with God the chief good: therefore when the affections are set upon earthly things, this is the debasing of the soul, and the depressing of it beneath its own dignity. The soul is an eternal principle, and must continue to eternity; therefore eternal things are most suitable to it. Now then, when the soul is bowed down to temporal things, and taken up in them, this must needs be a great depression of the soul.  
Use 1 1. Is it so that it is the duty of Christians to have their hearts taken off from the world and from earthly things, and to be aspiring after an holy contempt of this world? This is matter of Reproof and Humiliation to us, that we are so little of this frame. How little are our hearts taken off from the world, and carried forth unto an holy contempt of these things! In stead of contemning the world and carthly things, we magnify these things in our thoughts, we make the world our great Idol. May we not take up the Apostle's complaint, and say as he did, Many walk of whom I have told you often, 
Philip. 3.  and now tell you weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ, who mind earthly things? They mind earthly things, that is, they only mind them. There is a lawful minding of earthly things: but to mind them only, or to mind them chief or principally, this is the thing so much to be deplored. And yet is it not so with many that are called Christians and Professors? the main current and stream of their affections runs out to earthly things. What is it they are thinking of, projecting from day to day, and year to year, but earthly things, and worldly interests? 
Turbatur mundus, & tamen amatur mundus  The world is troublesome and unquiet, and yet it is still beloved; men are still fond of it: the world is full of thorns and prickles, and yet men grasp it fast. God hath been rending our estates from us by the Fire, decay of Trade, & other ways; and yet we pursue the world as hard as ever. He is a rare soul indeed, that can make his Appeal to heaven, and say, Lord, thou knowest I am infinitely more concerned for grace, for holiness, for communion with thee, for the assurance of salvation, then for any temporal thing. We do not blame men for their care and diligence in the duties of their Callings; it is their duty to be diligent in these: but that which we blame men for, is, that earthly things have the predominancy in their affections; that this poor world, and the interests of it, have more of their hearts and affections than God and Christ, and eternal things have. It was a great speech of Austin: 
Monemus ne mundum ametis, ut eum qui fecit mundum liberè ametis.  We warn and admonish you, that you do not love the world, that you may freely love him who made the world. Our Saviour tells us, No man can serve two masters: there cannot be two chief goods, two last ends. Sure I am, the strength of a man's affections cannot be let out two ways at once. Now that which we are to be reproved for is this, that the main strength of our affections are let out upon other things, and a very little of our love (if any at all) is let out upon God and Christ, and eternal things. We ought to reserve the main of our love and affection for God and Christ, and eternal things: a little of the creature should content us, so we may have much of God.  
So much only in the General: but we shall endeavour to bring the Reproof a little more home, and to point out the disease more particularly that we are sick of. Therefore the next Use we shall make is this.  
Use 2 2. If Christians ought to have their hearts taken off from the world and earthly things, this Doctrine doth naturally and directly reprove the sin of Covetousness: therefore as under the former Point we spoke something of Heavenly mindedness; so under this Doctrine (having so fair an occasion given us) we shall speak something of the sin of Covetousness, or Earthly-mindedness. The sin of Covetousness is an Epidemical evil, a common sin, yea a common sin among us who profess Christ and the Gospel. He is a rare Christian indeed, that can acquit himself from the taint of this sin. The Scripture is frequent in warning us against this sin; and our Saviour gives us a particular and an express Caution against it: 
Luk. 12.15.  Take heed and beware of covetousness. Here is a double Caution, a repetition of the same Caution: See to it, keep yourselves from covetousness. In some Greek Copies it is, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  From all covetousness. Austin observes from this Text, Christ knew, not we, how much it was our concernment to beware of Covetousness. We see no such great danger in it, but Christ saw a greater danger in it then we are ware of; and therefore he gives us a double Caution; he bids us take heed and beware of it. It is also Augustine's observation, that all other vices do senescere, 
Sola avaritia juvenescit.  wax old; only Covetousness is that sin which grows young: and therefore it is commonly observed, that none are more addicted to this sin then old men.  
Here we shall speak to four things, and show,  
1. What Covetousness is.  
2. What are the Signs and Symptoms of this sin.  
3. What are the Evils of it.  
4. We shall propound some few brief Remedies against it.  
1. What Covetousness is. Covetousness is an inordinate and insatiable desire after earthly things. Covetousness in a large sense respects all temporal things. When a man is inordinate and immoderate in his desires or appetite after any earthly thing, this is Covetousness in a large sense. But in a strict and proper sense, Covetousness is conversant circa bonum utile, about profitable good, or the good of profit. When a man hath an inordinate appetite after Riches, Money, Lands, Possessions, an Estate; this is Covetousness in a strict and proper sense. Now that which makes this desire unlawful, and brings it under the denomination of a sin, is when there is an inordinate and immoderate desire of these things. Every desire of temporal things is not unlawful, neither comes it under this denomination; but it is, First, the inordinate desire; Secondly, The insatiable desire after these things.  
1. When the desire of them is inordinate, and not referred to a right end. It is the observation of a Learned man: 
Davenant.  Temporal things may be desired three manner of ways: 1. For the necessities of life. 2. Or else that by them we may perform works of bounty or liberality. 3. Or else for fruitions sake: so to desire these things, as to make them our end, and to take up our rest in them. It is the last of these that constitutes and makes the sin of Covetousness. We may desire earthly things so far as they conduce to the necessities of this life, and so far as we may have opportunity to do good with them: but to desire them so as to make them our last end, and to enjoy them as our happiness, this is that which makes Covetousness. This is a sure Rule: No temporal thing is to be desired for itself, but in order to a farther end. We must enjoy God, and use the creature: we must enjoy God, only use the creature in order to our enjoyment of God. Now when we stick in the creature as our last end, this is sinful.  
2. As in Covetousness there is an inordinate desire of earthly things; so there is in Covetousness an insatiable desire of earthly things. Much of the formality of this sin lies in this. A covetous mind is never satisfied: He that loves silver shall not be satisfied with silver; this is the proper signification of the Greek word: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifies an unsatiable desire of having more: when a man hath never so much, he still desireth more. Like a man that is sick of the Dropsy, the more he drinks, the more he thirsts: this is the covetous man. It is the nature of earthly things, that they cannot restinguere suim animae, they cannot staunch the thirst of the soul: therefore the more a man hath of them, (if Covetousness be predominant in him) the more he thirsteth after them.  
We come now to the second thing, and that is to show what are the Signs and Symptoms of this Sin. Covetousness is a spiritual sin, and therefore cannot be so well detected as some other sins may be: it is true, the objects of covetousness are external things, as money, riches, lands, possessions, and these things are visible; but forasmuch as these things may be desired and used lawfully or unlawfully, according as the disposition or affection of the mind is conversant versant about them; therefore it is more difficult for us to say that such a man lies under the predominancy of that sin: But though it may be more difficult for us to fasten the guilt of this sin upon another, yet every man's conscience may be judge, how far this evil root prevails in himself. Now the Signs and Symptoms of this Sin, are such as these.  
Sign 1 1. When the mind and thoughts run out solely or principally upon earthly things. The Apostle saith of some, that they mind earthly things, Phil. 3.19. that is, they do solely and wholly mind them, they think of nothing else: When a man thinks of nothing else from one end of the week to another but temporal concernments, this is a sign of the predominancy of this sin. Our Saviour tells us, Where a man's treasure is, there will his heart be. If a man's heart lie in the world, if his thoughts and affections lie in it, it is a sign the world is his treasure, the world is his chief good. It is true, no worldly business can be dispatched without thoughts; and he that hath affairs to do in the world, must necessarily have thoughts about them: but it is one thing to have a man's thoughts exercised about things that are necessary, and belong to his Calling; and another thing for a man electively, and upon choice, to let out his thoughts upon earthly things. If a man do not electively, and upon choice, let out his thoughts upon earthly things, he is glad when he is freed from the cumber of the world; he is glad when he hath an opportunity to be freed from his necessary engagements, to attend on holy things: Whereas, a man that minds earthly things out of a covetous bumour, the natural bent of his mind carries him to these things; and upon choice he desires to converse with these things, rather than with spiritual and divine things.  
Sign 2 2. When a man makes the world his greatest interest; that is, when a man is more solicitous to secure the world, then to secure heaven: When a man is more afraid of temporal wants, temporal straits, than he is, that he shall miss salvation. It was the counsel that our Saviour gave, Labour not for the meat which perisheth. 
Joh. 6.27.  We may labour for the meat which perisheth, in a sense: He that commands us not to kill, commands us to preserve life; and he that commands us to preserve life, commands us to look after those things that are necessary to preserve life. But the meaning is, we may not labour for the meat that perisheth, in comparison of the meat that endureth to everlasting life. We ought not to make temporal things our great interest; we should not be so much concerned about temporal things, as we are about spiritual and eternal. Now when a man is of this temper: I will secure my worldly interest, whatsoever becomes of my soul; a few thoughts, a little care shall serve the turn in relation to Salvation, but I will make the utmost advantage of the world I can possibly; I will lose no opportunity of advancing myself in the world, whatsoever becomes of the interest of my soul, and of Salvation: This is a certain sign that covetousness is predominant in such a man.  
Sign 3 3. Another sign is discontent with a man's present estate. It is observable how the Scripture joins both these together: Let your conversation he without covetousness, and be content with the things that you have, Heb. 13.5. intimating thus much, that if a man have not a holy contentation with his present estate, he cannot keep himself free from the sin of covetousness: Godliness with contentment is great gain, 1 Tim. 6.6. So much as godliness prevails, so far it makes a man content with his present estate; so far as covetousness prevails, it makes him discontent. When a person is quarrelling with the providence of God, and thinks God doth not deal well with him, because he is not so as he would be, hath not such accommodations as he would have, and it may be others have: It is a sign this evil humour prevails too much in him.  
Sign 4 4. When all a man's designs and projects are for the world: that is a man's last end which he designs most, intends most, & refers all things unto. When a man's highest design is for the world; it is not the design of his life to glorify God, or to promote the great interest of Religion in himself or others; but his great design is to enrich and greaten himself: it is a sign that a man is an earthly-minded man.  
Sign 5 5. When there is no stint nor bounds to a man's desires: When, although God hath given a man the most liberal portion of these things, he is still desiring more. Austin compares a covetous man to Hell: Look as hell and the grave are never satisfied, but are always craving; so when men's desires are boundless, the greatest affluence and confluence of worldly enjoyments put no limits to their desires, but they are as much craving as ever they were. This is a certain Sign of the predominancy of this evil. Isai. 5.8. woe to them that join house to house, and lay field to field, till there be no place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth.  
Sign 6 6. Another Symptom of covetousness is this: when a man useth unlawful means to acquire and get earthly things: when a person will lie, cheat, cousin, defraud, use false weights and balances, strain his conscience any way to get profit and advantage. Austin saith of a covetous person, He is content with an empty conscience, so he may have a full chest: A covetous man will strain his conscience any way to advantage himself. This is a certain sign of the predominancy of this sin. He that will hazard the loss of his soul for any worldly advantage, must needs love the world too much. When a man voluntarily commits any known sin, such a man apparently hazards the loss of his soul: therefore when a man to gain the world will hazard the loss of his soul, it is a sign such a man loves the world too much.  
Sign 7 7. Another sign of covetousness, is, 
Inexplebilis appetitus animi quaerentis divitias, & in illis tanquam in summo bono sidentis. Davenant.  when a man places and reposes his trust and confidence in earthly things. It is the definition of covetousness, which is given by a Learned man, That it is an insatiable desire of the mind seeking after riches, and trusting in them as in a man's chief good. That which a man desires and pursues as his last end before the acquisition of it; when he hath acquired it, he acquiesces and rests in it. It is proper to a rich man to trust in his riches: and this is apparent from that speech of the Rich man which our Saviour mentions, Luk. 12. when he had gotten riches together, he saith to his soul, Soul, take thine ease, thou hast much goods laid up for many years. So Job 31.24. If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold. Thou art my confidence. Job professeth his integrity by this, that he did not make gold his confidence; that is an argument, that it is the property of a covetous man so to do; 
1 Tim. 6.17.  and therefore the Scripture warns us not to trust in uncertain riches: This intimates that it is natural to men so to do.  
Sign 8 8. Another sign of covetousness is this: when a man is of a tenacious spirit; when a man will be sure to hold fast all that he hath, and will part with nothing. Covetousness is an inordinate desire, both of getting and of keeping earthly things: as covetousness discovers itself one way, when men have an inordinate desire of getting what they have not; so covetousness discovers itself another way, when their hearts are clung to what they have gotten; when they have an inordinate desire of keeping what they have. It is a Precept which our Saviour gives, Luk. 12.33. Sell that which you have, and give alms. This is a hard saying, and few can bear it: It is true, this Precept ought to be understood aright, it is not binding at all times; for this is a Rule in Divinity, 
Praecepta assirmantia non Ligant ad sempes.  Affirmative Precepts, though they are binding, yet not at all times: But this Precept, when Christ saith, Sell that which ye have, and give alms, is so far binding, that a man should be ready to part with his estate, when God calls him to it: when it may make much for the glory of God, and the advantage of the Gospel; when a man hath a clear call to part with his estate, a man ought to be ready so to do. We are not to understand this in the Popish sense, as if we were bound to sell our estates and go into a Monastery: But when it may make for the glory of God, and the advantage of the Gospel, and a man hath a call to part with his estate, than a man should be ready to part with it; that I take to be the meaning of that Precept. On the contrary, when a man holds the world so fast, that he will not part with a little of his estate upon the highest and best accounts; that is a sign of the predominancy of this sin of covetousness.  
Sign 9 9 Lastly, another sign of covetousness is a parsim mious sordid spirit, that is, when, though a man be willing to part with something of his estate, yet not in proportion to what God hath blessed him with, or is becoming of him. The Moralists observe, Covetousness is a sin opposed to Liberality: Now the Scripture teacheth us, the liberal man deviseth liberal things. The Philosopher observes, 
Propter honestatem, & rectè quibus oportet, & quando oportet.  the liberal man will give for honesty sake, to whom it becomes him to give, and when it becomes him to give: A liberal person considers what is becoming the dignity of his person, place and condition, and he gives proportionably. When a man observes to decorum, but suffers a person much inferior to him in place, in dignity and condition, to excel him ●n acts of Charity; this is a sign of an illiberal and covetous spirit.  
Thus have I given the Signs and Symptoms of this sin.  
3. I come to show in the next place the evils of this sin: there is more of this sin in us than we are ware of, and more evil in it then we are ware of: Let us consider well the evil of this sin.  
1. Covetousness is idolatry. This is twice mentioned in the Scripture: Ephes. 5.5. This know, that no covetous man, who is an idolater, hath an inheritance in the kingdom of God and Christ, etc. So Col. 3.3, 5. Mortify your earthly members. What are they? fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry. It is not for nothing that this is twice mentioned; a covetous man is called an idolater, and covetousness is called idolatry. The Spirit of God would put a brand upon this sin, the blackest brand; and what is the brand the Spirit of God would put upon the sin of covetousness? he calls it idolatry. Oh let us take heed how we love that sin which God designs to render most odious and abominable. There are several reasons given by Learned men, why covetousness is called Idolatry. 1. Negatively, Covetousness is not called Idolatry, in respect of a covetous man's intention, as if he intended to make his money his God; but in respect of likeness and similitude, because a covetous man shows that respect to his money, as an idolater doth to his idol. 2. Positively, Covetousness is called idolatry: 1. Bucause idolatry is one of the worst of sins. 2. Because a covetous person sets up his wealth and riches in the place of God. A covetous man loves his wealth more than God; he trusts in his riches more than in God, and he serves his riches, and is more solicitous about them, than he is soliticious to serve and please God.  
1. A covetous man loves these outward things more than he loves God: that is a man's God, which hath most of his heart. The great Commandment is, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy strength. When a man loves any thing more than God, that is his god: Therefore it is well said of one of the Ancients, that a covetous man is guilty of idolatry, 
Non exhibitione ceremoniarum, sed oblatione concupiscentiarum.  not by the offering any ceremonies of worship to his gold and silver, but by the oblation of his own desires and affections: What the affection of the heart goes out most unto, that is set up in the place of God.  
2. A covetous man trusts in his riches: It is proper to God only to be the object of our trust. He that I make to be my God, he only ought to be the great object of my trust. Psal. 91.2. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress, in him will I trust. So that whatsoever it is we make the great object of our trust, that is our God. A covetous man trusts in his wealth: Psal. 52.7. Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength, but trusted in the abundance of his riches.  
3. A covetous man serves 〈◊〉 riches. Hence is that of our Sa●●our, Matth. 6.24. Ye cannot se● God and mammon. All a coveto● man's care is to serve his own prof● he hath little care to serve and ple● God. This is the first thing to sh● the evil of covetousness, it is Idolatry.  
2. Covetousness is such a sin 〈◊〉 doth in a peculiar manner alien● and estrange the heart from God. Th● Schoolmen observe, that covetousness is such a sin as makes us clea● fastest to the creature, 
Maximè adhaesivum creature, & maximè aversivum à Deo.  and turns us ar●● farthest from God. The proper for mal reason and nature of sin lies i● these two things: 1. In the aver●sion of the soul from God the chief good. 2. In the conversion of the soul to the creature: and covetousness carries both these two in it, i● carries the soul from God, the chie● immutable good, and carries it to the creature, and inferior mutable good.  
3. Covetousness is altogether inconsistent with the love of God, 1 Joh. 2.15. Love not the world, nor the things of the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. Austin observes from those words, There are two loves; the love of the world, and the love of God: If the love of the world inhabit in us, the love of God cannot enter into us: And hence he infers, 
Exclude malum amorem mundi, ut implearis amore Dei.  Shut out the evil love of the world, that so thou mayst be filled with the love of God. When the heart is fraught and filled with other loves, there is no room for spiritual and divine love. This is a sure rule, There cannot be two last ends; if the world be a man's last end, he cannot love God as his last end; and therefore the love of the world is inconsistent with the love of God.  
4. Covetousness is such a sin as is most inconsistent with our communion with God. It is a speech of one of the Ancients, 
Amatorem mundi odit spiritus Christi.  The Spirit of Christ loathes a man that is a lover of the world. God is curious of nothing so much as of his people's affections. My son, give me thy heart, and, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart. When those affections which should be reserved for God, are reserved for other things, God loathes and abominates such a man: If any man love me, he will keep my words, and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our aabode with him, Joh. 14.23. God promises, if a man love him, he will make his abode with him: covetousness is such a sin as is inconsistent with our love to God; therefore where the love of God is not, God will never make his abode with such a soul.  
5. Covetousness is such a sin as is most directly contrary to the nature of grace, and the work of the new creature in the soul: the reason is, the nature of grace is to carry out the soul to spiritual things, and to cause it to desire spiritual things; grace causeth the soul to mind a spiritual happiness, and to look after a spiritual happiness: grace makes a man see an excellency in the pardon of sin, in the favour of God, in the image of God, and in conformity to God. On the contrary, covetousness causeth a man to place his happiness in external things; a covetous person placeth his happiness in those things which are bona corporis, the good things of the body: he regards not grace and spiritual things, which are bona animi, the good things of the mind. Hence it is that the Scripture ranks covetousness amongst the worst of sins; Ephes. 5.5. Colos. 3.5. 1 Cor. 6.9. Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor adulterers, nor esseminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thiefs, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. Here we see covetousness is ranked with the worst of sins: covetousness is as directly contrary to the nature of grace, as a gross sin, and in some respect more; and the reason is, because it is possible a man by surprise, and upon a sudden temptation, may be overtaken with a gross sin, when yet the bent of his soul hath been set against it: but covetousness consists in this, when the bend of a man's affections lies towards earthly things; and therefore nothing is more directly contrary to the nature of Grace then this sin; and it becomes us to look to this, because it is so inconsistent with the nature of Grace: The thorny ground fell short of a true work of Grace, upon this account, because the cares of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches did choke the world. Many a man's profession comes to nought, and never rises up to true grace, because the love of the world is predominant in him: though he may go far, and have some seeming good affections, yet all comes to nothing, because the world hath the predominancy in his heart. How much doth it concern us to look well to it, to see that we do not lose all our profession upon this account, that the world hath had more of our hearts then God and Christ have had?  
6. Covetousness is such a sin as is most contrary to our future life: hereafter God shall be all in all. hereafter we shall live upon God immediately, without other things. In heaven, as we shall have no other happiness but God, so we shall desire no other happiness but God himself. If it were possible that the Saints and Angels could desire any thing which they have not, they could not be happy; for this is the nature of happiness, to have all the good a man would have. The Saints and Angels in heaven have God for their happiness, and they are satisfied in him, and desire nothing more. Now when the heart is carried out after other things, and pursues them as the chief good: this is most contrary to our future life. It was the speech of a wise and holy man: Since God shall be all in all hereafter, the less we have to do with the creature here any more than we needs must, the better. If we were of a right temper of spirit, we should desire earthly things no farther than were for present necessity, and as they were accommodated to our present state. True happiness lies out of the road of these things; true happiness is in another channel; true happiness is to see God, to love God, to enjoy God: This is life eternal, to know thee the only true God. When we pursue earthly things as our great happiness, and have vast designs after these things; this is most contrary to our future life, which is to enjoy God, and him only.  
Lastly, Covetousness is the root of many other sins. The Scripture tells us expressly, That covetousness is the root of all evil, 1 Tim 6.10. A covetous person sticks at no sin; so he may enrich himself, and compass his own ends, he will omit the duties God requires, and commit the sins God forbids. God enjoins secret Prayer, Family-duties, and attendance upon the Ordinances; a covetous person is so intent upon the world, that he cannot find time for these things: So for sins of commission, a covetous person will break through many a known command of God, to come at the world. Covetousness is a fruitful sin; a covetous person sins against his Neighbour, against himself, and against God. 1. A covetous man sins against his Neighbour; he extorts from another more than is just and equal, and so covetousness is a sin that is contrary to equity: 
Avaritia excedit in acci●iendo, & desicit in dando.  Covetousness exceeds in taking, and is defective in giving; & so is a sin against equity. 2. Covetousness is a sin against man's self; by this sin a man's affections are disordered, and turned out of the right channel: Our affections were given us to love God the chief good; by this sin they are turned aside to inferior goods. And hence is it that Austin calls that a perverse love, whereby the will is turned aside from an unchangeable good, to a mutable changeable good. 3. It is a sin against God; forasmuch as a covetous person for a temporal good contemns an eternal good. All these considerations may serve to set forth something of the evil of this sin.  
4. I come in the last place to propound some Remedies against this sin.  
1. As an Antidote against covetousness, Let us consider, we must shortly leave these things: that is not worth setting a man's heart upon, which he must shortly leave. We know what our Saviour saith, 
Luk. 12.20.  Thou fool, this night shall they take thy soul from thee, and then whose shall these things be? What folly is it to make that our happiness, which we cannot keep always? that is true happiness, which a man may enjoy always; and it is a pitiful happiness that must have an end. Why should we covet that much, which when we have gotten it, we can keep but a little while! It is an expression of Austin upon those words, The world passeth away, and the lust thereof: 
Quod vis? utrum amare temporalia, & transire cum tempore; of't mundum non amare, & vivere● cum Deo?  What wilt thou? wilt thou love temporal things, and pass away with time? or else wilt thou not love the world, and live with God? It might be one good remedy against covetousness, to meditate of death often. It is Augustine's observation, The disease of covetousness is by nothing better cured, then when the day of death is continually thought of: if a man could think this with himself, I must shortly die and leave these things, this would moderate his desire to these things.  
2. Consider, a man's life lies not in these things, whilst he hath them: So our Saviour teacheth us expressly, Luk. 12.15. Take heed and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. Our life lies not in these things; and there are two reasons of it: 1. Because the abundance of outward things cannot preserve a man's life: the rich dye as well as the poor, the noble as well as the ignoble. Pale death with an equal foot knocks at the palaces of princes, and at the cottages of poor men. 2. Because true happiness doth not lie in these things whilst a man enjoys them: every creature hath vanity written upon it; and when a man hath most of the world, he still remains unsatisfied. No earthly thing is suitable to the nature and capacity of the soul: The soul is a spiritual thing, and desires a spiritual happiness; the soul is an immortal thing, and desires an immortal happiness; and therefore when a man hath most of this world, he still desires something more.  
3. Consider, a little will serve the turn to carry us to our journey's end. It is not likely we should live longer than the rest of mankind have lived before us; it is no difficult thing to see to the end of our life: now a little provision will serve the turn for a short journey.  
4. We shall have no need of earthly things in the other state. It is certain we brought nothing into this world, and we shall carry nothing out of it: We shall carry nothing into the next world with us, but our grace: earthly things will be of no use to us at the end of time. Our happiness in the next world is a spiritual happiness: the holy Angels and glorified Saints are happy without those things we so much admire; and we must be happy by another happiness at last, if ever we be happy.  
5. If we would be kept from this sin, 
Avarus nimis est cui Deus non sufficit. Aug.  let us study God's all-sufficiency and the divine perfection. He is too covetous a person indeed, to whom God himself is not sufficient. God is a happiness sufficient for himself; he is an happiness sufficient to the Saints and Angels, and therefore in reason he should be a happiness sufficient for us. God is the chief good, the centre of all perfection. 
Austin.  What is it that thou lovest, that thou wilt not love God? If thou wilt love any thing, love the best thing; if thou wilt covet any thing, covet the best thing: study God's all-sufficiency and the divine perfection, there thou wilt find the highest object for thy affections.  
6. Let our desires run out much after eternal life. It is an expression of Austin: We ought, saith he, to be covetous after eternal life. The more our desires run out in one channel, the less will they run out in another. Did we covet to live with God more, to be admitted into the Divine presence, to live in that state in which the Saints and Angels live, we should covet other things less: this is the truly noble covetousness; we cannot covet this too much, to live with God in his eternity. Oh let us love eternal life: If we have right thoughts of the future life and the future state, we shall see nothing worth desiring and coveting in comparison of that state.  
7. Let us pray for a holy contentation of spirit with our present state. This is the Directiou which the Apostle insinuates, Heb. 13.5. Let your conversation be without covetousness, and be content with the things which you have. Contentation with our present state, would prevent covetousness; the reason why our desires are immoderate, is because we are not content with God's allewance. Divine providence is never overseen, 
Divina providentia not potest falli.  never mistaken. Divine Wisdom measures out to every man what is best; and if we could think so, that would keep our desires from being too violent and impetuous after these things.  
Lastly, let us set before us the example of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; he is the highest Pattern of holiness in every kind. Christ, when he was in the world, he was Lord of all, yet he possessed little; and as he possessed little of the world, so he did not covet and seek after the things of the world. His heart was wholly taken up in glorifying the Father, and in finishing the work which he had given him to do: he minded not gold or silver, lands or possessions; his heart was set upon other things. True it is, that having taken to himself, not only our nature, but also the infirmities of it; he used the things of the world in his passage, as things accommodate unto that state of Humiliation, unto which he had voluntarily subjected himself: yet a little sufficed him of these things that were necessary for the support of nature; so far was he from designing to heap up wealth and riches, and from seeking great things for himself in the world.  
Use 3 3. Of Admonition. To admonish us not to set our hearts upon the world and earthly things. This is the counsel which the Spirit of God gives us, 1 Joh. 2.15. Love not the world, nor the things of the world. This Admonition is most solemn: if this solemn Admonition, which the Spirit of God gives us, will not bear weight in our conscience; what little hope can we have that any other Admonitions should take place? 
Vae tibi si amaveris condita, & deserueris Creatorem: pulcra tibi sunt, sed quanto pulcrior est qui ista formavit? Aug.  if so clear and express a Prohibition (Love not the word) do not bear sway with us, what should? woe to thee, saith Austin, if thou love created things, and forsake the Creator: these things seem beautiful unto thee, but how much more beautiful is he that made these things? We are all of us too prone to fall into the love of the world, and of earthly things. When first we left God in our Apostasy in Adam, we fell from God into the creature, and there we have stuck ever since; and it must be the mighty power of divine. Grace to recover us out of the creature, and to bring us back to God: the love of the world is the great temptation to most of us. I often think of the last counsel which an holy man gave a little before his death: as he was drawing on toward his dissolution, he called his Relations to him, and gave them this as his last advice: Make sure of Christ (saith he) and take heed of the world; I have found that my greatest enemy: If the world be our greatest enemy, we have need to watch so much the more against it. That which we shall do more in the prosecution of this Use, is to propound several Considerations to take us off from the love of the world and earthly things.  
First, Consider, the love of the world, and of earthly things, is a great wrong and injury done to God. 
Aug.  He that loves the creatures more than God, offends the Creator. We cannot love the world too much, but we must of necessity love God too little. No man can serve two masters. So much as our love is let forth inordinately upon the creature, it must of necessity be withdrawn from God. Now this is the highest Sacrilege and Injustice: Sacrilege, to rob God of that which is his due; Injustice, to give that to the creature which is not due to it.  
Secondly, consider, the Soul was made for greater things: the Soul being an immortal and an eternal principle, was made to converse with eternal things, and to seek for happiness in eternal things. Therefore when we love temporal things, and pursue them as our happiness, we forget the true nobleness and dignity of our own souls. That which doth distinguish us from the Brutes, is an intellectual principle, whereby we are capable of contemplating and pursuing something that is eternal: the Brutus' mind present things. It is the property of Sense, to mind something present, and to go no further. When we only mind and pursue present things, we depress ourselves beneath our own species, and bring ourselves; as it were into the rank of Brutes and sensitive creatures.  
Thirdly, consider, there are greater things for us to love; there is a greater and fairer happiness that lies before us: we have God and Christ to love: there are eternal things that lie before us. 
Non satiat animam nisi incorruptibilis gaudii vera & certa aeternitas. Aug. Serò te amavi pulchritudo tam antiqua & tam nova, serò te amavi. Aug.  Nothing satisfieth the soul, but the true and certain eternity of that joy which is not corruptible. Who would fix his eyes upon a Glow-worm, that hath the Sun to look upon? I have loved thee to late (saith Austin) O thou that art so ancient a beauty, and so new and fresh a beauty, I have loved thee too late. We have the living and eternal God to love, and yet we love dying things. Well may we wonder at ourselves, that having the infinite and eternal God, whom we might make the object of our affections, we should take up with things so far short of him. What are a few drops compared to the Ocean? what are a few weak rays in comparison of the Sun? what are all the creatures in comparison of the Creator? God is an infinite Sea of perfection: there are no bounds nor limits to his perfections. In God there is all good that is desirable, all perfection imaginable, all perfection possible. Do we desire life? he is the fountain of life. Do we desire wisdom? he is the fountain of wisdom. Do we desire holiness? he is the fountain of holiness. Neither is there any thing we can conceive to be truly excellent and good, but it is in him: yea, whatsoever perfection is possible to be, it is in God. 
Deus est bonum infinitissime infinitum. Bradwardin.  God is such a good as is most infinitely infinite. O! what folly is it then to have our hearts taken off from the infinitely-blessed God, and to have them set upon little narrow things? It is an expression that one of the Ancients hath to this purpose: The Angels are so inflamed with divine love, that all other things, yea they themselves seem vile to themselves, in respect of God whom they love. Did we know God more, we should not be so fond of other things. Oh! let us turn our souls upon God the chief good; there may we love freely, and cannot exceed in loving him.  
Fourthly, consider, the world and earthly things cannot give happiness unto men. That is wise love, when a man loves that which will make him happy. Earthly things cannot do this. You may say, How doth that appear? That is easily made out in few words. Earthly things cannot give a man satisfaction while he hath them; they cannot keep him from death; they cannot comfort him in death; and least of all can they be a happiness to him after death. Now who would love that which will not answer the end for which he loves it? The reason why men love earthly things (although they will not confess it) it is, because they think to find happiness in them: but now that happiness that men think to find, is far from them. No temporal thing will afford that to a man, which he desires and expects from it. Men expect satisfaction from what they do pursue, but satisfaction is far from them. Why should a man be fond of that, which when he hath it, his happiness must be in something above it; and when he wants it, it is possible for him to be happy without it. If we had all the things in this world we could desire, if we are the children of God, and have indeed tasted that the Lord is gracious, there is something above those things that we shall still desire. Now if when we have the greatest abundance and confluence of earthly things, there is something else that we desire, and something else that must make us happy in the midst of these things, viz. the presence of God, and the enjoyment of him; and that it is possible for us to be happy in those things, without earthly things; then there is no reason why our hearts should be so inordinately set upon these earthly things.  
Fifthly, consider, the inordinate love of earthly things is a perverting of the End for which God gives us these things. God never gave us the creatures, that we might make them our happiness, or pursue them as our last end; but God gives us the creatures, that we might see himself in them, admire him in them, and pass from them to him. It is a speech of Austin: The creature is to be praised for the sake of God the author and original of it; not to be worshipped and adored, as if itself were God. All things are of him, and by him, and to him, Rom. 11.36. All things are from God, and they ought to lead to him: therefore when we love the creatures as our chief good, and stick in them as our last happiness, we pervert the end for which they were given to us: the creatures were never given for such an end, but they were given for this end, that we might ascend to God by them. We ought to use the creatures, not to enjoy them. Now, then do we use a thing, when we use it to a farther end: we ought to use the creatures in order to our enjoyment of God as our last end; but we ought not to take up with them, as if we had no higher end then to enjoy them.  
Sixthly, consider, the inordinate love of earthly things is an argument of great ignorance and unbelief. Every man would desire and love the best thing: did he certainly know and believe that there are better things than these that are present to Sense, he would love those things. We look not to the things that are seen, 2 Cor. 4. Paul knew that there were better things than those things that are seen, and that these things were real and substantial; and therefore his heart was carried out after these things. Now because the generality of men do not see these things, nor are acquainted with them, therefore they desire them not. The world lies before men, as a fair and pleasant garden, and there is many a goodly flower to be seen in it; here is pleasure, there is profit, there is honour; these captivate the eyes of men; and because things invisible to the outward senses are not seen or perceived by them, therefore they mind not these things. But O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn the glory of God into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? Psal. 4.2. What folly and ignorance is it, to think that there are no higher things than those which the Brutes are capable of conversing with as well as you? The Brutes may have their outward senses delighted as well as you; they may be taken and affected with present visible things as well as you: but where are your souls in the mean time? where is your intellectual part? Can Reason discover nothing to you but what is present, and obvious to Sense? why then is the candle of the Lord set up within you? What sottishness and stupidity is it, to believe that there is no happiness to be found, but what is to be found in this world? As if the life which God lives, were no happiness; as i● so be the life which the Saints and Angels live in above, were no happiness While men only seek earthly things it is a certain sign that they are ignorant of these things.  
Seventhly, consider, the inordinate love of the world, and of earthly things, doth greatly unfit a man for death. Die we must, that is certain and the time of our life here is mos● uncertain. Now what folly is it to be found in such a frame, as will certainly unfit us for death? Pythagoras saith of Philosophy, That it is a meditation of death. 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  Certainly the life of a Christian should be a continued meditation of death: and if a Christian should always be meditating of death, that he may die well, die happily, and die comfortably; then certainly it will be his greatest folly to be taken up with those things that must greatly unfit him for death. Now there is nothing that will more unfit a man for death, than the inordinate love of earthly things. If a man's heart lie in the world, how ●oth will he be to part with the world? No man is willing to part with that which he loves much. When a man that is a lover of the world comes to die, his heart is as it were rend from him: his heart lies in the world, and yet he must be rend from that which he loves so much. An holy soul, an heavenly-minded man, hath sent his heart beforehand into heaven; and it is no difficult thing for him to be willing that his person should be removed there where his affections are gone before: but now an earthly-minded man, when his person comes to be removed out of the world, he leaves his heart, as it were, behind him; and it must needs be very grievous and bitter to him to part with the world, that hath seen nothing better than the world.  
Eighthly, to take us off from the love of earthly things, consider, that all these things must have an end. The earth also, & the works that are therein, shall be burnt up, 2 Pet. 3.10. Should a man set his heart upon that which after a little while must be consumed to ashes? If a man would love wisely, he should love that which he might always love. Nothing but eternal things last always; and therefore the truest wisdom is to love these things. It is easy for a man to think himself out of all the happiness of this world. A man may think himself beyond the happiness that is in riches, honours, or pleasures; a man may easily come in his thoughts to the end of the happiness that is in these things. Now should a man make that his happiness which he can think beyond? there is a happiness that a man cannot think himself out of, nor think beyond it; this happiness is our God, who is infinite and eternal; this is such a happiness that we can never come to the bottom of. Oh! it is good to love him as our happiness: if we love the world as our happiness, we and our happiness are like to pass away together. When the Apostle admonisheth us, Love not the world; what is the argument he urgeth? The world passeth away, and the lust thereof. The world is a transient thing; and as the world passeth away, so the lusts thereof pass away: when those things are gone which men had made the object of their love and affections, they have nothing left to set their affections upon. When this world comes to be burnt up, and the works thereof, none of those objects are to be seen or enjoyed, which now at the present draw men's hearts so much to them; Nay, (not to go so far) when men must enter with their naked souls into eternity, and must leave all these things behind them; what will they have to love then? how stripped, and naked, and forlorn, may we well suppose a carnal soul, who was only filled and fraught with creature-loves, and the love of earthly things, to be, when he comes to leave these things behind him! All the objects of his affections are left behind him; he hath none of those things left him which once he let out his heart upon. What a pitiful empty thing is a miserable soul, that is separated from the Divine presence? while he lived here on earth, he made a shift to love the creatures, and to suck out as much contentment from them as he could; but now he is in Eternity, he hath none of these things to love: And now it is a great aggravation of his misery, to remember that he loved these things that did deceive him.  
Ninthly, The inordinate love of earthly things is a sign that a man is of an earthly carnal spirit, and that his name shall be written in the earth.  
1. The love of earthly things is a sign that a man is of an earthly spirit: 
Talis est quisque qualis ejus dilectio; terram diligis, terra eris.  Every man is as his love is; if he loves the earth, he himself shall be earth, saith Austin. Every man is moulded into the nature of what he loves; if he loves the earth, he himself is turned into a piece of earth. Austin observes, That the two sorts or kinds of love that are in the world, have constituted two kinds of Cities; the heavenly City, and the earthly City. If a man be a lover of heaven and the things above, he is a Citizen of the Heavenly Jerusalem; if he be a lover of the earth, he is a Citizen of this world: therefore let a man put the question to himself, and ask himself what it is that he loves, and he may know what Citizen he is. The predominant love of the world, and of earthly things, is a sign that a man is a worldly man, a man of this world, and that he belongs to it, and that he hath nothing to do with the heavenly City, and the spiritual corporation that is above.  
2. The love of earthly things is a sign that a man shall be written in the earth▪ It is a great expression of the Prophet, Jer. 17.13. O Lord, the hope of Israel all that forsake thee shall be confounded; they that depart from thee, shall be written in the earth, etc. When do men forsake God? when they leave God, and adhere to the creature: that the following words make out, because they have forsaken the Lord, the fountain of living waters. When men forsake the living God, and embrace dying creatures, than they depart from God. Now all such shall be written in the earth: 
Coelo extorres, & aeternum ad exitium destinati. Glassius.  an Elegant expression; what is the meaning of it? Banished from heaven, and destinated to eternal destruction: So one Learned man interprets it. Calvin carries it much to the same sense: Your name shall be here on earth, but it shall be blotted out in heaven; that is, there shall be no portion for you in the Kingdom of Heaven. The Apostle saith expressly, No covetous person, which is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God, Ephes. 5. Or we may understand it thus: They shall be written in the earth; whatsoever account and estimation men may be of in this world, they shall be of no account above with God and the holy Angels; their names shall be written in the earth: they love the earth, and all the honour they shall have, it shall be upon the earth: their honour and esteem shall not go beyond this world. Earthly- minded men that leave great Estates, Dignities and Honours behind them, they may be famous in the Records and Annals of this world; they may be renowned for their riches, and the great things they have enjoyed here: but this is all they shall have, they shall have no estimation in the upper world, their name shall not and die on the earth; they shall have no honour, nor carry any esteem in the heavenly Country.  
Tenthly, Consider, there is much of vanity and vexation in earthly things: We know whose words they are; All is vanity and vexation of spirit. First, earthly things are vain things.  
1. There is not in them that which they promise to us. Earthly things promise much more than we find to be in them, when we come to try them: We think to find much more good, sweetness, and contentment in these things, than indeed we find in them, when we come to experiment what is in them. Now that is a vain thing, which is empty of that it promiseth; that is called vain, 
Vanum dicitur quod re ipsâ destituitur.  which is destitute of solidity and substance.  
2. They can never satisfy us; now whatsoever cannot satisfy is vain. Happiness lies in satisfaction: happiness consists in having all the good a man would have, in having all the good that he desires: while there is any good a man would have, and doth desire, and hath it not, he is not happy. Now there is no man, by the enjoyment of any or all earthly things, that hath all the good he would have; and therefore he is far from satisfaction, far from happiness.  
Secondly, Earthly things, as they are vain, so they are vexations; the labour and travail in getting them, the care and solicitude in keeping them, the fear of losing them, the grief that follows upon the losing of them, the defectiveness of something or other in them when we have the greatest abundance of them, the bitternesses that are mingled with them, bring a great deal of vexation into earthly things. When men are carried away with inordinate love of earthly things, they pierce themselves through with many sorrows. 
Qui mundanis se implicat, tela parat, quibus consodiatur.  He that entangles himself with worldly things, doth but provide darts for himself, by which he is thrust through. Austin in a discourse of his about the contempt of the world, hath a passage to this purpose. The bands of this world have a true sharpness; but a false sweetness; a certain grief, but uncertain pleasure; hard labour, timorous and fearful quiet; they are full of misery, but empty of happiness.  
Lastly, the inordinate love of earthly things doth greatly unfit us for communion with God here, and for the enjoyment of him hereafter.  
1. It unfits us for communion with God here. God will not be assable and familiar with that person, who desires, prizeth, loves, and delights in any thing more than himself: The way to enjoy most of God, is to be taken more with God himself then with other things: When we are more taken with God himself, then with all his gifts; when we are enamoured of the Lord himself, and God is more sweet to us then all things that come from him: this is the way to enjoy most of God. Wisdom saith, Prov. 8.17. I love them that love me. If we love God himself more than his gifts, then shall we know what it is to be loved of him. Joh. 14.21. If any man love me, he shall he loved of my Father, and I will love him, etc. but if we lavish out our hearts upon earthly things, and have great and admiring thoughts of them, and are vigorous in our pursuit of them, and God hath the least part of our thoughts and affections; God cares not for such lovers; neither may such expect to attain to any friendship or familiatity with him here on earth.  
2. The love of earthly things, as it unfits us for communion with God here, so it unfits us for the enjoyment of him hereafter. In heaven, the faculties of the soul shall be immediately acted upon God; the soul will be wholly taken up in contemplating, admiring, loving, delighting in God, in praising and adoring of him. Now when the heart is wholly taken up with earthly things, it is altogether unfit and indisposed for such a life. The soul is coloured, as it were, with the objects that it converseth with, and receives a tincture and an impression from them. A man whose spirit is immersed and drenched in the world, will be very unfit to have the faculties of his soul carried forth upon God. The best way to have our souls suited and adapted to the future life, it is to keep our spirits at as great a distance as may be from present things. We should be saying often in our own souls: Oh the blessed state, Oh the blessed life that is above! Oh to see God, to love him, to go to him, to live with him, in his eternity! How sweet is that life! When we are without those earthly things which we desire, we should say, our true life, our true happiness is above, where there shall be no more need or use of these things: when we have the most of these things, our hearts should be carried up above these things, and say, We expect, and look for, and long after another happiness; a happiness that is above these things. We should keep our hearts in the most reserved frame for the future life, and the future state: We should not suffer our spirits to mingle too far with present things: Our hearts should sit so lose to present things, that we may be ready to lay down these things, and to take up with the happiness that is above. If we suffer our spirits to launch forth too far into the world, it will be a hard matter to reduce them: and when the cry is made, Behold, the Bridegroom cometh, go ye forth to meet him; we shall be very unfit to entertain his Call: If our souls stick, and be taken up in the things of time, we shall be very unfit and unready to deliver them up into eternity.   

AN APPENDIX Concerning Laying hold of eternal life.  1 Tim. 6.12. 
Lay hold on eternal life.  
The whole verse is read thus:  
Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.  
Lay hold on eternal life.  
LIFE is the great thing which we all desire: there is nothing we fear so much as death, nothing we desire so much as life. This Text acquaints us what is the true life: Lay hold on eternal life. Amemus vitam aeternam: 
Austin.  O let us love eternal life. It is eternal life that is only worth the name of life: therefore since we are so fond of life, since life is most pleasing to us of all other things; let us love that life that is truly so. This temporal life which we now live, is not worth the name of life, in comparison of eternal life.  
The Text contains in it a double Gospel-precept.  

1. Fight the good fight of faith.  
2. Lay hold on eternal life.   
It is the later of these precepts that I shall a little insist upon: Lay hold on eternal life.  
The Doctrine that offers itself to our consideration from the words, is this:  
Doctrine. That it is the duty of Christians t● lay hold of eternal life.  
In this Point there are two things to be spoken unto.  

1. The Object.  
2. The Act.   
The Object is, eternal life.  
The Act is, Lay hold on eternal life.  
So that, that which will bond our discourse as to the Explication of the Point, will be these two things.  
1. To show what eternal life is.  
2. To show what it is to lay hold on eternal life.  

1. What is eternal life?   
I shall not speak to this so largely as the subject will bear, (that indeed were a noble Argument, to discourse at large of eternal life, and that would afford a long discourse) but I shall give some few Hints only concerning eternal life, that we may a little conceive of it. I shall endeavour to open a little briefly the nature of eternal life, in seven Propositions.  
I. Eternal life is the state of the blessed in the other world. Eternal life is the life which the Saints live in the presence of God. 2 Cor. 5.8. Absent from the body, and present with the Lord. To understand this, we must know, that there is a natural life, and there is a spiritual life.  
1. There is a natural life: and this we may again distinguish into the animal life, and the rational life. That which we call the animal life, it is the life which we live in common with the brutes. There is a life which man enjoys in common with the brutes, and this is that which is commonly called the animal life. But then there is the rational life; and this is that life which is proper to men as men. There is an intellectual principle in man, whereby he is distinguished from the sensitive creatures: and that life which man lives by this intellectual principle that is in him, this is the rational life. But then as there is the natural life, so  
2. There is the spiritual life. This also is twofold. The spiritual life is either the life of grace, or the life of glory. 1. There is the life of grace. The life of grace is that life which the Saints live here in this world, in Justification and in Sanctification. 2. The life of glory, is that life which the Saints live with God in the other world. Now the life of glory, that life which the Saints live with God in the other world, is that which in a strict sense is called eternal life. It is true, eternal life is inchoate and begun in this world, in the life of grace, in the life of Justification and Sanctification; but eternal life is perfect and consummate in the life of glory, when we shall live with God in heaven. So that eternal life is that life we shall live in the heavenly country. It is said of the ancient Saints, that they seek for a better country, even a heavenly, Heb. 11.16. Now this is eternal life, that life which we shall live with God in the heavenly country.  
II. Eternal life is a constant uniform life. The life which we live in this world, it is bounded and limited by time; it is a certain space and duration of things, and there is an end: but eternal life knows no end. Eternity is always standing, 
Semper stans, semper praesens.  always present; thus, and always thus. When we are sat down to live in eternal life, than we may conclude, As we are now, so shall we be always: there is no interruption, no cessation in ●ternal life.  
III. Eternal life is a life free from sorrow and trouble. Isai. 57.2. He shall enter into peace. It is spoken of a godly man, how it shall be with him after this life, He shall enter into peace. So again, God shall wipe away all tears from the eyes of his people, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. This life it is a life of affliction, a life of temptation, a life of grief and sorrow, a life of trouble and perturbation: but in eternal life there shall be none of these things: eternal life is a serene tranquil estate.  
IU. Eternal life is a life free from sin, and all the relics and remainders of it. 1 Cor. 13.10. When that which is perfect is come, then that which is imperfect shall be done away. Heb. 12.23. The spirits of just men made perfect. When we come to live with God in eternal life, sin shall be perfectly razed out of our nature; those relics of sin, Reliquiae peccati (as Luther calls them) in the Saints, which are as thorns in their eyes, and goads in their sides, shall be done away; and they shall be made like to God, holy in their measure as God is holy.  
V Eternal life is a life of perfect joy. Psal. 16.11. In his presence there is fullness of joy, at his right hand there are pleasures for evermore. In eternal life the Saints possess God, who is the chief good, and all good; and having God, who is the chief good, and all good, they must needs have all joy. The joys of this life are false, deceitful joys; they are far from satisfying, quieting, and contenting the heart: the joys of this life are bitter-sweet joys, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  the best joys here on earth are allayed with many bitternesses. O but the joys of eternal life are pure, sincere joys; there is all joy, no sorrow; all pleasure, no grief. And then as they are pure sincere joys, so they are soul-sati●fying joys: he that hath all the good that he would have, and can desire no more, must needs be satisfied: the Saints in eternal life have all the good they would have, and can desire no more: whatever various good things we sought after among the creatures; in eternal life, one God shall supply all. 
Qui●quid his quaerehas, quicquid ●i● pro mag●o habeb●●, i●se tibi crit.  Whatsoever (says Austin) thou soughtest after here on earth, whatsoever thou accountedest for great here in this life, God shall be all that unto thee. God shall be the comfort of meat and drink, of Sun and Moon, of friends and relations. God shall supply all things to his Saints. Eternal life is a life of perfect joy.  
VI Eternal life is a life free from changes. This life is made up of Changes: we change from health to sickness, from settlement to unsettlement, from prosperity to adversity; yea, we change from one affliction to another, and at last we change from life to death. So that we may say, 
Nunquid non humana vita tentatio super terram?  Is not the whole life of man a temptation upon earth? Oh but in eternal life there are none of these changes; in eternal life there is one constant, uniform state of peace, joy, blessedness, and satisfaction. Oh do you not find yourselves weary of changes? Is not this the secret language of your souls, When will these changes have an end? O lift up your eyes on high, cast a look to the heavenly country; there shall you find that which you so much desire; there is perfect serenity, perfect tranquillity; there is no trouble or perturbation, nor fear of trouble; no death, nor fear of death; no changes, nor fear of changes: there is an even serene state of things. And the Lord in his infinite wisdom causes us to pass through so many changes here on earth, that so we may long after that unchangeable state above.  
VII. Lastly, as that which is the compliment and perfection of all, eternal life is to know God and enjoy him, Joh. 17 3. This is life eternal, to know thee the only true God. To know God in a way of Grace, this is the beginning of eternal life here on earth; to know God as reconciled in Christ, to know him as a Father in Christ; this is the beginning of eternal life: and to know God in the way of the beatifical vision, to see him face to face; this is the perfection and consummation of eternal life in heaven. 
Praemium est videre Deum, vivere cum Deo, etc.  This is, says Bernard, the Saints reward, to see God, to live with God, to be in God, who shall be all in all, and to have God who is the chiefest good. And Austin speaks to the same purpose: This is the full blessedness of a man, to see the face of his God, to see him that made heaven and earth; to see him that hath made him, that bath saved him, and that hath glorified him. O what an inconceivable happiness must it be, to have the Divine Majesty always present to the eye of the mind? to see and behold the face of God, who is an infinite good; and not only to see and behold God who is an infinite good in himself, but also to see God who is this infinite good, willing to communicate himself to the soul, and to become an happiness to it. The happiness of heaven doth not only consist in this, to be admitted to the sight of God, who is an infinite good: but also in this, that we shall see the blessed God, willing to communicate himself to us, and to become a happiness to us Gen. 15.1. Fear not, Abraham, I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward: As much as if God should say, Whatever I am, whatever I have, shall be all thine, so far as it is necessary to make thee happy. God himself communicates himself to his people, and he is their reward. With thee (saith the Psalmist) is the fountain of life; in thy light shall we see light, Psal. 36.9. With thee is the fountain of life. How is it possible that the Saints and Angels should want life, that see the fountain of life, and are united to him? they see the living God, who is life, and the cause of all life; and by adhering to him, who is immortal, who is an indeficient neverfailing spring of life; they themselves are immortal in their happiness, and derive a constant life and happiness from him, who is the Fountain of life. We may not wonder that eternal life should consist in the knowledge and enjoyment of God: God is the Fountain of life; therefore they that adhere to the Fountain of life, cannot be supposed to want life.  
Thus have we given some brief touches concerning eternal life; but alas, who can speak of this as it is? Eye hath not seen, nor ear beard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive what the things are, that God hath prepared for them that love him, 1 Cor. 2.9.  
2. But what is it to Lay hold on eternal life? Here lies the stress of the Text, Lay hold on eternal life. This brings us to the second thing, and that is the act, What it is to lay hold on eternal life.  
I shall open this in seven Propositions, as I did the former.  
1. To lay hold on eternal life, is to make sure our title to eternal life. Joh. 6.27. Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for the meat which endureth unto eternal life; as much as is our Saviour should have said, Labour to make eternal life sure, and labour to get a part in my Righteousness, as that only which can give you an interest in eternal life. We see by experience, this natural life which we live here on earth continues but a few days; we see we cannot live always here on earth; nay, we see we can live but a short sp●ce of time here on earth: therefore this is out great interest, to look after an enduring life, to lay hold on eternal life, and to make that sure: Certainly that is true wisdom, to consider how things will end at last; and these are thoughts proper for a reasonable creature, What must be my happiness after this short life is at an end? To have no hope or expectation of any thing hereafter, but only to cast upon what is to be enjoyed in this life; this is to levelly myself with the brutes; this is to forget of what species and kind of creatures I am, and that I was created to enjoy a blessed immortality: For wherein doth man differ from the brutes, but that he is capable of an immortal state and condition of happiness, which the brutes are not capable of? We ought therefore to make sure our title to eternal life; this is the ultimate end and perfection of our being. Man was not created to enjoy an earthly happiness, consisting merely in the enjoyment of earthly comforts; but man was created to a blessed immortality, in the presence of his Maker. Consider what the Apostle speaks, 1 Pet. 1.4. To an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you: Our last happiness is reserved in heaven. To expect our utmost happiness here on earth, this is to forget the great and ultimate end, for which we were created, and to which we were destinated. We were not made to have our happiness in this world, we were created for an higher happiness; our la●● happiness is to live with God in th● Heavens: This is the happiness w● are capable of, and therefore this 〈◊〉 the happiness we should make su●● of; Lay hold of eternal life; tha● is, make sure thy title to eterne life.  
2. To lay hold of eternal life, is 〈◊〉 see that the bent and tendency of o● souls be carried out after eternal lif● Lay hold of eternal life; it is as mu●● as if the Apostle should have said, L●● eternal life be the great thing in th● eye, let the bent and tendency of th● spirit be carried out after eternal li●● Every one hath the bent and tenden●● of his spirit lying towards something or other. Observe the pulse of you own hearts, and you will find th● bend and tendency of your own sp●rits carried forth towards something or other. Some have their hear● carried out after the riches and profits of the world; some after pleasures, some after honours: The generality of men have the bend an● tendency of their spirits carried ou● after something in this world. Now God would have the spirits of his people carried higher than so; God would have his people look beyond this world, and beyond this life; he would have the bent and tendency of their spirits to lie towards eternal life. Lay hold on eternal life. 
Contemto mundo, illuc enitere. Calv.  Calvin expounds it thus; Contemn this world, and raise thy thoughts higher. This is the force of this expression, Lay hold on eternal life; contemn this world, and raise thy thoughts to something higher: Let this world seem a little thing in thy eye; and let eternal life be the mark and white in thy eye; let thy desires and long be carried out after life. We ought to lay hold on eternal life; that is, we ought to set eternal things as the fairest things in our eye: the main of our desires, inclinations and affections should be carried out that way: Our hearts should be carried above this world, and our affections should be soaring up aloft to the enjoyment of God in the next world. It is an emphatical expression of the Apostle Paul, Phil. 3.14. I press towards the mark for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  The words in the Original are very emphatical, as much as if he had said, I press towards eternal glory, as making that my uttermost end and scope. Eternal life should be our scope, the great thing that we should breathe and aspire after: whatsoever is short of the enjoyment of God in heaven, should seem but a little thing to us. It is a speech of Luther: We ought with a great soul to contemn this world, and with a full gale of affection breath after the glory of the future life.  
3. To lay hold on eternal life, is to have our thoughts fixed and intent upon eternal life. 2 Pet. 3.12. Looking for and hastening unto the coming of the day of God. 2 Cor. 4.18. We look not to the things which are seen, but to the things which are not seen. We ought to have our hearts taken up much with the contemplation of the things of the invisible world. Though it be but a little of the glory of heaven and the blessedness of eternal life that we can apprehend, yet something we may understand of it, as the Word hath revealed it. The Word gives us some glimpses of the heavenly state: the Word tells us, that we shall be present with the Lord. 2 Cor. 5. Absent from the body, and present with the Lord. The Word tells us, that we shall be ever with the Lord, 1 Thess. 4.17. The Word tells us, we shall see God, Matth. 5.8. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. The Word tells us, we shall be like him, 1 Joh. 3.2. The Word tells us, that our vile bodies shall be made like unto his glorious body, Phil. 3.21. The Word tells us, that all tears shall be wiped away from our eyes, Rev. 21.4. and that everlasting joy shall be upon our heads, Isai. 35.10. These things, and much more, doth the Scripture speak of the glory of the future life. Now our thoughts and meditations should work on these things. He that hath a fair inheritance left him, will be willing some time or other to go to see it: we have the heavenly inheritance given to us, an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, 
1 Pet. 1.4.  and that fadeth not away, reserved in the heavens for us. Now since there is so great an inheritance reserved for us, we should not slight it, but be willing, as often as may be, to take a prospect of it by faith. Nothing is so sweet as the contemplation of eternal things: the contemplation of eternal things is much more sweet than the highest enjoyment of present sensible things. Eternal things satisfy and quiet the mind; no temporal thing can do it: let us then lay hold on eternal life in this sense: let us keep our thoughts fixed and intent upon it.  
4. To lay hold on eternal life, it is to pursue after it in our endeavours. As the bent and tendency of our affections should lie towards eternal life, so we should pursue after it in our endeavours. Lay hold on eternal life. 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  The Greek word signifies to pursue after a thing, and in pursuing after it, to apprehend and take hold of it. The main scope of our endeavours should be to attain eternal life: all our endeavours should run out that way, that we may attain eternal life. We should never think that we can pray too much, that we can believe in Christ too much, that we can love God too much, that we can be too much in obedience and holy walking, so we may but attain eternal life in the end. Rom. 2.7. To them who by patiented continuance in well doing seek for glory, and honour, and immortality, eternal life. The meaning is: God will certainly give and bestow eternal life on them who by a patiented continuance in well doing seek for it. But we may not mistake here; we ought not to think that God gives us eternal life upon the account of the merit of any thing that we do; it is the righteousness and obedience of Christ only, that gives us a right and a title to eternal life. But thus we are to conceive of it: This is the race and course that God hath appointed us to run; God hath appointed us to run this course and race of faith and obedience here on earth, that so we may come to eternal life in the end. Hence is that of Paul, 2 Tim. 4.7, 8. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. What then? Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. Certainly Paul did not expect eternal life upon the merit of his obedience, or of his services; but Paul knew that God had appointed him such a course of obedience to run here on earth; and his course being finished, he knew that God would be faithful to give him the Crown. God hath propounded and set before us the Crown of eternal life: it becomes us to pursue after this Crown with our uttermost endeavours, that we may attain it. Rev. 2.10. Be thou faithful to the death, and I will give thee the crown of life. O how sweet, how unexpressibly sweet will it be, to be sure of eternal life when this natural life fails! If we b● faithful to the death, we shall then have the crown of life: that is, If we persevere in a way of faith and obedience to the end, we shall have the crown of eternal life and immortality set upon our heads, when this short life doth expire. Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the crown of life: it is as much as if Christ had said, I will give thee eternal life, when this natural life is at end.  
5. To lay hold on eternal life, it is to live much in the hope and expectation of eternal life. Titus 1.2. In hope of eternal life, which God that cannot lie promised before the world began. Rom. 5.2. We rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. The main of our hopes should not lie in this world, we should not fancy to ourselves, and expect an happiness here on earth: but our great hope should be above; we should cast anchor within the veil, 
Heb. 6.19.  expect happiness in what is to be enjoyed on the other side of time. If the main of our hopes and expectation be in this life, we and our hopes are like to perish together: for we ourselves must die, and the things we hope for, and make account of as our happiness, they must die and perish: it is good therefore to have such an hope as will not fail us, nor deceive us. If we look for the main of our happiness, yea our only true happiness in the next world, not in this world; this is such a hope as will never deceive us. A man that hath fixed his hopes in eternal things, when he hath lost any temporal thing, the main of his happiness is still where it was: his hopes and expectations were carried above this world, and therefore whatsoever his losses and disappointments were here on earth, this doth not shake his happiness: his happiness was placed elsewhere before, and he is at the same point still.  
6. To lay hold on eternal life, it is, not to suffer the comfort of eternal life to be wrested from us. As we ought to live much in the hope and expectation of eternal life; so we ought to take comfort in the hope and expectation of eternal life. Rom. 12.12. Rejoicing in hope. As we ought to hope for eternal life; so we ought to rejoice in the hope of eternal life. I conceive that much of the force of the Text lies here: Lay hold on eternal life unto which thou art called, and hast made a good profession before many witnesses. It is as much as if the Apostle had said, Thou hast a true and an undoubted title to eternal life, thou hast a firm sure title to eternal life; thy vocation and calling as a Christian, ●ntitles thee to eternal life: Lay hold on eternal life, unto which thou art called: that eminent profession of faith which thou hast made as a Christian, and as a Minister, both in thy life and doctrine; this gives an evidence and proof of thy right and title to eternal life. Now this is the force of the Apostles argument: Since thou hast so firm a title to eternal life, lay claim to it as thy own; live in the hope and comfort of it, and do not suffer the comfort of eternal life to be wrested from thee. Much of the meaning of the Text seems to be contained in this. The Greek word, as it signifies to pursue after a thing, so also to hold it fast, and retain it when once we have gotten it. So that the design of the Apostle is to persuade Timothy to hold firm and fast the hope of eternal life; not to part with the hope of salvation upon any terms. Lay hold on eternal life: it is as much as if it had been said, Do not part with thy hopes of salvation and eternal life upon any terms. The steadfast assured hope of salvation, is the great thing that must carry us thorough the difficulties, sufferings, and afflictions of our pilgrimage here on earth. Therefore doth the Apostle exhort the Thessalonians that they would take for an helmet the hope of salvation, 1 Thess. 5.8. Putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and for an helmet the hope of salvation. Intimating thus much, that if they had a well-grounded hope of salvation, this would fortify them against all the afflictions they were to meet with here by the way. Whatever afflictions, sufferings and troubles we meet with here in this world, if we can cast an eye to the heavenly country, and see that we have a part there, all is well above: there is none of those troubles, fears, sorrows, where the main of our hope, happiness, and expectation lies. Therefore let us not part with or let go the comfort of eternal life: if we part with the comfort of eternal life, we lose that which must be the standing comfort of our life: nothing can bear us up under the afflictions of this life, but the solid well-grounded assurance of eternal life.  
Lastly, To lay holy of eternal life, it is to look after the first fruits of the spirit, and to labour after an inchoate possession of eternal life in our souls here on earth. Our Saviour teacheth us, He that eateth his flesh and drinketh his blood hath eternal life. Joh. 6.54. He hath it, that is, he hath it in the beginning of it. And concerning his Sheep, he saith, I give them eternal life, Joh. 10. He speaks in the present tense, what he doth do for the present: I give unto them eternal life. Christ hath already made over eternal life to his people, he hath given them a right and a title to it, and he hath given them the beginning of it in their souls here on earth: it is a great Text, Joh. 4.14. The water that I shall give, shall be a well of water springing up into everlasting life. The plain meaning seems to be, that Grace, and that of the Spirit of God which Christ hath given to his people here on earth, shall never leave them till it hath brought them to eternal life. The Spirit of God that is in the hearts of the Saints, and the Grace of Godwhich is wrought in them, shall nover leave them till it hath brought them to eternal life. Hence it is that the Spirit of God is called the earnest of our inheritance, Eph. 1.14. an earnest is part of the bargain: the Spirit of God that dwells in the hearts of Believers, is an earnost of eternal glory: for what is heaven, but a fuller manifestation of the Spirit of God in us, which manifests and puts itself forth in part in us here on earth? So that so far as we are sensible of the indwelling of the Spirit of God, and the operation of it in our souls; so far we have an carnest of eternal glory. This is that water which shall be a well of water springing up into everlasting life. We should labour therefore to be sensible of the indwelling of the Spirit, and of the operation of the Spirit of God in us, in a way of grace and of comfort. In this sense we should lay hold of eternal life; that is, we should be earnestly pressing and making after it in our own souls: we should pray earnestly that God would let down more of eternal life into our souls here on earth: As he once said, Lord come down to me, or take me up to thee. We should pray that eternal life may come down more into our souls here on earth: This should be the highest ambition of a Christian, to perceive and feel more of the dawnings & puttings forth of eternal life in his soul here on earth. It is not impossible for us to perceive and feel the dawnings and puttings forth of eternal life in our souls here on earth; and this is that we should earnestly pray for. Someof the last words of Mr. Rutherford were these: Glory, glory, dwells in Emmanuels' land. We should pray for the clearest sights and prospects that may be of the heavenly glory: The clearer sights we can get of eternal things, the more shall we find our hearts crucified to the things of time, and the more shall we find our hearts carried up aloft to those things that are above, even whilst we are fain to use these other things for our present necessity.  
We come now to the Reasons of the Doctrine, why we ought to lay hold on eternal life.  
Reason 1 1. This life is a short transient thing it soon glides and slips away. How soon do we pass from one state to another? from infancy to childhood, from thence to youth, thence to grown age, and from thence to old age and death? My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, Job 7.6. Swifter than a post they go away, Job 9.25. This life is a vanishing thing: it is an easy prospect to see to the end of it: the longest life here on earth is nothing to eternity: Therefore, since this life is so shppery, short and uncertain, it is our great wisdom to set our hearts upon that life that is solid, durable, permanent: What wisdom is it to set our hearts upon that which is not perminent? We have here no continuing city, Heb. 13.14. Thsi life is madeup of changes and vicissitudes, and abides in no consistency; it is our great concernment to mind that life which is stable and enduring.  
Reason 2 2. Eternal life is that state that we must rest and abide in. That life which we shall live in the other world, will always stick and abide by us; as we are then, we shall ever be. It is not so with us now; we are not now, as we shall ever be: we are still changing from one state to another. But eternal life is that state we shall always rest and abide in. When once we are entered into eternal life, we may say, It shall never be otherwise with me, than now it is: this is the state I must take up with, and thus it shall be for ever. Now doth it not become us to be reaching out in our souls after this state? Certainly we ought to overlook this life, and the whole of our time, as a little short thing; and fasten our eyes upon the unchangeable state above, where we must six and abide for ever. We look not to the things that are seen, for they are temporal; but to the things which are not seen, for they are eternal, 2 Cor. 4.18.  
Reason 3 3. Eternal life is the only true life, it is the most noble and excellent life. What a poor life is this life, to converse with this world, and the things of it, in comparison of eternal life, in which we shall converse with God and the holy Angels? What a poor life is this life, which is made up of wants, of sorrows, of complaints, of miseries, of distresses, of he constant fear and expection of death; in comparison of that life, where there is all joy, no sorrow; all fullness, no want; all satisfaction, no complaint; all happiness, no misery; all life, no death, nor fear of death? Oh this is the life that we should be suspiring and breathing after.  
Reason 4 4. We ought to lay hold on eternal life, because the thoughts and expection of eternal life will carry us up above the difficulties, troubles and afflictions of this life. He that seethe the Port before him, though he be out at Sea, and is tossed with waves and tmepests, yet he knows, if he can get safe to the Port, all is quiet, placid, and serene there. He that hatha prospect (by the eye of Faith) of eternal life, and the heavenly Country, though he be tossed up and down with many afflictions, trials and distresses here, yet he knows all is tranquil and serene above. Ibi nulla mors, nulla aegritudo. There is no sickness, no death. The thoughts of eternal life may well swallow up all our afflictions: This life is but for a moment, in eternal life there shall be none of these things to trouble or disquiet us. Let us wait patiently for the blessed hope, and the revelation of eternal life, and we shall know these sorrows no more.  
Reason 5 5. If we lay hold on eternal life, death will be no surprise or terror to us: when this life fails, we shall have another life in view; nay, we shall feel the beginningso f another life in us. This is eternal life; to know thee, etc. Joh. 7.3. So much as we know God, adhere to him, rest in him, live upon him, and are satisfied with him; we have the beginning of eternal life, and this is such a life as shall never end. That natural life which is in a Saint fails, and must have anend. Oh! but there is in his soul the seed of eternal life. Joh. 4.14. The water that I shall give, shall be in him a well of water springing up to everlasting life. A true Believer hath the Spirit of God, an the grace of the Spirit dwelling in him; and this is the seed o eternal life: The Spirit of God which hath beg●● the knowledge of God and love to God in the soul of a Saint here on earth, will continue that knowledge of God and love to God in the soul to eternity; yea, in eternal life, this knowledge, this love shall be perfected and consummated. Hence is that of the Apostle, Rom. 8.10. The body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is life because of righteousness. The body dies, and the life of it perisheth and vanisheth away; but the spirit, the soul of a Saint, which is the seat of Grace, and the habitation of the Spirit of God, continueth and lives when the life of the body ceaseth. If the soul should die with the body, than grace itself must be extinct and perish: But (saith the Apostle) the spirit is life because of righteousness. The spirit of a godly man having a principle of righteousness in it, continueth in being; and the spiritual life of it remains, when the body dies. It is true, the soul of a wicked man is immortal, and continues to live when his body dyeth; but the life which remains to a wicked man after this life, being a life of misery and torment, the Scripture chooseth to call it by the name of death rather than of life: But a godly man enjoys an happy and a blessed life in his soul when this life ceaseth: Hence is it that we read of the spirits of just men made perfect, Heb. 12.23. And Paul desired to be dissolved, and to be with christ, which was far better, Phil. 1.23. Now when we feel such a life in us as cannot expire, neither can be taken away from us, why should we fear death? Luther observes, that the great cause why men fear death, is a secret suspicion that lies at the bottom of their hearts, Quasi non semper victuri; as if they should not live always. If I am sure to live, why do I fear death? If we lay hold on eternal life, and find the beginnings of that life in our souls, we have that life set up in us which cannot expire. Joh. 6.44. He that eats my flesh, and drinks my blood; hath eternal life. How can that be lost which is eternal? that which is eternal cannot be lost. It is a great skill to be able to distinguish between this natural life which we live in common with other men, and that spiritual life which we live as Christians. The natural life of a Saint is subject to death as other men's is, although the curse of it be taken away; but there is a life in a Saint, and that is the life which he lives in, and by the Spirit of God: and this is such a life as cannot be extinguished. We should labour for that spiritual skill, as to be able to distinguish between these two kinds of life; and not be without hope as other men, when this natural life ceaseth; we should remember there is a life in us that cannot die. If we have begun to know God, to love God, to live upon him, and to live to him here on earth; we shall not cease to know him, to love him, to live upon him, to live to him in eternity, and to eternity.  
Use 1 1. We come now to the Uses of this Doctrine; and there are only two that we shall make of it. The first Use shall be of Reprehension. If we ought to lay hold on eternal life, two things are hence to be reprehended.  
1. That we are so much taken up in following this world, and in the pursuit of temporal things.  
2. That we are so much addicted to the love of this life.  
I. We are to be reprehended, that we are so much taken up in following this world, and in the pursuit of temporal things. Lay hold on eternal life: If we ought to lay hold on eternal life, than we ought to live above the world, and contemn it. The eager pursuit of this world is most contrary to our laying hold on eternal life. We cannot pursue two things at once; while we are pursuing hard after the world, we must needs let Heaven and Salvation go. The greatest part of men think not on eternal things; they live as if they were always to live here on earth: they never think of a future state, nor do they provide for it. But if we ought to lay hold of eternal life; if that aught to be the mark and scope in our eye, that shows that we are far wide of that which ought to be our true mark and scope; when we are wholly taken up with temporal things, and neglect eternal.  
II. We are to be reprehended, that we are so much addicted to the love of this life. We are commanded to love eternal life, and to lay hold on that, but we are found of this life, and loath to part with it. He is a rare soul, that is satisfied with life here on earth, and hath such an apprehension of the reality and excellency of eternal life, that this life groweth out of esteem with him. I grant that this natural life is a blessing, as other temporal blessings are; but as it is possible for us to love other things too much; so it is possible, yea, too common to love this life too much; and it is the wisdom of God to embitter this life to us by many afflictions, because we are so fond of it; and that he may weary us out of it, and cause us to long for that which is the true life. Vita longa, long a infirmitas; a long life is a long infirmity; and we may add, Longa tentatio, a long temptation. What is our whole life, but a life of trials and temptations? It is true, we may value and prize life for these two ends.  
1. To work out our Salvation, to make ready for the coming of the Bridegroom  
2. That we may do some work and service for God; that we may glorify him upon the earth, and finish the work that he hath given us to do. But to be overfond of this life merely for life's sake, is a certain sign of unbelief: It is a sign we have little knowledge of another life, little acquaintance with eternal life. Had we a prospect by faith of a better and more excellent life, we should not be so over fond of this life.  
Use 2 2. By way of Exhortation; to exhort us all to put the duty of the Text in practice. Let us labour to lay hold on eternal life. Oh! let us labour to call up our hearts from visible things to invisible, from present things to future, from momentary things to eternal: the things of the other world are never the less real, because they are out of sight. Atheists think that eternal life and all future things are but a fiction; but we may use to them that Speech of Cyprian: 
In aeternam poenam serò tandem credent, qui in aeternam vitam credere noluerunt. Cyprian.  They shall believe too late to their eternal torment, who would not believe to eternal life. But let Atheists and Scoffers say what they please; we do know, or aught to know, that eternal life is the greatest reality. God that cannot lie, hath promised us eternal life, Titus 1.2. The great promise of the Gospel is eternal life. 1 Joh. 2.25. This is the promise that he hath given to us, eternal life. Unless we make God to be a liar, we must take eternal life for the greatest reality. In the prosecution of this Use, I shall only propound some Directions for the better putting in practice of this duty, to show us how we ought to lay hold of eternal life.  
1. Let us have great and admiring thoughts of eternal life: We should labour to have our hearts raised up with the consideration of the excellency of this life. 
Quanta erit illa faelicitas, ubi nullum erit malum, nullum latebit bonum? Aug. Civit. Dei.  How great shall that happiness be, where there shall be no evil present, and no good shall be wanting? where we shall be wholly taken up in the praises of God, and God shall be all in all; we shall see and love, love and praise, as Austin expresseth it. This natural life which now we live, is not worth the name of life in comparison of eternal life: nay, it deserves to be called a death, rather than a life; for we always carry about sin with us, which is the matter & cause of death. But in eternal life we shall not only be free from sorrow, but from sin the cause of sorrow; yea, we shall be free from the possibility of sinning. Man's first happiness in the state of Innocence, was posse non peccare, a power not to have sinned: His last happiness in Heaven, is non posse peccare, not to be able to sin at all: Though man in his first estate was endowed with such a power that he might not have sinned; yet it was possible for him to sin, and he did sin: but in eternal life, the will shall be so confirmed, as that there shall not be a possibility of sinning. Oh! how great will that happiness be, when the soul shall enjoy the sweetness of eternal joys without intermission? when the soul shall forget all its sins and sorrows, as to any sense or experience of them; yet not so as to be unthankful to him, who hath been its Saviour and Deliverer.  
2. We should breathe, long, and suspire after eternal life. We should elevate and lift up our hearts abovetime and this lower world, & breathe after the sweetness and delights of the Heavenly Country. Those breathe that are in the hearts of the Saints after eternal things, 
Cum sitimus res coelestes, tum sentimus perpetuò aliquid gaudii & voluptatis. Roloc. in Joh.  give them some taste of those things: When we thirst after heavenly things, saith a judicious Divine, we do always perceive and experiment something of joy and sweetness. Those breathe that are in the hearts of the Saints after eternal life, are some of the first fruits of the Spirit. Rom. 8.22. We ourselves which have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our bodies. Other men feel no such long and breathe as these are: for although there be a natural instinct in all men which carries them out to desire happiness, yet none but the Saints long and breathe after the enjoyment of God as their happiness. Therefore so far as we find a thirst kindled in our souls after the sight and enjoyment of God in eternal life, so far we have an earnest of eternal life in our souls. How great a thing should it be to us, to be admitted to the sight of the Divine Majesty! to be taken up from the light of the Sun and Moon, to the light of him who made the Sun and the Moon; as Austin expresseth it. It is a good observation of Luther: How much joy is there when God doth exhibit by the Word one drop of consolation to such as are tempted and afflicted in conscience! but far greater and unexpressible will that joy be, when the God of all consolation shall reveal himself, and shall wholly pour himself forth unto us in eternal life. How should we breathe after this life?  
Thirdly, let us place our happiness, and expect it not where, but in eternal life. We should carry our hope and expectation above this world; and never expect to find happiness, 
Ipse finis erit desideriorum nostorum, qui sins fine videhitur, sine fastidio amabitur, sine fatigatione landabitur. Aug.  until we come to live with God in eternal life. He shall be the end of our desires, who shall be seen without end, loved without nauseousness praised without wearisomeness. This is life eternal, etc. It is a vain thing to expect happiness until we come to see God, and to live with him in his eternity. If the Lord make our passage in any measure tolerable thorough this world, this is a mercy: if he give us any comfort in outward things in this world, these are mercies, so far as he is seen and loved in them: otherwise, the best comforts here on earth are pitiful things: for what can be truly good, from which the chief good is absent? Deus est omnis boni bonum; God is the good of every good; and nothing is good, but as he appears in it. But we ought to remember, that our true and great happiness is to live in the Divine presence above, and to have the sight of God to eternity. And it is not possible that any soul that hath had one glimpse, or one true taste of him, should think any thing to be happiness short of that sight. This therefore is to lay hold of eternal life, to keep our spirits aloof off from the world as much as may be, and to keep our spirits reserved for the enjoyment of God in eternal life. The enjoyment of God in eternal life, is the point and centre that we should be moving and tending unto. When the Lord gives us any of the comforts and blessings of this life; when he gives us estates, friends, the comfort of relations; we should say, These are the gifts of God, and so far they are good; but these are not my happiness: my happiness is God himself; my happiness is to see him, and to live with him in his eternity. Here should our desires rest and terminate: and though we desire and use many things for necessity in the present state, yet our desire and expectation should be still carried above these things, and end not where but in the enjoyment of God. 
Quis alius noster est finis, nisi pervenire ad regnum cujus nullus est finis? Aug.  What other end have we, but to come to that kingdom, of which there is no end?  
Fourthly, we should labour to be in a readiness and preparedness of spirit to enter upon eternal life. 2 Pet. 3.14. Be diligent, that ye may be found of him in peace without spot and blame. Our ambition should be, to be found in such a posture, and to keep our souls in such an holy evenness, as that nothing may impede or hinder our free passage out of Time into Eternity. We should labour to keep our Consciences pure. We should see that the guilt of no sin remain upon our Conscience, unpardoned, unrepented of. We should see that our affections be not entangled with the inordinate love of lawful things, much less with the love of any sin. We should labour to have our hearts fortified with a steadfast belief of the things God hath promised us in the other world: the weakness of our faith in believing the things promised, makes us very unfit for the enjoyment of eternal life. We should often contemplate eternal life, we should be thinking of it night & day: all the comforts that we enjoy, all the necessary employments we are engaged in, should not take us off from the frequent meditation of eternal life. What so necessary to be thought of, as that state, which when once it is begun, shall never have an end? This whole life is but like one long dream, in comparison of eternal life. Oh! let us not forget eternal life, but be still preparing and making ready for it.  
Fifthly, we should not take up, or rest satisfied with what we have already attained in grace; but press forward toward that which lies before us, and is yet wanting to us. This is the direction the Apostle gives us from his own example, Phil. 3.13. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Paul's aim and scope was to obtain the prize: what prize was that? the prize of eternal glory. This is all one as to lay hold on eternal life. How would he do this? what course doth he take to attain this? He forgets the things that are behind, and reacheth forth toward the things that are before. What are the things that are behind? The progresses he had already made in Christianity, his former attainments in grace. He had some knowledge of Christ, some love to Christ, some assurance of Christ's love to him; he had done some service for Christ: Paul forgets these things; and what then? He presseth after those things that are before. What is that? He presseth after that knowledge, that love, that obedience, that conformity to Christ, which he had not attained to. When we have attained most grace, most knowledge, most experience; yet there is more still to be attained. Now we should 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, be stretching forth, (an emphatical word) reaching forth, stretching forward, extending ourselves: do as Racers do when they are come near the mark, stretch forth themselves to reach the mark, and touch the gold. So should we be aspiring and breathing to come to as great a propinquity and nearness in our spirits in point of grace, to the future life, and the future state, as may be here on earth. We should strain hard to get as great a sutableness and conformity to the future life as may be.  
Sixthly, we should pray that we may be in such a frame, as that we may be willing to leave this world, and to part with this life, that we may go to live with God in eternal life. We should be willing and content to live while God would have us live, and while he hath any work for us to do: but when our work is done, and the Lord calls for us, we should not be so fond of this world, and of this life, but we should be willing to relinquish the one and the other, to go to live with God in his eternity. What can be to us that which God will be to us? Do we find comfort in meat, in drink, in raiment, in friends, in riches, in honours? God will be much more to us. 
Quaecunque ab hominibus honesty desider a●tur, etc. Aug.  Whatsoever may lawfully or honestly be desired by men, God will be that to us. He will be life, health, sustenance, abundance, glory, honour, peace, and all good things. What good can there be wanting in him, from whom every thing that is good doth proceed? Whatsoever is sweet, amiable, pleasant, delectable in the creature, it all proceeds originally from God; and therefore he must needs be much more sweet, amiable, pleasant, delectable in himself. Quod efficit tale, est magis tale: That which makes a thing to be what it is, is much more so in itself. It is an elegant passage I have met with in Austin: 
Pulcra trajecta per animas in manus artificiosas veniunt, ab illa pulchritudine quae est super animas, cui suspirat aanima mea die ac nocte. Aug.  Those beauties which are transmitted and brought down through the souls or minds of men into artificial hands, and by them are drawn forth, come from that beauty which is above souls; unto which beauty my soul (saith he) suspires and breathes day and night. Our souls should suspire day and night after the sight of our Maker, who is the first and most excellent beauty; Pulchrum pulchrorum omnium; The beauty of all other beauties, as Augustine's expression is. It is a speech which one of the Ancients hath: There are some who are still panting and breathing after the sight of their Maker, 
Sunt nonnulli qui in solo Conditoris sui desiderio anhelant, nil jam in hoc mundo cupiunt, solo aeternitatis amore pascuntur.  and have no desire in comparison but that; they covet nothing in this world, but are fed with the sole love of eternity. We should labour to be of this number; our souls should pant and breathe in constant ardent desires after the sight and enjoyment of our Maker: it is the sight of him must make us happy to Eternity: and if so, we should not be unwilling (when he calls us) to leave these Glow-worm comforts here below, to behold the face of the eternal Sun, the presence of whom will make an eternal day in our souls, and no night shall succeed.  
FINIS.