Selected Sermons of Jonathan Edwards-THE MANY MANSIONS-IMPROVEMENT 7

 

2. The second exhortation that I would offer from what has been said is to seek a high place in heaven. Seeing there are many mansions of different degrees of honor and dignity in heaven, let us seek to obtain a mansion of distinguished glory. ’Tis revealed to us that there are different degrees of glory to that end that we might seek after the higher degrees. God offered high degrees of glory to that end, that we might seek them by eminent holiness and good works: 2 Cor. ix. 6, “He that sows sparingly [shall reap also sparingly, and he that soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully].” It is not becoming persons to be over-anxious about a high seat in God’s house in this world, for that is the honor that is of men; but we can’t too earnestly seek after a high seat in God’s house above, by seeking eminent holiness, for that is the honor that is of God. 

’Tis very little worth the while for us to pursue after honoring in this world, where the greatest honor is but a bubble and will soon vanish away, and death will level all. Some have more stately houses than others, and some are in higher office than others, and some are richer than others and have higher seats in the meeting house than others, but all graves are upon a level. One rotting, a putrefying corpse is as ignoble as another; the worms are as bold with one carcass as another. 

But the mansions in God’s house above are everlasting mansions. Those that have seats allotted ’em there, whether of greater or lesser dignity, whether nearer or further from the throne, will hold ’em to all eternity. This is promised, Rev. iii. 12: “Him that overcomes I will make him a pillar in the temple [of my God, and he shall go no more out].” If it is worth the while to desire and seek high seats in the meeting house, where you are one day in a week, and where you shall never come but few days in all; if it is worth the while much to prize one seat above another in the house of worship only because it is the pew or seat that is ranked first in number, and to be seen here for a few days, how will it be worth the while to seek a high mansion in God’s temple and in that glorious place that is the everlasting habitation of God and all his children! You that are pleased with your seats in this house because you are seated high or in a place that is looked upon honorable by those that sit round about, and because many can behold you, consider how short a time you will enjoy this pleasure. And if there be any that are not suited in their seats because they are too low for them, let them consider that it is but a very little while before it will [be] all one to you whether you have sat high or low here. But it will be of infinite and everlasting concern to you where your seat is in another world. Let your great concern be while in this world so to improve your opportunities in God’s house in this world, whether you sit high or low, as that you may have a distinguished and glorious mansion in God’s house in heaven, where you may be fixed in your place in that glorious assembly in everlasting rest. 

Let the main thing that we prize in God’s house be, not the outward ornaments of it, or a high seat in it, but the word of God and his ordinances in it. And spend your time here in seeking Christ, that he may prepare a place for you in his Father’s house, that when he comes again to this world, he may take you to himself, that where he is, there you may be also.