I come now to a second motive, to stir us up to look after heavenly treasure, and not immoderately to love the world, and worldly vanities, because we are pilgrims here, and therefore must leave them in our passage, so we are Citizens of heaven, the new Jerusalem: the Apostle saith, we having through Christ an entrance unto the father by one spirit, are now no more strangers and foreigners, but Citizens with the Saints, and of the household of God: and speaking of Abraham the father of the faithful, he saith, That he abode in the land of promise, as in a strange country, and as one that dwelt in tents, because he looked for a City not made with hands, having a foundation whose builder and maker is God; neither was this peculiar to him alone, but general to all his Children, who followed him in the saith: of whom it is said, that they have here no continuing City, but seek one to come, Heb. 11. 6, 9, 10. And the reason is apparent, for we are Citizens, and subjects of that Kingdom, whereof our Lord Jesus Christ is King, but he himself hath plainly told us, that his kingdom is not of this world, but that he ⟨p. 39⟩reigneth and ruleth in that kingdom of eternal glory: and therefore whosoever are subjects unto him, they cannot be free denizens of the world, but Citizens of heaven.
I come now to a second motive, to stir us up to look after heavenly treasure, and not immoderately to love the world, and worldly vanities, because we are pilgrims here, and therefore must leave them in our passage, so we are Citizens of heaven, the new Jerusalem: the Apostle saith, we having through Christ an entrance unto the father by one spirit, are now no more strangers and forreigners, but Citizens with the Saints, and of the houshold of God: and speaking of Abraham the father of the faithful, he saith, That he abode in the land of promise, as in a strange country, and as one that dwelt in tents, because he looked for a City not made with hands, having a foundation whose builder and maker is God; neither was this peculiar to him alone, but general to all his Children, who followed him in the saith: of whom it is said, that they have here no continuing City, but seek one to come, Heb. 11. 6, 9, 10. And the reason is apparent, for we are Citizens, and subjects of that Kingdom, whereof our Lord Iesus Christ is King, but he himself hath plainly told us, that his kingdom is not of this world, but that he ⟨p. 39⟩reigneth and ruleth in that kingdom of eternal glory: and therefore whosoever are subjects unto him, they cannot be frée denizons of the world, but Citizens of heaven.
