1. That a mans conversation is Res continuata , a constant , a setled , continued thing . It is not one or two , or some few particular actions that do denominate a mans conversation , but the generall course and current of his life ; which if it be rightly ordered , as it ought to bee , then it is termed an Honest Conversation , 2 Peter 2. 12. ( Have your conversation honest among the Gentiles . ) if otherwise it be idly and unprofitably mispent , then it is termed a vaine conversation : 1 Pet. 1. 18. ( yee are redeemed from your vaine conversation . ) That which brings a man no profit , no credit , no comfort in the end , that 's a vaine conversation : And God forbid that any Christians conversation should be so vaine . This we know , that as there is no man so bad but he may do some particular actions that are right and good ; as God said of Abimelech , Gen. 20. I know thou hast done this thing in the integrity of thy heart : that one thing he did well , though his conversation went another way ; so on the contrary , there is no man so good , but he may do some particular actions that are vile and bad ; as t is said of David , he was upright in all things , save only in the matter of Vriah ; In that one thing hee failed exceedingly , though the whole streame of his life and conversation went right to God-ward .

It is with a Christian in this world , as with a Ship that goes to Sea , They are bound for such a Coast , that way they sayle , and thither they direct their voyage ; now there may come many a contrary storm that may turne them cleane back , or drive them quite another way : which for the present is a great trouble and griefe unto them , but as soone as ever the storme is over , and the Sea is calme , they hale and toyle and never are at rest , till they have recovered themselves , and are gotten into the right way againe . So fares it with a Christian soule , such a one is bound for Heaven , that 's his home , that 's his harbour , that 's the Heaven where he would be ; now there may come , and daily there doth come many a crosse , many a corruption , many a pleasing , or unpleasing temptation that turnes him cleane another way , into the way of sinne and wickednesse , or turnes him clean back from the way of Grace and goodnesse ; which for the present ( like the divisions of Ruben , Iudg. 5. ) must needs cause great sighings and thoughts of heart ; and indeed hee is never at quiet in his mind , nor at peace in his conscience , till by the mercy of God he have recovered himselfe by repentance , and come back to his old comfort and conversation againe . So the meaning of the Text is this ; that it is not enough for a man to look to Heaven at some particular times , as in the time of sicknesse , of sorrow , of extreme adversity ; ( as the manner of the world is ) for then the wickedest man that is , will peradventure have an eye to Heaven .

Iust as you see a Hog , that never looks to Heaven , till he be over-turned , and cast upon his back , then he looks to Heaven , and cryes ; whereas if you do but let him loose , that he gets upon his leggs againe , hee returnes with his snowt to the earth , and looks to Heaven no more ; so fares it ( I feare me ) with many a carnall man , that seldom or never looks to Heaven , till hee bee overturned in his credit , overthrown in his estate , or cast upon his back on the bed of sicknesse and death ; then he lisis up his eyes to those Hils from whence commeth his help , ( as David speaketh : ) whereupon if God do but set him at liberty , and restore him to his health , that he get upon his legs againe , hee returnes like a Hog to his old swinish disposition , & looks no more after Heaven , till he be castdown again into the like distresse . Thus it is , but thus it should not be : If you desire to have comfort from Heaven in your sicknesse , let your conversation be there in your health ; and that not for a fit or a brunt , but in a constant , & setled , and continued course of life ; that like as it is said of God , Deut. 11. 12. that his eyes are upon the land , from the beginning of the yeare , to the end thereof ; so let thine eyes be upon God from the beginning of the day , of the weeke , of the yeare , even to the end and consummation of thy life . You know what our Saviour said to those Jews which beleeved on him , Iohn 8. 31. Si manserit is in me , If ye abide in mee , then are ye my Disciples indeed . They that only come to Christ , and make profession of Christianity for a time , and then like Demas fall away , and embrace this present World ; these are but disciples in name only , like Labans Images , that were called Gods , when they were but blocks : Those and none but those are disciples in deed and in truth , that do as their master did , of whom it is said , Philip. 2. 8. that Hee humbled himselfe , and became obedient unto the death : He was not only obedient in his death , submitting himselfe to all the cruelty , all the infamy , all the extremity of pain and shame that God or man could lay upon him ; but He was obedient unto death ; that is , ( as Beza expounds it ) unto his Dying day , from the beginning of his Incarnation , to the very end of his dissolution : Here 's the Load-star that wee must all bee guided by ▪ let us beare the same mind , and hold the same resolution , that our Saviour did , to become obedient to the death , ( or as Iob speaketh , Cap. 27. 5. ) not to leave our innocency till wee die ; then may we take it as an undoubted evidence and assurance to our soules , that wee , even wee our selves are of the number of those blessed Saints that have their conversation in the Heavens . This is the first circumstance to bee considered , that a mans conversation is Res continuata , not a sudden or a momentarie , but a constant and continued thing .

2. A mans conversation is Res manifesta , an open and a manifest thing : the Conscience of a man , that is secret , knowne only to God ; but his conversation that is evident and apparent to the word . So the meaning of the Text is , that it is not enough for a man to have a care of his conscience inwardly towards God , but he must have as great a care of his conversation outwardly to the World . That like as it is said of our Saviour , Luke 9. 53. They knew what hee was by his face , because ( saith the Text ) his face was as though hee would go to Ierusalem : So should a good Christian be known by his face ( that is ) by his outward carriage and conversation to bee one that is going to Jerusalem that is above ; If thou beest such a one , let it be thy principall care to lead thy life in such a way as God doth best accept , in the way of Godlinesse and honesty , in the way of temperance and sobriety , in the way of truth and sincerity ; that the World may see by thy life , that as thou dost live and move in God , so thou dost also live and move to God . As Alexander once gave order that the Grecians and Barbarians should bee no longer distinguished by their garments ; but ( saith hee ) let the Greciens be known by their vertues ▪ and the Barbarians by their vices : thus should a Christian bee distinguished from a carnall man , not by his habit , but by his heart , not by his estate and condition , but by his wisdome and conversation , being such ( as St. Paul speaketh ) as becometh the Gospell , Philip. 1. 27. The works of the flesh are manifest ( saith the same Apostle ) and so should the works of the spirit bee also . As it is said of the Kings daughter , Psal. 45. 13. She is all glorious within , and her cloathing also is of wrought Gold : so should every Christian soule , which is the Spouse of Christ , and the daughter of the King of Heaven , bee all glorious , or rather indeed all gracious and all vertuous , both within and without : And as it is said of the Arke of God , Exod. 37. that it was over-laied with pure Gold both within and without : so should every Christian pray , that he may have a good conscience as the overlaying of gold within , and a good conversation , as the overlaying of gold without ; providing things honest , not only in the sight of God , but also in the sight of men , Rom. 12. 17. And this is the second circumstance to bee considered in our conversation ; namely , that it is or ought to bee Res manifesta , a manifest thing .

3. A mans conversation is Res familiaris , a friendly , or a familiar thing ; You know there is no one thing that breeds so much entirenesse , so much familiarity and acquaintance among all sorts of persons , as living , and loving , and conversing together : So the only way to bring a man into an humble familiarity and acquaintance with his God , is to bee conversant in holy duties , and to have his conversation in the Heavens . It is the phrase of Iob , ( and I do not remember that I find it any where but in that book ) Iob 22. 21. Acquaint thy selfe with God , and thereby good shall come unto thee . Asuesce cum Deo , ( that is ) Accustome and inure thy selfe to walke with God , as Enoch did ; to talke with God , as Moses did ; to seeke the face of God , as David did : make nor thy selfe a stranger to God now , lest he know thee not , lest hee own thee not , at the later day , when thou and all the world will bee glad to claim acquaintance of Him . But some may say ; What am I , or what is my fathers house , that I should dare to thinke of being acquainted , with so great a Majesty , as is the Lord ? that is too familiar a word : I answer , according to the common proverb ; volenti nonfit injuria , That which is an injury to our thinking , is no injury to him that is willing and desirous of it . Now you shall observe that all the persons in the Blessed Trinity , are so farre from taking ill at our hands , that they do even desire and wish for sinfull mans societie . God the Father he desires it , Esay 1. 18. Come ( saith God ) let us reason together , let us parley , let us confer , let us be familiar ( as it were ) and renew our old decayed acquaintance , which hath slept so long , and been so unkindly laid aside . In the originall it is , Adeste , & increpemus , come let us chide together ; as one friend chides another for being strange and aloofe , & taking distaste without a cause : And this is it , makes God to chide us as he doth , partly by word of mouth , in the Ministry of his Word ; and partly by Act and Deed , by sending his reall Judgements into the World to plague us for sinne ; which David calleth Increpationem Domini , the chiding of God , Psal. 18. 15. and all for our aversenesse , and aloofenesse in this kind , that wee will not come at him to renew our acquaintance with him , by a sound and serious humiliation , as his mercy , and our dutie doth require . God the Sonne , Hee desires our acquaintance likewise , as you may read , Iohn 5. 39. Yee search the Scriptures ( saith Christ ) and in them ye looke to have eternall life , and yet ye will not come to mee that yee might have life . We deale just with our Saviour , as one said of his Friend or Father , Si bene essem sine te , nunquam venirem ad te ; If I could bee well without thee , I would never come at thee : It is our illnesse , and our weaknesse , our lamenesse , and our sicknesse , that makes us to repaire unto Christ , or else ( I am afraid ) wee would seldome or never come at him . As for the Holy Ghost , David cals him a Loving Spirit , Psal. 143. 10. a Spirit that loves the company and the conduct of a poore sinner ( let thy loving Spirit lead mee into the land of Righteousnesse ; ) it is not only a leading Spirit , but a loving Spirit ; a Spirit that loves to lead us , and to carry us into all truth , into all goodnesse , and to guide our sinfull feet into the way of peace ; wee read of divers that were condemned in Scripture , for having to doe with Familiar Spirits , and justly , for what gracelesse wretches were they that durst bee familiar with those evill spirits that were the mortall enemies of their soules ; that durst to harbour those hellish Serpents in their bosomes , that stung their Soules to death eternall : And oh , what a blessed and a happy thing it were , if we were but halfe so desirous of the familiaritie and acquaintance of the Good Spirit , as they were of the evill ones ; then as Iob speakes in the place fore-named , Inde proventus erit bonus , thereby good shall come unto thee : Good to thy estate , thou shalt prosper by it ; Good to thy children , they shall flourish by it ; Good to thy name , thou shalt have credit and reputation by it ; Good to thy body , thou shalt have health and protection by it ; but speciall good shall come to thy Soule , thou shalt have mercy , and peace , and salvation by it : Thou shalt have his good Word to instruct thee , his good Angels to guard thee , his good Spirit to comfort thee , and above all his good Kingdom to receive thee . Therefore , if thou lovest thy selfe , and tenderest thy owne good , let thy conversation with God , bee Res familiaris , a free , a frequent , and a familiar thing .

Lastly , if wee take the originall word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the native and proper sense , as it signifies the traffiquing and trading that one Merchant or one Citizen hath with another , then it affords us this consideration ; That to converse or to have commerce with God , is Res quest uosa , the gainfulest trade , and the richest marchandise under Heaven . For if wee beleeve the Apostle ; Godlinesse is no vile commodity , but exceeding gainfull , yea gaine it selfe , yea and great gaine too ; ( if not to the purse , yet to the Conscience ; if not to the estate , yet to the soule it is ) for it hath the promises not only of the life that now is , but of that which is to come . There bee many that say ( saith David , Psal. 4. 6. ) Who will shew us any good ? It is not the saying of one man , or of some men , but of many and of most men , who will shew us any Good ; all their desire is to listen and inquire who can tell them of any good purchase , any good bargaine , any good fortune that may concerne them , or come to their hands ; let the party that shewes it bee who hee will , if hee shewes any good wee love him , wee thank him for it : Behold here is one ( Saint Paul by name ) that shewes us Summum Bonum , the Greatest Good , the truest and surest Gaine that is to be had in all the Christian World : and that is to keep a Factory in Heaven ( as it were ) by the meanes and mediation of Jesus Christ , to deale betwixt God and our own Soules in a secret and a sacred commerce , to exchange our Prayers for his Favours , our duties for his Mercies , and so to drive a Spirituall trade in the City of God ; And this will bring us into such a way of profit , that wee shall gaine Wisdome and Grace , and Comfort and Credit in this life , and a Crowne of Eternall Glory in the life to come , and now judge your selves whether to have our conversation in Heaven bee not Res quaestuosa , a gainfull thing .

I come now to the second generall proposition of my Text , which is this : How wee that live and converse upon Earth , can bee said in proper sense to have our Conversation in the Heavens ? I shall answer it foure waies .

1. Per Elevationem , By lifting up our hearts and minds , and Soules to God . Wee read , Levit. 11. 21. that those Reptilia , those Fowls or other Creatures that crept on all foure , were Abomination in Moses Law , the people might not eat nor touch them ; but those that had legges and wings to leape withall , and to lift up themselves from the Earth toward Heaven , those were cleane in Gods account . This was certainely a symbolicall type to signifie unto us , that those Christians that are alwayes creeping ( as it were ) and crawling and groveling upon the Earth , alwayes minding earthly things , and setting their hearts upon the muck of this World , they are uncleane and Abomination to the Lord : But they that have the legges and wings of Faith and fervent Prayer , to leape ( as it were ) from the Earth , and to lift up themselves towards Heaven in their ejaculations and devotions to God , they are those whom God accepts . An Angell once cried , Revel. 8. 13. Woe , woe , woe to the inhabitants of the Earth . Inhabitantibus , non Accolis ( saith a Father ) not to the sojourners and strangers of the Earth ( as all good Christians are , whose Home is Heaven , and the Earth but a place of their pilgrimage for a time . ) But the woes are to the setled Inhabitants of the Earth , who so fixe their hearts on the Earth , that they make it their Heaven ; like that Cardinall that would not change his part in Paris for his part in Paradise : or like the Children of Reuben and Gad , Numb. 32. 3. that desired to make their stay on this side Jordan , and let their brethren if they listed passe over into the Land of promise ; for their owne parts , they liked well of the place where they were , and did not desire to remove , because it was a place fit for their Cattell . In like sort , they that make more account of their cattell , than they doe of their conscience ; and doe more esteeme the pleasures and profits of a life temporall , than the incomprehensible joyes of the life eternall ; they that so love the Earth , that by their good wills they would not leave it for Heaven : Woe bee to them three wayes : first , woe to them in life ; secondly , woe to them in death ; thirdly , woe to them after death : or thus , woe to their bodies , woe to their soules , and woe to both body and soule together in that woefull place of torment . In a word , therefore if we desire to escape this threfold woe , and that it may bee well with us both here and hereafter ; let us doe by our af●ections , as Husband-men do by their corne , if it lie low in a damp room , it is in danger to putrifie , and corrupt , and stink ; therefore they convey it and carry it up into some higher room that is farther from the Earth , and neerer to Heaven , and there it is safe . Such a damp place is this sinfull World , therfore if thou wouldst preserve thy affections from stench and corruption , carry them up on high , list them up to Heaven by divine contemplations , and by a divine conversation , and then they are out of danger . We should frame our affections in forme of a ship , which is close downwards , and open upwards , in an hearty desire of a Heavenly condition . One saith well , It is with Men , as it is with the Moone : When the Moone decreaseth , it is close above , and open below ; Contrarily , when it increaseth , it is open above , and close below : So if our minds , ( as Nature hath framed our hearts ) bee close downwards , using the World , as if wee used it not , and enlarged upwards in seeking and sighing after the things that bee above ; then t is a happy signe of our increase in grace and favour with God , and an infallible evidence to our soules , that though our abode bee below on Earth , yet our conversation is above in Heaven .

2. Per Anticipationem , you that desire to have Heaven hereafter , must begin your heaven here , by Anticipation ; and that three waies : first , take direction from Heaven in all your wayes and actions ; doe as ship-men doe at Sea , because they have no common Road , nor beaten Path to sayle by , they take their direction from the starres , and guide themselves by the Heavens ; so because in this World ( which is as brinish with sinne , as the Sea is with salt ; and as dangerous to the Soule , as the Sea is to the ship ) there is no common Road ( as I may say ) no beaten path to Heaven , so few there bee that goe that way ; let every one that desires to walke safely , take heed of walking rashly , and following the lusts , devices , and desires of his own heart , but let him looke up to Heaven for direction , and desire God to be his guide and conduct ; saying and praying in the words of the Prophet David , Psal. 48. 14. Thou O. God art my God for ever , oh bee thou my guide unto the day of death . Secondly , learne the language of Heaven while yee are here ; as one that is to travell into a forraine Country , will if hee can possible learne some part of the language of that countrey before-hand , that he may not be altogether to seeke when hee comes into a strange place : So if Heaven bee ( as I hope it is ) the Countrey and the Kingdome that yee all desire to live in ; bee carefull then while yee are here to inure your selves to the language of Heaven ere ye come there , ( that is ) to blesse God , and praise him , and speake good of his Name : for as terrene , and sordid and base discourse is the language of the World , and lying , and lewd and profane discourse is the language of Hell : So pious , and profitable , and divine discourse , that savoureth and rellisheth of the Grace and good Spirit of God , that 's the language of Heaven : learne that . Thirdly , labour to get a Temper and a disposition fit for Heaven ; As God hath given the fowles a Temper fit to live in the ayre , and fishes a Temper fit for the water ; and creeping things a Temper fit for the Earth ; so desire of God to frame thy heart to an Heavenly disposition , and to give thee a Temper fit for Heaven .

Certainly Carnall Men mistake Heaven , taking it to bee only a place of Rest , but not a place of righteousnesse ; a place of happinesse , but not a place of holinesse ; so that if a Carnall man should bee admitted to peepe into Heaven to see what is there adoing , to see how the Glorified Soules and Spirits are alwayes lauding and magnifying their God and Saviour , alwayes taken up with Holy and Heavenly exercises and employments ; hee would loath no place so much as Heaven , as being no wayes agreeable , but altogether contrary to his temper and disposition : He that is weary of one Sabbath here , how will hee brooke an eternity of Sabbath hereafter : if the Foot-men have ty●ed him ( as Ieremy speakes in another case , Ierem. 12. 5. how will hee doe to hold ▪ pace with the Horse-men : Hee that thinkes too much of that little holinesse that God requires in his Saints on Earth , how will hee comply with that excellency of holinesse that is in the Saints , and blessed Soules in Heaven . In a word then , as wee all hope to have Carnem Angelisicatam ( as Tertullian speakes ) to have Angell-like bodies hereafter ; so let us labour and pray that we may have Animas Angelisicatas , Angell-like Soules while wee are here ; that wee may wholly addict and give our minds to doe Gods will on Earth as it is done in Heaven , that we may begin our Heaven here in Grace , and perfect it hereafter for ever in Glory .

3 A man that lives on Earth , may bee said to have his conversation in Heaven , Per Charitatem , by holy Charity , which is nothing else but a divine love to God , and to all Goodnesse . Hee that is a truly Charitable man on Earth , is in ultima & proxima dispositione , in the last , and likest , and neerest disposition to the Glorified Saints in Heaven : For this wee know , that most of those other vertues wherein men excell on Earth , do faile and cease when the Soule returnes to Heaven ; Our Faith , that shall cease , for wee shall then see the beatificall face of God , and the blessed reward of the Godly , which we now beleeve unseene .

Our Hope , that shall cease ; for wee shall then enjoy the good things wee hoped for : no more need of Anchour when wee are past the Sea of this world , and landed upon the shoare of Heaven . So likewise Patience shall cease , for there shall be no more pain ; and Continency , for there shall be no more temptations ; and Mercy , for there shall bee no more objects of misery : Only Charity , that remaynes and abides , and accompanies the soule into the kingdom of Christ , and of God ; that 's a Grace that is begun on earth , and never ceaseth in Heaven ; it is a celestiall , a heavenly quality , whether it bee in men or women ; in persons of noble , or of meaner rank . It is true , all have not meanes alike to expresse their charity to those that are poore and needy ; therefore you must know , that Charity is twofold ; there is the outward charity of the hand , and the inward charity of the heart ; this later is that which God requireth equally of all , both rich and poore . It is like that Tribute of the Sanctuary Exod. 30. 15. wherein there was an equall Rate set for the Ransome of their lives , that the poore paid as much as the Rich: so a poore man may have as Charitable an heart , as a Rich man , though God have straitned him in his means that he cannot have so charitable an hand : you see 1. Cor. 13. that Charity which the Apostle so magnifies , and extolls above all other gifts , is only this inward Charity ( Charity envieth not , is not easily provoked , seeketh not her own , but hopeth all things , beleeveth all things , indureth all things &c. ; ) all this reflects upon the heart , and therein a poore man may abound , as well as a rich ; In a word then , if God have clipt thy wings , and cut short thy estate , that thou canst not have a charitable hand ; yet howsoever retaine a charitable heart , and what thou wantest in substance make up in prayer . This is the third way , whereby a man that lives on earth may be truly said to have his conversation in heaven .

4. The fourth and last way , is , per Claritatem , by brightnesse and shining in Grace , and good works ; Heaven is a shining place , full of splendour , lusture and glory , and such are all the soules that dwell therein . The Prophet tell us Dan. 12. 3. they that be wise shall shine as the firmament , and they that turne many to Righteousnesse shall shine as the stars for evermore . The firmament that shines by day , and the stars they shine by night ; the meaning is , that they which are truly vertuous and wise , eruditi & erudientes , the practisers , and the teachers of wisdome ; they that are wise themselves , and they that make others wise , shall shine as the Firmament in the day-time of their life , and as the Starres in the night when they are dead and gone ; they shall shine in Grace here , and in Glory hereafter . Though for a time they bee over-clouded ( as it were ) with Crosses and Corruptions , which darkens and obscures the lustre that is in them ; yet the time will come that all these Clouds , these Crosses , and Corruptions shall bee blowne away , and they shall shine as the Sunne in the Kingdome of their Father . When Moses conversed with God , his face shined , Exod. 34. there 's no good man that converseth with God , but his face shines too , that is , hee hath a venerable aspect , insomuch as they that will not imitate him , cannot but honour him : Iohn was a burning and a shining light ( saith the Gospell , Iohn 5. 35. ) burning with zeale inwardly to God , shining by a good life outwardly to the World . You that desire to shine in Heaven must begin your shining here on Earth : Let your light so shine , ( saith our Saviour ) that men may see your good works , and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven . True Faith is in the heart , like a candle in a lanterne , which must not , nay cannot be altogether hid , but discovers it selfe by its own shining light .