Section 1154
II. The regard the saints in their present state have to their future happiness
They now desire it, seek after it, and look for it.
1. They desire it, which supposes they have some knowledge of it, for there is no desire after what is unknown; and a person may have some knowledge of a country he has never been in, by the relations of persons that have been there, by seeing it described in a map, and by having some of the produce and fruits of it brought unto him; by which he can in some measure form a judgment of it; so the Israelites knew before they entered into the land of Canaan, what sort of a country it was, partly by the description God had given of it, as a land flowing with milk and honey; and partly, by the report of the spies that went to view it, as well as by the cluster of grapes, figs and pomegranates, they brought with them from thence; thus the people of God know somewhat of the heavenly country, not only by the ministry of the word, and by the description of it in the map of the scriptures, but by their own experience, by the foretastes they have of the fruit of that land, and by the prospects, though distant ones, they have of it; their hope entering within the veil, and their faith looking to and being the evidence of things not seen. Hence they have ardent desires after it; the word here used, signifies a very vehement desire, such an one as that they are willing: to be absent from the body, that they may be present with the Lord in this country; they choose rather to depart out of this world, the country they now dwell in, that they may be with Christ in the better country.
2. They seek after this country, so it is expressed in verse 14, they that say such things, declare plainly, that they seek a country; and so in chapter 13:14, we seek one to come, a continuing city; they seek for it, in the first place, as soon as ever they are called and converted; and they seek it earnestly, diligently, and with all their hearts: and they seek it in a right way: not to obtain it by works of righteousness done by them; such as seek it in this way find it not. The Jews fought, but did not obtain, because they sought not by faith, but, as it were, by the works of the law: for except a man’s righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and pharisees, he shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven, or that better country, the heavenly one: those, that seek right, seek not only the kingdom of God in the first place, but his righteousness also; or seek for the kingdom of God, the heavenly glory, in and by the righteousness of Christ, which only entitles to it. Such as are justified freely through the grace of God by the righteousness of Christ, become heirs, according to the hope of eternal life (Matthew 5:20; Titus 3:7).
3. The saints look for this better country and heavenly city, as Abraham, Isaac and Jacob did, verse 10, they looked for it by faith. Faith is often expressed by looking, not only when it has Christ for its object, but also eternal happiness, then it is called, looking for a city which hath foundations, looking for the blessed hope, and looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, unto eternal life. Saints not only believe there is such a state of happiness, but that it is for them; and therefore they expect it, and wait for it: 14 we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith (Galatians 5:5).