Edwards preached it at the dedication ceremony for the new church building in his town of Northampton, MA, in December 1737.
Pews and seats had just been assigned in the new sanctuary. The town leaders used new criteria for assigning these seats, wealth being the foremost among them (for the first time in the town’s history). Edwards was something of a hierarchical guy, but he was nonetheless upset at his leading laymen for giving the best pews in church to the town’s wealthiest people, so he preached a sermon about how his people should care much more about their accommodations in heaven than about where they sit on Sunday morning.
Here’s a sample from “Many Mansions” and is based on John 14:
“Tis very little worth the while for us to pursue after honor in this world, when the greatest honor is but a bubble, and will soon vanish away. And death will level all. Some have more stately houses than others; some are in higher offices than others; and some are richer than others, and have higher seats in the meetinghouse than others. But all graves are upon a level. One rotting, putrefying corpse is as ignoble as another. The worms are as bold with one carcass as another…
if it be worth the while much to prize one seat before another in the house of worship, only because it is the pew or seat that is reckoned first in number, and to be seen here for a few days; how well it is worth the while to seek an high mansion in God’s temple above, and in that glorious palace 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 sit behind you; consider how short a time you will enjoy this pleasure.”
Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) in Works of Jonathan Edwards 19:745-746.
I dedicate today’s meditation to my earthly father, John E. Hoag, as today is his birthday, and I am thankful that he has taught me to live not for a pleasures on earth but awaiting our mansion in heaven. Happy Birthday, Dad!