N01109:126
Meditations on death. Delivered in several sermons, wherein is showed; I. That some true believers on Christ are afraid of death, but that they have no just cause to be so. II. That good men as well as others may be taken out of the world by a sudden death. III. That not earth but heaven is the Christians home. / By Increase Mather, D.D. ; [Two lines from Hebrews]Meditations on death. Delivered in several sermons, wherein is shewed; I. That some true believers on Christ are afraid of death, but that they have no just cause to be so. II. That good men as well as others may be taken out of the world by a sudden death. III. That not earth but heaven is the Christians home. / By Increase Mather, D.D. ; [Two lines from Hebrews]
printed by Timothy Green, 1707
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Three Propositions are Contained in the Doctrine.
That the Servants of God are Strangers and Sojourners on the Earth.
For,
1. Not the Earth, but Heaven is the Country they belong unto. And that indeed is the difference between the Servants of God and other men in the world. All other men are but Sojourners on the Earth; they are not at their long Home. But they can't say, that Heaven is their Country to which they do belong, and to which they are going. But this is that which the Children of God may truly say. Their Hearts are there, their Treasure is there, and all their Desires centre there▪ 'Tis said of the holy ⟨p. 115⟩••tria•ks, Heb. 11.16. They sought a ••tter Country, that is an Heavenly one. •nd this is Evident from Several things.
1. Not the Earth, but Heaven is the Countrey they belong unto. And that indeed is the difference between the Servants of God and other men in the world. All other men are but Sojourners on the Earth; they are not at their long Home. But they can't say, that Heaven is their Countrey to which they do belong, and to which they are going. But this is that which the Children of God may truly say. Their Hearts are there, their Treasure is there, and all their Desires center there▪ 'Tis said of the holy ⟨p. 115⟩••tria•ks, Heb. 11.16. They sought a ••tter Countrey, that is an Heavenly one. •nd this is Evident from Several •hings.
1. In that Heaven is their Fathers •ouse. Heaven is compared unto an •ouse: We have an House Eternal in […] Heavens. And it is Gods House. Christ said unto the Disciples, Joh. 4.2. In my Fathers House there •re many Mansions. He is called, •ur Heavenly Father. Heaven is •is Dwelling-place. Now where […] mans Father dwells, that is the Country, that is the Home to which he does belong. Ubi Pater […] Patria. Thus it is as to the Children of God. If it should be asked, whither they are going? The answer must be, the• are going home, they are •oing to their Fathers House, to their •wn Country. And if it be asked •here is that? The answer must be, […] is Heaven; they are going thither •very day.
1. In that Heaven is their Fathers •ouse. Heaven is compared unto an •ouse: We have an House Eternal in 〈…〉 Heavens. And it is Gods House. •hrist said unto the Disciples, Joh. 4.2. In my Fathers House there •re many Mansions. He is called, •ur Heavenly Father. Heaven is •is Dwelling-place. Now where 〈…〉 mans Father dwells, that is the Countrey, that is the Home to which he does belong. Ubi Pater 〈…〉 Patria. Thus it is as to the Children of God. If it should be asked, whither they are going? The answer must be, the• are going home, they are oing to their Fathers House, to their wn Countrey. And if it be asked here is that? The answer must be, is Heaven; they are going thither very day.
2. As for the Children of God they […] Born from Heaven. And then they ⟨p. 116⟩have an High Birth indeed. The Greatest man in the world that is i• an Unregenerate Estate is not so High Born, as they are who are Heaven-Born. A Noble Roman that was put to Death for his Christianity, when some pitied him because of his High Birth, said, It is not the Blood of my Progenitors, but my Christianity that makes me Noble. Gods Children are Born from above, Gal. 4.26. Jerusalem which is above, is the Mother of us all. In the City of Jerusalem there was the Lower Jerusalem and the Upper Jerusalem, called the Jerusalem above, viz. Zion, and that was a Figure of the Church of God, the Mother of all the Faithful▪ Psal. 87.5. Of Zion it shall be said, This and that man, that is every man is Born there. So of the Heavenly Zion, This and that man, every man that belongs to God has been born there. The Natural Birth is on the Earth; but the New Birth is from Heaven. Regenerating Grace does not spring out of the Earth, but comes down from […] ⟨p. 117⟩[…]. As 'tis said of that Grace of spiritual Wisdom, Jam. 3.17. It […] from above. Even so, all the […] of Gods Holy Spirit which contribute to make the New man, […] descend from above. And therefore Believers in going to Heaven, do […] go to their Native Country •hence they are Born.
2. As for the Children of God they 〈…〉 Born from Heaven. And then they ⟨p. 116⟩have an High Birth indeed. The Greatest man in the world that is i• an Unregenerate Estate is not so High Born, as they are who are Heaven-Born. A Noble Roman that was put to Death for his Christianity, when some pityed him because of his High Birth, said, It is not the Blood of my Progenitors, but my Christianity that makes me Noble. Gods Children are Born from above,
3. As for the Children of God the […] part of their Spiritual Kindred […] in Heaven: That then and not the […] is the Country they belong […]. Their Father is there, Mat. 5.•. Your Father which is in Heaven. […] their Elder Brother is there. Our •ord Jesus Christ is the First-born of […] Brethren, and He is ascended […] Heaven. In Luk. 19.12. We •ave a Parable of a Noble man that […] into a far Country to receive […] Kingdom. Our Lord Jesus Christ […] intended by that Noble Man; and •eaven is the far Country: Thither […] He gone to receive a Kingdom. And […] of our Brethren, that are so in a spiritual sense are in Heaven. There ⟨p. 118⟩is not any Godly man in the world but has more Friends, more Spiritual Kindred in Heaven by far than he ha• on Earth. All the Righteous me• that have Dyed since Abel (the […] Righteous man that Dyed) and un•• this day, they are all in Heaven; an• they are the Brethren of Believe•• here on the Earth. Yes, and the […] Angels too who are the Nation• of Heaven, they look on Believers here on the Earth as their Younger Brethren; being Guardians to them the• are very tender of them. Accordingly when John was ready to fall down and worship the Angel, ('tis like […] thought it was not an Angel […] Christ,) Rev. 19.10. he said, Do […]; I am thy Fellow Servant, and of thy Brethren the Prophets. Believers […] on Earth, and the Angels in Heaven▪ have the same Father. God is th• Father of Angels in respect of Creation and Similitude: And He is the Father of Believers in respect of Regeneration & Adoption. The Scripture speaks of the whole […]
4. Their inheritance is in Heaven. The […] they have a right unto is there. • Pet. 1.4▪ An inheritance reserved in •eaven for you. Where a mans Inheritance is, that is his Country. Thus […] is as to Gods Children, in Heaven […] their Inheritance: They have▪ an […] there that can never be taken […] them; Heb▪ 10.34. You took the […] of your Goods joyfully, knowing […] in Heaven you have a better and a […] enduring Substance. Believers […] an Estate there that will endure, […] will never fail. The Richest […] in the world has no Estate comparable to what the meanest Saint has […] another World. All the Riches & […] of Solomon was nothing to what […] intends for His Children; Eph▪ • 18. The Riches of the Glory of His ⟨p. 120⟩Inheritance. They have a Treasur• laid up there, Mat. 6 20. Lay up for your selves Treasure in Heaven. There are but very few of them that have any considerable Treasure here o• Earth, but then a vast Treasure is laid up in Heaven for them: There indeed is their All. Paulinus an Eminent Minister in the City of Nola ▪ when His House was bur•t, and all his Estate taken from him, he looked an• pointed towards Heaven, and said, Ther• is my Estate, there is my All.
4. Their inheritance is in Heaven. The 〈…〉 they have a right unto is there. • Pet. 1.4▪ An inheritance reserved in •eaven for you. Where a mans Inhe••tance is, that is his Countrey. Thus is as to Gods Children, in Heaven their Inheritance: They have an there that can never be taken them; Heb 10.34. You took the of your Goods joyfully, knowing in Heaven you have a better and a ndring Substance. Believers an Estate there that will endure, will never fail. The Richest in the world has no Estate comrable to what the meanest Saint has another World. All the Riches & of Solomon was nothing to what intends for His Children; Eph 18. The Riches of the Glory of His
5. Heaven is the place where they shall abta• longest: Therefore that is their Home, the Country which they belong to. A Sojourner does not abide so long in the Country he passeth through, as in his own Country▪ There is no Comparison between our abode on the Earth, and in tha• World whither we are going. God Promised concerning His People o• Old, 2 Samuel 7.10. That they should have a Place of their Own, out of which they should not be removed. This is fulfilled unto the Elect of God. ⟨p. 121⟩•eaven is a Place of their own: And •is a Place out of which they shall […] be removed. As for their Earth•• Habitations, they must be remo••d out of them never to come into ••em any more: Job 7.10. He shall •urn to his House no more; neither shall […] Place know him any more▪ But as […] their House in Heaven, they shall […] be removed out of that for ever•here they are in Everlasting Habita•••ns, Luk 16.9. When once the Children of God are got home, when once […] are housed in Heaven, there they ••all be to all Eternity. Therefore •avid could say, Psal. 23. ult. Goodness and Mercy shall follow me all my •ayes, and I shall dwell in the House of […] Lord for Ever. Heaven is that •ouse of the Lord in which His Children shall dwell for ever. Thus we […] that not Earth but Heaven is the […] belonging unto the Servants of […]; therefore they are said to be angers here. The Believer may […] this Earth Gershom, (as Mse did […] Son) saying, I am a Stranger in a
2. As for Strangers and Sojourners many times their Dignity and Worth […] not known. Sometimes a Prince do•• Travel Incognito in Foreign Countries and then he is taken to be but a• ordinary man. And thus it is wit• Gods Children, who are like Prince in a Disguise in this world: […] world little knows, little thinks tha• they are persons of such Worth […] Dignity as indeed they are; Psal. 4• 16. Thou makest thy Children to […] Princes in all the Earth. The Children of Christ are Princes in the Earth ▪ A•e, but they are not known to […] such They are thought by the […] not to be as indeed they are; as oft•• ⟨p. 123⟩[…] is with Strangers and Sojourners▪ […] thus it was with our Lord JESUS CHRIST: He was as to His Humane •ature of the Royal Family of Da••d; and Born unto a Crown & Kingdom: Therefore the Wise men said, […]. 2.2. Where is He that is Born […] of the Jews? That they knew ••deed by Divine Revelation: but o••ers did not know it. Christ was […] King Messiah, whom God had pro••sed to send into the world to be […] Saviour of it: The world did […] take Him to be such an one; Joh. • ▪ 10. He was in the world, and the ••rld knew Him not. And the Jews themselves, although' they did expect the ••ming of the Messiah at that very […] that Christ came, yet they did […] know that our Lord Jesus was […]. He came to His own, and His […] received Him not. Nay, some of […] own Relations, some that according to the Flesh were near a-kin to […], yet did not know that He was […] King Messiah which they did exct to come into the world. Therefore
And thus it falls out with the Children of God, they are Strangers in the world on this account, for that the world knows not what they are▪ They are the Adopted Children of God, but the world knows not that they are so. They are Persons of the greatest Worth and Excellency of any ⟨p. 125⟩••at live on the Earth, Psal. 16.3. The […] are the Excellent in the Earth. […] the world does not take them to […] so, because their worth is not that which appears outwardly to a Carnal […]. It is in the Grace which they […] adorned with. The Righteous is […] Excellent than his Neighbour. It […] their Righteousness, their Holiness ••at makes them more Excellent; ••at's invisible, a Carnal Eye can't be••ld it. The Kings Daughter is all […] within. Believers have an eternal Glory, known to the Lord. •hey have not (it may be) Outward Ornaments to set them forth be••re the world, but they have that ornament which is of great Price in […] sight of God; so are they the Excellent in the Earth. The most Wor••y men that have been on this Earth, […] been no more regarded than •••grims in Beggars Clothes would […] been, Heb 11.38. They […] about in Sheep-skins▪ and […]. The poor Servants of God […] were fain to go in Leathern ⟨p. 126⟩Clothes, tis said▪ the world was not worthy of them. This evil world was not worthy that such men should live long in it. The holy Prophets were the worthiest men that lived on the Earth in their Days, and yet the world did despise them, and treat them very unworthily. The world did revile them, and speak all manner of evil of them. The holy Apostles were among the Worthiest of men in the world in their Days, and yet they were not esteemed as such, but were treated as men of no worth; 1 Cor 4.13. We are made the Filth of […] world, and the Off-ring of all things So then they were lke Strangers and Sojourners, whose Worth was no known.
3. As for the Children of God the 〈…〉 part of their Spiritual Kindred 〈…〉 in Heaven: That then and not the 〈…〉 is the Countrey they belong 〈…〉. Their Father is there, Mat. 5.•. Your Father which is in Heaven. 〈…〉 their Elder Brother is there. Our •ord Jesus Christ is the First-born of 〈…〉 Brethren, and He is ascended 〈…〉 Heaven. In Luk. 19.12. We •ave a Parable of a Noble man that 〈…〉 into a far Countrey to receive 〈…〉 Kingdom. Our Lord Jesus Christ 〈…〉 intended by that Noble Man; and •eaven is the far Countrey: Thither 〈…〉 He gone to receive a Kingdom. And 〈…〉 of our Brethren, that are so in a ••iritual sense are in Heaven. There ⟨p. 118⟩is not any Godly man in the worl• but has more Friends, more Spiritua• Kindred in Heaven by far than he ha• on Earth. All the Righteous me• that have Dyed since Abel (the 〈…〉 Righteous man that Dyed) and un•• this day, they are all in Heaven; an• they are the Brethren of Believe•• here on the Earth. Yes, and the 〈…〉 Angels too who are the Nation• of Heaven, they look on Believers here on the Earth as their Younger Brethren; being Guardians to them the• are very tender of them. According•ly when Iohn was ready to fall down and worship the Angel, ('tis like 〈…〉 thought it was not an Angel 〈…〉 Christ,) Rev. 19.10. he said, Do 〈…〉; I am thy Fellow Servant, and of thy Brethren the Prophets. Believers 〈…〉 on Earth, and the Angels in Heaven▪ have the same Father. God is th• Father of Angels in respect of Crea•tion and Similitude: And He is the Father of Believers in respect of Regeneration & Adoption. The Scripture speaks of the whole▪ 〈…〉 ⟨p. 119⟩and on the Earth. It is the same 〈…〉 of God; only those in Hea••n are in 〈…〉 •pper room▪ and those 〈…〉 Earth are ••ill here below▪ So 〈…〉 the greatest part of their Kin••d •s in Heaven: That then is their 〈…〉.
5. Heaven is the place where they shall abta• longest: Therefore that is their Home, the Countrey which they belong to. A Sojourner does not abide so long in the Countrey he passeth through, as in his own Countrey▪ There is no Comparison between our abode on the Earth, and in tha• World whither we are going. God Promised concerning His People o• Old, 2 Samuel 7.10. That they should have a Place of their Own, out of which they should not be removed. This is fulfilled unto the Elect of God. ⟨p. 121⟩•eaven is a Place of their own: And •is a Place out of which they shall 〈…〉 be removed. As for their Earth•• Habitations, they must be remo••d out of them never to come into ••em any more: Job 7.10. He shall •urn to his House no more; neither shall 〈…〉 Place know him any more▪ But as 〈…〉 their House in Heaven, they shall 〈…〉 be removed out of that for ever•here they are in Everlasting Habita•••ns, Luk 16.9. When once the Chil••en of God are got home, when once 〈…〉 are housed in Heaven, there they ••all be to all Eternity. Therefore •avid could say, Psal. 23. ult. Good•ess and Mercy shall follow me all my •ayes, and I shall dwell in the House of 〈…〉 Lord for Ever. Heaven is that •ouse of the Lord in which His Chil••en shall dwell for ever. Thus we 〈…〉 that not Earth but Heaven is the 〈…〉 belonging unto the Servants of 〈…〉; therefore they are said to be •••angers here. The Believer may 〈…〉 this Earth Gershom, (as M•se• did 〈…〉 Son) saying, I am a Stranger in a ⟨p. 122⟩Strange Land. But Heaven is thei• Countrey. It was well replied by one o• the Ancients▪ who when he was threat•ned with Banishment for his Religion You (said he to his Persecutors) can•not Banish me out of my own Countrey Not Earth but Heaven is my Countrey and Banish me out of that if you can▪ You may hasten me to my own Countrey but you can never turn me out of it.
2. As for Strangers and S•j•urners many times their Dignity and Worth 〈…〉 not known. Sometimes a Prince do•• Travel Incognito in Forreign Countrie• and then he is taken to be but a• ordinary man. And thus it is wit• Gods Children, who are like Princ• in a Disguise in this world: 〈…〉 world little knows, little thinks tha• they are persons of such Worth 〈…〉 Dignity as indeed they are; Psal. 4• 16. Thou makest thy Children to 〈…〉 Princes in all the Earth. The Chi••dren of Christ are Princes in the Eart• ▪ A•e, but they are not known to 〈…〉 such They are thought by the 〈…〉 not to be as indeed they are; as oft•• ⟨p. 123⟩〈…〉 is with Strangers and Sojourners▪ 〈…〉 thus it was with our Lord JESUS •HRIST: He was as to His Humane •ature of the Royal Family of Da••d; and Born unto a Crown & King••m: Therefore the Wise men said, 〈…〉. 2.2. Where is He that is Born 〈…〉 of the Iews? That they knew ••deed by Divine Revelation: but o••ers did not know it. Christ was 〈…〉 King Messiah, whom God had pro••sed to send into the world to be 〈…〉 Saviour of it: The world did 〈…〉 take Him to be such an one; Joh. • ▪ 10. He was in the world, and the ••rld knew Him not. And the Iews ••emselves, altho' they did expect the ••ming of the Messiah at that very 〈…〉 that Christ came, yet they did 〈…〉 know that our Lord Jesus was 〈…〉. He came to His own, and His 〈…〉 received Him not. Nay, some of 〈…〉 own Relations, some that accord••g to the Flesh were near a-kin to 〈…〉, yet did not know that He was 〈…〉 King Messiah which they did ex••ct to come into the world. Therefore ⟨p. 124⟩Christ sayes, Psal. 69.8. I am a Stranger to my Brethren, and an Alien to my Mothers Children. Had the world known that He had been such an One as He truly was, they would never have dealt by Him as they did▪ If they had known that He had been the Lord of Glory, they would not have Crucified Him. Our Lord Jesus Christ with respect to His Person is the Eternal Son of God, but there were very few that knew Him to be so, while He was a Stranger and Sojourner on the Earth. The Iews when they saw Him hanging on the Cross, mocked and derided at His being the Son of God, Mat. 27.40▪ He said He was the Son of God, Le• Him come down from the Cross, and we will believe Him. Thus did they mock Him.
And thus it falls out with the Children of God, they are Strangers in the world on this account, for that the world knows not what they are▪ They are the Adopted Children of God, but the world knows not that they are so. They are Persons of the greatest Worth and Excellency of any ⟨p. 125⟩••at live on the Earth, Psal. 16.3. The 〈…〉 are the Excellent in the Earth. 〈…〉 the world does not take them to 〈…〉 so, because their worth is not that •hich appears outwardly to a Carnal 〈…〉. It is in the Grace which they 〈…〉 adorned with. The Righteous is 〈…〉 Excellent than his Neighbour. It 〈…〉 their Righteousness, their Holiness ••at makes them more Excellent; ••at's invisible, a Carnal Eye can't be••ld it. The Kings Daughter is all 〈…〉 within. Believers have an •ternal Glory, known to the Lord. •hey have not (it may be) Out••rd Ornaments to set them forth be••re the world, but they have that ••nament which is of great Price in 〈…〉 sight of God; so are they the Ex••llent in the Earth. The most Wor••y men that have been on this Earth, 〈…〉 been no more regarded than •••grims in Beggars Cloathes would 〈…〉 been, Heb 11.38. They 〈…〉 about in Sheep-skins▪ and 〈…〉. The poor Servants of God 〈…〉 were fain to go in Leathern ⟨p. 126⟩Cloathes, tis said▪ the world was not worthy of them. This evil world was not worthy that such men should live long in it. The holy Prophets were the worthiest men that lived on the Earth in their Dayes, and yet the world did despise them, and treat them very unworthily. The world did revile them, and speak all manner of evil of them. The holy Apostles were among the Worthiest of men in the world in their Dayes, and yet they were not esteemed as such, but were treated as men of no worth; 1 Cor▪ 4.13. We are made the Filth of 〈…〉 world, and the Off-•••ring of all things▪ So then they were l•ke Strangers and Sojourners, whose Worth was no• known.
