SERMON X. PHIL. iii. 20. -Our Converfation is in Heaven. T HIS to the Philippians is the most ardent, affectionate, and, if I may fo fpeak, inflamed Epiftle which has been left us by St. Paul, who, in Zeal and Labour, was the greatest of the Apostles It is throughout but one continued Expreffion of the warmest Zeal and Affection for the Success of the Gofpel, and the Salvation of Souls, as confequent upon it; of the greatest Neglect and Contempt of all the Enjoyments, and all the Sufferings of this World; and of the most earnest and restless Defires and Longings after the Enjoyments of another. And the whole is written in fo divine and heavenly a Manner, that it seems impoffible to read and perufe it diligently, without being affected and warmed by it; without feeling more of the Spirit and Devotion of the Apostle, than any Man can exprefs; and without being, in fome Meafure, like Saul among the Prophets of the Old Tefta M 4 ment; ment; who no fooner heard their Converfation and Prophecies but he became a Prophet too. It was written by St. Paul when he was in Bonds, and fuffering Perfecution for the Cross of Chrift; and as he knew not but those Sufferings might bring him to his Grave, they therefore inspired him with fresh Vigour and Life in his Labours, by giving him a nearer Profpect of Heaven. And the Defign of the Epiftle in general is plainly to of fer his own Example to the Philippians, as a Pattern for them to walk by; and to prefs upon them an Imitation of that Zeal, and Love, and Joy in the Gospel, which they had feen fo eminent in him, and of that Heavenly-Mindedness which he here fo pathetically breathes out to them. Thofe Things, fays he, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and feen in me, do; and the God of Peace fhall be with you. And fo in the Paffage of which the Text is a Part, Brethren, fays he, be Followers together of me, and mark them which walk fo, as ye have us for an Enfample; for our Converfation is in Hea ven. The Use that I fhall at prefent make of thefe Words of the Apostle is to confider, I. What is to be understood by having our II. What would be the happy Effects of I. The first Thing to be confidered is, what is to be understood by having our Converfation in Heaven. Under which Expreffion, I conceive, is fignified our having 1. A Knowledge and Belief of it. 2. An Hope in it. 3. Frequent and serious Meditations upon it. 4. Earnest Longings and Defires of it. And 5. Our living in fuch a Manner as will best prepare us for it. All this is plainly implied in this Expreffion; and all this was the constant Practice of our holy Apostle, who herein recommends his own Example to us, as worthy of our Imitation. 1. The first and loweft Sense which can be put upon these Words is, that they imply our having fome Knowlege of, and Belief in, the Happiness of Heaven. For we can in no Senfe be faid to converfe with those, to whom we are entirely and abfolutely Strangers; or to bave our Converfation in a Place which we neither know nor believe does exift. And therefore, before we can be faid to have our Converfation in Heaven, we must first be fully convinced that fuch a Place awaits us; muft first know and be affured, that a future Happiness is there prepared for us, before we shall employ fo much Care and Solicitude about it, as this Expreffion will appear to imply. He that cometh to God, fays the Apostle, must firft believe that he is; and he that will converfe in Heaven must first believe, that he may come thither: And must know, and be fatisfied, that his Redeemer liveth; and that though after his Skin Worms deftroy his Body, yet in his Flesh be fhall fee God. Nor is it enough barely to believe this, we must likewise 2dly, Have fome Hope of enjoying it, before we fhall be able to converfe with fuch Subjects. Our Belief that there is fuch a Place, and that the Happiness of it is ever so complete and perfect, will very little affect us, unless we can likewife confider ourselves as concerned in it. Our own Happiness is one great End for which we were formed; the Creator has interwoven the Defire of it into our very Make and Constitution; and the Pursuit of it, if rightly understood, is every Man's Duty, in all the Actions of his Life. We shall therefore pursue Heaven with very little Application, unless we are first filled with Expectations of enjoying the Glories of it. Our Converfation there muft be founded in, and derived from, the joyful Hopes and Expectation of its Blifs; and it will not be enough to engage our Affections to believe what is written in the Law and the Prophets; unless unless we likewife have Hope towards God, and can rejoice in Hope of enjoying that Glory of God, which, at the great Day of Retribution Shall be revealed to ourselves: And therefore I have mentioned this Hope, as the fecond Particular to be understood by our having a Converfation in Heaven. But nevertheless, as this Hope, and the Faith and Knowledge before-mentioned are rather Things implied by that Conversation than Parts of it, I therefore haften to what is more particularly the Subject of this Difcourfe, namely, 3dly, Our having ferious and frequent Meditations upon it. This is what the Apostle must neceffarily and directly mean by having our Converfation in Heaven. For, to converfe in Heaven is to retire from the World, and the Concerns of it, and to raise ourselves by devout Contemplations into the Prefence of God. 'Tis to fix our Thoughts with Attention and Serioufness on the Lamb who there fits upon the Throne for ever and ever; and diftinctly to furvey, as far as the Powers of Man can do, the many Glories that surround him. 'Tis to confider how happy they must needs be, who fhall be admitted to the Sight of the Author of all Perfection, and be made to partake of his Glories, who is the Fountain of all Glory and Happiness. 'Tis to remember that every Defect will here be fupplied, every Defire fatisfied; and to make ourfelves |