Now take some instances of this, That this is proper to Gods children to count the world a strange place, and Heaven to be their home. Those that had the best right, and the greatest possessions here, they will do so. Those that had the greatest Right. Heb. 11. 9. Abraham sojourned ⟨p. 115⟩in the land of promise, as in a strange country. What right could there be greater, than that which was demised and made over to him by God? yet in the Land of promise he lived as in a strange place. So David here, and in other places, that had so ample a possession, he was King over an opulent and flourishing Kingdom, yet Psal. 39. 12. I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner, as all my fathers were. Not only he that was a wandering Partridge, and flitted up and down; but David that was settled in a Throne, he that was so powerful and victorious a Prince. But you will say, possibly David might speak this when he was chased like a Flea upon the Mountains, when he was hunted to and fro like a Partridge; no, but when he had peace, and was fully settled in the Throne; when he could offer so many Cart-loads of gold and silver, 2 Chron. 29. 13. then he doth acknowledge, Lord, I am a stranger. Jesus Christ, who was Lord Paramount, he tells us, I am not of this world, Joh. 17. 14. He was a stranger to his brethren, and an alien among his mothers children, Psal. 69. 8. He that was Lord of all, had neither house nor home; He passed through the world to sanctify it for a place of service; but his heart and constant residence was not here, to fix it as in a place of rest. And so all that are Christs, have the Spirit of Christ, and say as David in the Text, I am a stranger upon earth. We do not dwell upon earth, but only pass through it.
Now take some instances of this, That this is proper to Gods children to count the world a strange place, and Heaven to be their home. Those that had the best right, and the greatest possessions here, they will do so. Those that had the greatest Right. Heb. 11. 9. Abraham sojourned ⟨p. 115⟩in the land of promise, as in a strange countrey. What right could there be greater, than that which was demised and made over to him by God? yet in the Land of promise he lived as in a strange place. So David here, and in other places, that had so ample a possession, he was King over an opulent and flourishing Kingdom, yet Psal. 39. 12. I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner, as all my fathers were. Not only he that was a wandring Partridg, and flitted up and down; but David that was setled in a Throne, he that was so powerful and victorious a Prince. But you will say, possibly David might speak this when he was chased like a Flea upon the Mountains, when he was hunted to and fro like a Patridg; no, but when he had peace, and was fully setled in the Throne; when he could offer so many Cart-loads of gold and silver, 2 Chron. 29. 13. then he doth acknowledg, Lord, I am a stranger. Jesus Christ, who was Lord Paramount, he tells us, I am not of this world, Joh. 17. 14. He was a stranger to his brethren, and an alien among his mothers children, Psal. 69. 8. He that was Lord of all, had neither house nor home; He passed through the world to sanctifie it for a place of service; but his heart and constant residence was not here, to fix it as in a place of rest. And so all that are Christs, have the Spirit of Christ, and say as David in the Text, I am a stranger upon earth. We do not dwell upon earth, but only pass through it.
