No Continuing City Here
Hebrews xiii. 14.
“For here we have no continuing city, but we seek one to come.”
I HAVE, in my course of life, had as many stations and places of habitation as most men. I have been iD almost continual motion. And although, of all earthly things, I have the most desired rest, retiredness, and a fixed private station; yet the various changes that I have seen and found, the public employments, that, without my seeking, and against my inclination, have been put upon me, and many other interventions, as well private as public, have made the fbnffer part of this text true to me in the letter, — that I have had no continuing city, or place of habitatiofi. When I had designed to myself a settled manfiion in one place, and had fitted it to my convenience and repose, I have been presently con- 8trained,|by my necessary employments, to leave it, and repair to another. And when, again, I had thought to find Tepose there, and had again fitted it to my convenience, yet some other necessary occurrences have diverted me from it: and thus, by several yrcissitudes, my dwellings have been like so many inns to a traveller; though of some longer continuance, yet almost of equal instability and vicissitude. This unsettled ness of station, though troublesome, yet hath given me a good and practical moral; namely, that I must not expect my rest in this lower world, but must make it as the place of my journey and pilgrimage, not of my repose and rest, but must look further for that happiness. And truly, when I consider that it hath been the wisdom of God Almighty to exercise those worthies, which he left as patterns to the rest of mankind, with this kind of discipline in this world, I have reason not to complain of it as a difficulty, or an inconvenience, but to be thankful to him for it as an instruction and document, to put me in remembrance of a better home, and to incite me to make a due provision for it, even that everlasting rest which he hath provided for them that love him; and, by pouring me thus from vessel to vessel, to keep roe from fixing myself too much upon this world below. But the truth is, did we consider this world as becomes us, even as wise men, we may easily find, without the help of any such particular discipline of this nature, that this world below neither was intended, nor indeed can be a place of rest, but only a kind of laboratory to fit and prepare the souls of the children of men for a better and more abiding state; a school to exercise and train us up into habits of patience and obedience, till we are fitted to another station; a little narrow nursery, wherein we may be dressed and pruned, till transplanted into a better paradise. The continual troubles, and discomposures, and sicknesses, and weaknesses, and calamities, that attend our lives, the shortness, and continued vexation occurring in them; and finally, the common examples of death, and mortality of all ages, sexes, conditions of mankind, are a sufficient instruction to convince reasonable men, that have the seriousness and patience to consider and observe, that we have no abiding city here. And, on the other hand, if we will give ourselves but the leisure to considoF and observe the great wisdom of Almighty God, that orders every thing in the world to ends suitable and proportionable; the excellence of the soul and mind of man; the great advances and improvements his nature is capable of; the admirable means the merciful and wise God hath afforded to mankind, by his works of nature and providence, by his word and instructions, to enable hiui for a nobler life than this world below can yield; will easily confess, that there is another state, another city to come, which becomes every good, and wise, and considerate man to look after, and fit himself for. And yet, let a man look upon the generality of mankind with a due and severe consideration,
they will appear to be like a company of mad or distempered people. The generality of the world make it their whole business to provide for a rest and happiness in this world, to make these vain acquests of wealth, and honour, and preferments, and pleasures of this world, their great, if not only, business and happiness; and, which is yet a higher degree of phrensy, to esteem this the only wisdom, and to esteem the careful provision for eternity the folly of a few weak, melancholy, fanciful men: whereas it is in truth, and in due time it will most evidently appear, that those men that ax« tci%.
sedulous and solicitouSf toucfaing the attaining of their everlasting resty are the only true wise men, and so shall be acknowledged by those that now despise them. “We fools accounted his life madness and his end to be without honour. How is he nuoiiiaed among the children of Giod, and his lot is among the saints I”
When I come to my inn, I have this consideration presently occurring to me. If my lodging be ^ood and fair, the furniture splendid, the attendance great, the provisions good and well ordered; yet I straight consider this is not the place of my rest: i must lesive it to-morrow, and therefore I set not my heart upon it. And again, if my inn be but poor, my entertainment mean, my lodging decayed, I do not presently send for painters, carpenters, and masons, to repair or beautify it, but I content myself with it, and will bear with the inconveniences, because I consider it will be but for a night, and to-morrow I sfasil be gone, and possibly come to my home, where I shall be better convemenced. And although the truth is, that this world is little other than our inn to entertain us in our journey to another life; and our stay in it is many times very short, yea, our longest stay here, in comparison of eternity* is infinitely more short than a night’s lodging at an inn, in comparison to the longest life here; yet it is a wonderful thing to observe how much we are taken up with the concerns of this our inn, what a stir we keep about it, what pains and cost we employ in it, how -much of our time is laid out upon it, as if it were our only home. If our lot cast us upon a handsome lodging, as it were, and it furnished with wealth, or glory, or honour, how we pride ourselves in it I how goodly we look upon ourselves i how happy we think ourselves! what care we have to make it more rich, glorious, and splendid! And, on the other hand, tf our lot cast us upon a lower, meaner station, if we are poor, or sickly, or neglected, or under Jiatches, what a deal of impatience, and discontent, and un* quietness appears! Nay, though our lodging and entertainment in this inn of the world be pretty well, and will serve our journey; yet if it be not so fine, and splendid, and rich, and comely as another’s; if our meat be enough to suffice nature, if our clothes enough to protect us from cold, if our house good enough to keep off the storms, and defend us from injuries; yet if these be not so good as such a man’s, or such a neighbour’s, not so good as my ancestors or relations — — Lord 1 what a deal of unquietness, and complaining, and envy, and impatience, and turbulency of mind there is in men! what designs, and frauds, and plots, and underminings, and undue means, men take to advance their own condition, and to depress others; and all this while never consider that which would easily cure the extravagance, as well on one hand as on the other; namely, This is not my home, it is but my inn: if it be beautiful, splendid, convenient; if my condition in it be wealthy, honourable, prosperous, I will not set my heart upon it) nor think any better of myself for it, nor set up my rest in it: it is but my inn, I must leave it, it may be to-morrow. On the other hand, if it be but poor, weak, infirm, ignoble, low, I will content myself, it is but my inn, it may serve for my passage: I shall) it may be, leave it to-mortow ^xA ^«vi M
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I have taken that due care that becomes me in my provision for my eternal state, J am certain the case will be mended with me: however my inn be poor« mean, inconvenient, troublesome, it is but for a night, my home will be better; I have learned that I have here no abiding city, but I seek one to come.” The benefits of the consideration of this text are many,
1. It will teach a man a very low esteem of this present world, and never to set the heart upon it. Wilt thou set thy heart upon that which is not?” It is not an abiding city: either like the old feigned enchanted castles, it will vanish and come to little, while we think we have fast hold of it; or else we must leave it we know not how soon. It is full of trouble and vexation when we enjoy it, and very unstable and uncertain is our stay in it. But let it be as good as it will, or can be, yet this text tells of a city that is better worth our thoughts, an abiding city, a city that cannot be shaken, where there are no troubles, no thorns, no cares, no fears; but righteousness, and everlasting peace and rest.
2. Consequently, it will teach us to seek that which is of most value first and most, and Euake that our greatest endeavour which is our greatest concern; namely, to seek that city that is to come, peace with God in Christ Jesus, and the hope of eternal life. It is true, while we are in this city that continues not, this inferior world, God Almighty requires a due care for externals, and industry in our employments, and diligence in our callings: it is part of that service we owe to God, to our families, to our relations, to ourselves; and being done in contemplation f91
of his eoamand it is mi act of obecKsnce and religieus doty to him: but this consideration will add this benefit even unto our ordinary employments in our calling, it will be sure to bring a blessing upon it. “Seek first the kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof, and all these things shall be added unto yon.” It shall be given in as an advantage and over-measure. It will add great cheerfulness to the employments of your calling, and to those worldly employments that are requisite for your support and subsistence, when you shall resign up your endeavours therein to the good pleasure of Almighty God. It will remove all vexatious solicitousness and anxiety from you, when you shall have such considerations as these: “Almighty God, it is true, hath placed men in this world, as in a passage to another, and requires of me an honest employment for my support and subsistence; or else hath lent me a reasonable, liberal portion, whereby I may comfortably subsist without much pains or labour. I will use it soberly, cheerfully, thankfully: if he bless me with increase, or greater plenty, I will increase my humility, sobriety, and thankfulness; but if it be not his pleasure to bless me with plenty and increase, his will be done; I have enough in that I have; there is another more abiding city, wherein I shall have supplies without want, or fears, or cares.”
S. This consideration will give abundance of quietness, patience, tranquillity of mind, in all conditions. Am I in this world poor, or despised, or disgraced, or in sickness or pain? yet this text gives me two great supports under it. 1. It will be but short: this lower world, the region of these troubles and
N 2 storms, is no contiouing, no abiding city; and, con* sequently, the troubles and storms of this inferior city are not abiding or long. 2. After this flitting, perishing city, that thus passeth away, this sour life, which is but the region of death, there succeeds another city that endureth for ever; a city not made with bands, eternal in the heavens, a state of everlasting blessedness, where are neither cares, nor tears, nor fears, nor poverty, nor sorrow, nor want, nor reproach; I will, therefore,, with all patience, cheerfulness, and contentedness, bear whatsoever God pleaseth to exercise me withal in this life; for I well know that my light afflictions, which are but for a moment, shall be attended with a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.
These considerations will seem but dry and empty to men that do not deeply and considerately weigh matters: ordinarily young heads think them, at least, unseasonable for their youth; but they must know, that sickness and death will overtake the youngest in time, and that will undeceive people, and render the best appearances of this world, either bitter, or at least insipid, and without any pleasant relish; and then the hopes and expectations of this city to come will be of more value to us than the best conveniences and delights this lower world can afford. Let us, therefore, in our health, make it our business to secure our interest in it, and it will be our comfort and benefit both in life and death.