were in it and Death and Hell delivered up the Dead which were in them and they were judged every Man according to their Works The triumphant Church was seen Rev. 21. That there be unseen things may be proved from the very Confessions of Pagans and Heathens those who have not had the Light of the Word have yet had some confused obscure and imperfect Apprehensions of unseen things or that there are invisible things Saith Plato Extabat lex de hominibus sub Saturno semper nunc etiam extat apud Deos quicunque homines juste piéque vitam egissent cum è vita migrarent ad beatorum insulas profecti in omni foelicitate viverent à malis longe sejuncti qui vero injuste impiéque vixissent in punitionis justique supplicii carcerem quod appellant Tartarum irent in Gorgia pag. 356. Qui ob scelerum magnitudinem insanabiles esse videntur hos omnis conveniens sors mergit in Tartarum unde nunquam egrediuntur Idem in Phaedone pag. 84. Socrates rejoiced that he was to die because he should then go to see Homer Hesiod and other Worthies that were gone before Yea Bion of Boristenes the Atheist who all his Life time had denied the Gods and derided their Worship yet when Death came was extreamly afraid of dying and that not so much because of the loss of Life or Pains of Death but for fear of what followed after Death I might much enlarge here from this Principle those things took their Rise that we find either in Poets or Philosophers concerning the Elysian Fields the Stygean Lake c. From these Arguments we may see that there are unseen things The next Enquiry we shall make is Secondly What these things are which are not seen and which Christians are to look at Now the Holy Scripture which must be our Guide in this Enquiry brings us tidings of many things that to us and all the Living are not seen do not appear I shall at this Time confine my self to and sum up all I shall say as to this in four Heads there are these four things which are not seen and that it concerns us to look at 1. Death 2. Judgment 3. Heaven 4. Hell 1. The things of Death are unseen things things not seen as in a word 1. The time of Death is unseen The Living know that they shall die Eccl. 9.5 but they know not when they shall die Gen. 27.2 I know not the Day of my Death So thou and I may say I know not the Hour Day Week Month Year wherein Death will come it 's unseen When an Hour is past or a Day over we may say that was not the Day or Hour but we cannot say of the Day or Hour which is yet to come that it shall not be the Time Prov. 27.1 Boast not thy self of to morrow for thou knowest not what a Day may bring forth the Day thou art now in and spending on may bring forth unseen Death The time of Death is one thing unseen this is one no Man knows when it will be at what Day in what Year it will come whether in Youth or in old Age. O think on this Sirs the Time will come when you must die but when this will be is covered from you you see it not it may be at any Instant in any Moment Mark 13.35 Watch ye therefore for ye know not when the Master of the House cometh at Even or at Midnight or at the Cock crowing or in the Morning 2. The Place of Death is unseen this is another As we see not when so we see not where we must die in what Place whether at Home or Abroad in the House or in the Field in the Bed or at the Board It may be thou hast been shewed where it was that thou wast born in what Place thou camest into the World and took thy first Breath ay but they that have shewed thee this cannot take thee again by the Hand and lead thee to see the Place where thou must take thy last Breath and die and go out of this World into another this is unseen thou cannot say lo it is here or lo there it is or if thou wilt yet it may be neither here nor there but somewhere else that thou never thinkst of It 's said of Eschilus the Poet in Sicily that on a Day walking out of the Town where he dwelt to take the Air he sate him down upon a high Place and having his Head being bald bare and uncovered an Eagle flew over him in the Air with a Tortoise in her Talons and seeing his white Head took it for a Stone and so let it fall from a great Height thereon to break the Tortoise-shell which broke his Scull whereof he died presently One would have thought that this could not have been the Place of such a Death but rather that it was impossible for any thing to fall on his Head unless the Heavens themselves had dropt down but alas Death can come on us any where we are no where out of its reach neither know we where it will meet us when we think our selves most safe or never think of it it may thus drop on our Heads When Bibulus the Roman General was riding in Triumph in all his Glory through the Streets of Rome a Tile fell from a House and beat out his Brains Many have seen Death where they have never thought of seeing it and thou knowest not where thou may'st see it Psal 89.48 What Man is he that liveth and shall not see Death That 's the Psalmist's Question it may be mine What Man is he that lives of you that are here to day that can tell where it is he must see Death which he cannot scape seeing somewhere and it 's a Question you can none of you answer O that you would think of it and labour to be such as you may be ready to see it in any Place 3. The manner of Death is unseen as we see not when or where so we can as little see how we must die by what kind or manner of Death we must go out of this World there is but one way of coming into the World one Door that we all came in at at our Entrance but there are many ways out of the World Mors est bellua Centiceps and comes a hundred ways The Jews reckon 903 kinds of Death but among all the kinds that we may observe we can't see our own so as to single it out and say by this kind of Death I shall go into another World this is covered from the Eyes of all Flesh Jacob died in his Bed Josiah by the Sword Job's Children by the fall of the House where they were eating Eli by a fall from the Seat where he was sitting Death began with Asa in his Feet and struck him there e're it came to strike him at the Heart 2 Chron. 16.12 Death begun with the Murmuring Israelites at
the Heart and struck them with their Meat in their Mouths Numb 11.33 We see daily some die a natural others a violent Death some by this some by that and some by the other kind of Sickness some go out of the World by a Death that gives them long Warning others short Warning and others none at all and in this respect I say Death is an unseen thing with you and me we know not which of the many kinds of it whether this or that or the other is a coming to let us into another World Rev. 6.8 there we have Death riding on his pale Horse described in the 7th verse we may see whence he came And when he had opened the fourth Seal I heard the Voice of the fourth Beast say Come and see and I looked and behold a Pale Horse and his Name that sate on him was Death Mark he came from under a Seal broke out upon the opening of a Seal Death is sealed thy Death and my Death are remaining under the Seal of the Everliving God concealed from thee and me and all Mortals and not to be known till he open the Seal and send them out Death I say is sealed and as no Man knows what is in a Letter till the Seal be opened so no more do we know at what Time or in what Place or by what manner of Death we must go out of this World before the Lord break open the Seal and send Death on Horseback to our Doors 4. I might add the nature of Death is unseen we hear much of the Name but alas we see little of the Nature of Death we are acquainted with the word Death O but we have little Acquaintance with the work or thing Death now we talk of it and discourse of it at a distance but verily Sirs when that which is called seeing Death and tasting Death meets us Death will be another thing than now it 's commonly taken to be with many Deut. 32.29 O that they were wise that they understood this that they would consider their latter End Well this is the first Death as I told you in the entrance on the Particulars is the Door the Way to things which are not seen and I tell you here again in the close of it that this Door to things unseen is also unseen Pray think of it you that are here to day 1. You believe you must die 2. This thing that you call dying or Death is I tell you a Door an Inlet to unseen things things behind all that have ever been seen in the World 3. This Death that is thus a Door to those unseen things is it self an unseen thing the Time of it is unseen and the Place of it is unseen and the Kind of it is unseen you know neither when nor where nor how it will come upon any of you Therefore certainly Sirs it concerns you to look at this and to look how you are provided to meet this unseen thing that is the beginning of unseen things Unseen Judgment is next behind this an unseen Heaven or Hell Salvation or Damnation is next behind that you know not when or where you may see Death but as soon as ever you have seen Death you must see Judgment and as soon as ever you have seen Judgment you must see Heaven or Hell for ever I pray you think of it art thou not a Drunkard why the next Time thou goest to the Ale-house thou mayst see Death there and so never see House more but Hell-house Art thou a Fornicator or Adulterer Art thou a Swearer art thou a Profaner of the Lord's Day O remember Death that is now unseen may surprize thee in the very act of thy Sin this is the Porch and Door to the unseen things of another World and it 's also an unseen thing a thing not seen that leads to things not seen an invisible thing that is an Introduction to invisible things that are Eternal the things of Death I say are unseen SERMON II. 2 Cor. 4.18 While we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal SEcondly The things of the great Day of Judgment are unseen things things which are not seen There shall be such a Day as this a general Judgment of all Men Acts 17.31 Because he hath appointed a Day in which he will judg the World in Righteousness by that Man whom he hath ordained whereof he hath given Assurance unto all Men in that he hath raised him from the Dead 2 Cor. 5.10 For we must all appear before the Judgment-Seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his Body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad Mat. 12.36 but I say unto you That every idle word that Men shall speak they shall give Account thereof in the Day of Judgment There shall then be such a Day a Day of Judgment and I say the things of that Day are unseen are things which do not appear therefore it is called the Day of Revelation Rom. 2.5 But after thy hardness and impenitent Heart treasurest up unto thy self Wrath against the Day of Wrath and Revelation of the righteous Judgment of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Patefactionis the Day of the Manifestation of the righteous Judgment of God in this Day the righteous Judgment of God shall be fully manifested and appear to all Men in this World Eccles 8.14 There be Just Men unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the Wicked again there be wicked Men to whom it happeneth according to the work of the Righteous And upon this the Justice and Equity of God is oft-times questioned and accused by the Rash and Preposterous Judgment of Men Good Men are apt to think they have hard Measure and ill Men are ready to think that God is such a one as themselves but there shall be such a Revelation of the righteous Judgment of God as shall set all Matters and Men too to Rights and it shall appear to all that the Judgment of God is Righteous and the Heavens shall declare his Righteousness for God is Judg himself Psal 50.6 i. e. as Diod. God's Justice shall in this Judgment of his be manifested to all the World as plainly as those things which from Heaven are seen here upon Earth And when these things are tried The Heavens shall record That God is Just and all must bide The Judgment of the Lord. It will be I say a Day of Revelation Ambae civitates terrena coelestis temporalibus vel bonis pariter utuntur vel malis pariter affliguntur donec ultimo Juditio separentur percipiat unaequaeque suum finem cujus nullus est finis Aug. De Civit Dei Lib. 18. Cap. 54. O the righteous Judgment of God shall be seen as clear as the Light at Noon-day in that
be the part of a Wise Man to look at them and then what shall we do when they are unquestionable what shall we do I say dost thou believe Soul that these unseen things are certain are unquestionable and dost thou not think it concerns thee to look at them how can it be but thou must think so Think on this unseen things are sure things all that I have been telling thee of is sure see thou to it 2. Unseen things are very great great in themselves of great Moment and Concernment to us yea the greatest things and of greatest Concernment to us this may be another Reason Sirs unseen things are not only sure but they are also very great things they are no poor and trivial Matters no light and inconsiderable things that are unworthy to be regarded which are yet unseen yet invisible but I say great greater than any thing that is seen has been seen or shall be seen before they come into sight This you may see sufficiently from what is gone before 1. The Day of Judgment will be a great Day Acts 2.20 The Sun shall be turned into Darkness and the Moon into Blood before that great and notable Day of the Lord come O it will be such a Sight as this World never saw to see Christ riding through the Clouds on his Chariot of Glory to see the thousands ten thousands of Angels and all his Attendants 2. The things of Heaven are great things to see God and to see his Face and to see him Face to Face will be another manner of sight than any of the things that are now seen 3 The things of Hell are great things the most tremendous things that have ever been seen in the World are but very Nugae to the Darkness and Chains Worm and Fire of Hell This I say may be another reason why you and I should look at them that is mind them they are very great things if you be not looking at them you are looking at something else and whatever it is that you have in your Eye I tell you that it is very low little and inconsiderable yea nothing to those things out of your sight go over all visible things under Heaven and the greatest of them is less than the least of those invisible things the greatest of the things called Good in this World are nothing to the Good things of Heaven and Glory Minima aeternae vitae Corona praestantior erit quam mille mundi omnia ibi clara omnia ibi chara omnia ibi rara ad illud coelum coeli etiam terrae nostrae coelum terra est The Apostle Col. 1.16 having divided all things into visible and invisible does again divide things invisible the things of Heaven into Thrones Dominions Principalities Powers mark here he subdivides the Invisibilia quae etiam exornat as Beza in locum iis nominibus quibus summa quaeque inter homines significantur And 1 Cor. 2.9 Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard neither have entred into the Heart of Man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him There is scarce any thing more vast and boundless than the Thoughts of Man yet the things of Heaven are not only above what we see but also above what we can think and go beyond all our thoughts of them And as to the greatest of the things called ill in this World they are nothing to the Ills of Hell and Damnation this one word Hell or Damnation Sirs comprehendeth greater and more dreadful things in it than all the amazing things that were e'r seen in this World O Sirs we speak much of unseen things every Day but the Truth is we speak little of them as they are our Expressions our Apprehensions our Thoughts of them are low many of them unworthy none of them reaching their Perfection The Queen of Sheba had heard much of Solomon's Glory and Magnificence such things had been reported to her as were very wonderful nay incredible she could not believe them till she came and her Eyes had seen them but then when she saw she was forced to confess that the one half was not told her 1 Kings 10.6 7. Why thus the Ambassadors of Christ tell us much of Death and Judgment and Heaven and Hell such things as I fear many look on as incredible and not to be believed by them But alas when we come and our Eyes have seen them we shall cry out O the one half the thousandth part was never reported to us of that we now see if thou go for Heaven chuse what thou hast heard or may hear e'r thou come thither of the Glory of the Place Company Enjoyments and Imployments it 's not the one half nay not the thousandth part of what thou shalt see if thou go for Hell chuse what thou hast heard or may hear e'r thou come thither of the Shame and Sufferings there is not the one half nay not the thousandth part of what thou shalt see there Thus these unseen things are Magna maxima Great and greater than all other therefore certainly it is our Duty and Concernment to look at them that is to mind them 3. Unseen things are unavoidable as they are certain in themselves and as they are very great so they are also unavoidable Unseen things will come into sight are things that must be seen you and I must see them as it 's unquestionable that there are things lying out of our sight so it 's as indubitable that they will all come into sight and you and I must see the unseen things of Death of Judgment of Heaven or of Hell 1. Death is inevitable Psal 89.48 What Man is he that liveth and shall not see Death shall he deliver his Soul from the Hand of the Grave What Man no Man Psal 49.6 They that trust in their Wealth and boast themselves in the Multitude of their Riches Ver. 7. None of them can by any means redeem his Brother nor give to God a Ransom for him Ver. 8. For the Redemption of their Soul is precious and it ceaseth for ever Ver. 9. That he should still live for ever and not see Corruption 2. As it is appointed for all Men once to die so for them after Death to go to Judgment Heb. 9.27 1. The particular Judgment of every Man immediately after Death 2. The general Judgment of all Men at the great Day and as there is no way to avoid the seeing of Death and Judgment after Death no more 3 Is there any way to miss seeing Heaven or Hell after Death and Judgment Of all that are gone before us from the beginning of the World to this Day thorow so many Generations there is not one that hath not seen what we see not that is not seeing Salvation or Damnation this Day and of all that are here to Day there is not one Son or Daughter not one Man or Woman that shall never see them no no we must all see
what we shall be In both these places we have a Discovery that is to be made of the Sons of God Behind all that is yet manifest or doth yet appear there is a Manifestation of the Sons of God it doth not yet appear what we shall be O Sirs the Sons of God shall be manifested with and appear in much Glory much internal Glory in their Souls and Bodies much external Glory in their Privileges and Possessions that is not yet manifest neither doth yet appear 3. Glory to be revealed Rom. 8.18 1 Pet. 5.1 And also a Partaker of the Glory that shall be revealed Here is a Glory to be revealed to be opened and uncovered that is yet covered and unseen a Glory to be thus revealed in us or among us us who are now suffering among Men. 4. Wrath to come on Sinners 1 Thess 1.10 Matth. 3.7 O Generation of Vipers who hath warned you to flee from the Wrath to come Wrath to come in another World and in an eternal Estate besides and behind all that comes and is seen in this World and present Time 5. Second Death that poor Creatures dead in Trespasses and Sins have to pass under when through the Door of the first Death Rev. 2.11 He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second Death Rev. 20.6 Blessed and Holy is he that hath part in the first Resurrection on him the second Death shall have no Power There is then you see such a thing as a second Death O think on it poor Sinners it 's an unseen thing but an unquestionable thing there is such a thing certainly and it 's a dreadful thing the first Death is nothing the breadth of it is but a step the length of it is but a moment of Time or two but the second Death is something there are the Chambers of Death where you shall be led from one Misery to another and where you shall dwell for ever 3. The Being of unseen things is manifest from the special Distribution or Distinction that the Scripture makes of things into two ranks or sorts This is another thing that will yet put this Truth out of question We find the Holy Ghost distributing things 1. Into things present and to come Rom. 8.38 For I am perswaded that neither Death nor Life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers or things present or things to come c. 1 Cor. 3.22 there again you read of things present and to come 2. Into those of this Life and of the Life to come 1 Tim. 4.8 Godliness hath the Promise of the Life that now is and of that which is to come 3. Into things of this World and that to come Luke 20.34 35. The Children of this World marry and are given in Marriage But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that World and the Resurrection from the Dead c. Eph. 1.21 Every Name that is named not only in this World but in that which is to come 4. Into things Above and things on Earth Col. 3.2 Set your Affections on things above not on things on the Earth 5. Things in Heaven and in Earth Col. 1.16 For by him were all things created that are in Heaven and that are in Earth 6. Things Temporal and things Eternal 2 Cor. 4.18 The things which are seen are Temporal but the things which are not seen are Eternal 7. Things Visible and Invisible Col. 1.16 For by him were all things Created visible and invisible i. e. all the Creatures for they are all visible or invisible and as there are visible so there are invisible unseen Creatures Thus things are distinguished into things present and to come Now the things present the things of this Life are visible are seen things and the things to come the things of the other Life are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 invisible and unseen 4. The Being of unseen things is evident from the Examples or Experience of those that have been brought within some sight of unseen things thus Peter James and John had a Praeludium a Prefiguration of the unseen Glory of Heaven in Christ's Transfiguration Mat. 17. So Stephen when dying saw the Glory of God and Jesus standing on the right Hand of God Acts 7.55 Mark he saw into Heaven and beheld Christ there in his Glory If any would enquire here de modo how the Heavens were opened and how he saw the Glory it 's both beside my present Work and above my Ability to satisfy their Curiosity Res patet modus latet Again Paul tells us that he was caught up into the third Heaven into Paradise the Place of God's Glory the Habitation of Saints and Angels and that there he heard wordless words things impossible to be uttered 2 Cor. 12.2 3 4. Mark pray he tells us again and again whether out of the Body or in the Body I can't tell God knoweth but this he can tell that he was in the third Heaven in Paradise and heard unspeakable words So on the other side as Stephen a little before his Death had a foresight of the unseen Glory above and dying went into the full Possession of it so Judas a little before his Death had a foretaste of the Woe and Worm below and dying went to the full Experience of it Acts 1.25 From which Judas by Transgression fell that he might go to his own place So the Sodomites are set out Jude 7. not only for an Example of Admonition to warn other Sinners but as an Example of Conviction to convince other Sinners that there is an eternal Fire or for an Example of this Truth that there are Sufferings not seen remaining for impenitent and secure Sinners as those that hear these words shall see and find one day if Repentance and Grace prevent not 5. From Scripture-Visions wherein the Lord hath made clear discoveries and visible representations of invisible things things not seen unto his Servants The unseen Judgment to come was thus seen by Daniel in a Vision Dan. 7.9 10. I beheld till the Thrones were cast down and the antient of days did sit whose Garment was white as Snow and the Hair of his Head like the pure Wooll his Throne was like the fiery Flame and his Wheels as burning Fire Verse 10. A fiery Stream issued and came forth from before him thousand thousands ministred unto him and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him the Judgment was set and the Books were opened By John in another Vision Rev. 20.11 12 13. And I saw a great white Throne and him that sat on it from whose Face the Earth and the Heaven fled away and there was found no place for them Ver. 12. And I saw the Dead small and great stand before God and the Books were opened and another Book was opened which is the Book of Life and the Dead were judged out of those things which were written in the Books according to their Works Ver. 13. And the Sea gave up the Dead which
yet tells us that he saw but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 modo imperfecto in part he saw but the back-parts of unseen Things 1 Cor. 13.9 We know in part and prophesy in part Ver. 11. When I was a Child I spake as a Child I understood as a Child I thought as a Child He compares all the Knowledg he had attained of these Things to that he had of things in the World when he was a Child Children have but weak and shallow Conceptions and Apprehensions of things such as they are ashamed of when they grow up to be Men. Why there is in many respects as great Difference between the Apprehensions we have of unseen Things now in this World and the Apprehensions we shall have of the same Things in the other World as there is between the Apprehensions of Persons whilst but Children and when come to be Men. Alas Sirs when you hear Men of the largest Abilities discoursing of these Things they do but even lisp and stammer and speak half words and bits of Sentences as Children they do but talk of them as blind Men do of Colours or as you do of far Countries and Rarities in them that you have never never seen O the things of Heaven are other things and the things of Hell are other Things than you or I think unknown Things we see not when our Conceptions are most accurate and elevated a thousandth thousandth part of that Glory that is prepared for the Saints in Heaven nor yet a thousandth thousandth part of that Shame Wo and Wrath that is prepared for Sinners in Hell Heaven is not only commensurate to our greatest Hopes but as far above them as it is above the Earth and Hell is not only answerable to our greatest Fears but as far beyond them as the East is from the West Says Moses Psal 90.11 Who knoweth the Power of thine Anger according to thy Fear so is thy Wrath. That is the Wrath of God is every way answerable to the Fear that Men have of it and not only so but it is behind what we either fear or can know Think on this under the most dreadful Considerations imaginable and yet when thou hast thought the worst and all that is possible according to thy Fear so is his Wrath and more than so when poured out to the utmost This is the second they are not seen that is not known 3. They are not experienced they are not seen that is they are not try'd and felt by Experience we have not had a trial of them by Taste or Feeling This Phrase of seeing is often put thus for feeling in Holy Scripture as Lament 3.1 I am the Man that hath seen Affliction by the Rod of his Wrath as if he had said I have felt endured born Affliction So Psal 90.15 The Years wherein we have seen Evil suffer'd felt Evil and Affliction Jer. 20.18 Wherefore came I forth out of the Womb to see Labour and Sorrow Rev. 18.7 Psal 27.13 106.5 and in many other Places to see is to feel and not to see is not to feel or experience And thus this Phrase may be taken here and so in this Sense these things are unseen things to us there 's not a Man among us to day that has once seen them that has try'd and had experience of them in himself that can come out and say I have gone through Death I have been in Heaven or I have been in Hell and tried Things of another World O Sirs these things not seen are things we have not had an Experiment a Proof and Trial of you have not had an Experiment of the things of Death nor of the things of Judgment nor of the things of Heaven nor of the things of Hell O think of it you that are drooping Saints and Servants of God you have not yet try'd 1. What it is to have God to wipe away all Tears from your Eyes 2. What it is to enter into the Joy of your Lord. 3. What it is to receive your Inheritance to put on your Crown and to possess your Kingdom 4. What it is to see God face to face and to follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth 5. What it is to be with Christ your Lord and Love in Heaven I say all these and all the unutterable things of Heaven are things you have not tried a Trial of them would make the whole World of seen things a Wilderness a Weariness to you And O think of it you that are daring Sinners you that make nothing of Death of Judgment of Heaven or Hell I say again think of it you have not try'd the things you are making thus light of you have not tried I say 1. What it is to lie down in Sorrow 2. What it is to be driven away into outer and eternal Darkness 3. What it is to dwell with the devouring Fire to dwell with everlasting Burnings 4. What it is to be tormented with the Devil and his Angels 5. What it is to be punished with everlasting Destruction had you ever tried these things you would have other thoughts about them they that are this Day trying them and feeling what they are are not making light of them and O if you had been but a Year a Week a Day or a Night or an Hour in Hell and seen what others are seeing and felt what they are feeling you would not think it a small Matter to be damned This is a Third these things are unseen they are such things that we have no present experimental Acquaintance with 4. They are not present and entred on they are not seen that is they are not yet in being as to us we are not yet begun with them and entred on them we have them not present with us This Phrase of seeing is used thus for enjoying possessing or having the Presence of a Thing John 3.3 Except a Man be born again he can't see the Kingdom of God Videre regnum Dei idem est ac intrare in illud therefore it 's said verse the 5th Except a Man be born of Water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Deut. 3.25 Moses pray'd that he might see i. e. enter into and come to possess that good Land So also Psal 36.9 In thy Light we shall see Light i. e. have or enjoy Light So Luke 17.22 The Days will come when ye shall desire to see one of the Days of the Son of Man and ye shall not see it that is when you shall desire to enjoy one of these Days to have the presence of one of these Days and ye shall not see it that is ye shall not enjoy one of them ye shall not have the Presence of one of them with you And so in many other Places to see a Thing is to have it present and in possession and not to see a thing is to have it absent and unbegun with us And in this respect also these things are
unseen things that is they are not begun with us we are not entred on them you and I are not yet entred on the things of Death or the things of Judgment on the things of Heaven or on the things of Hell O Sirs the Saints Heaven Harvest and Happiness is not yet begun but to begin the Saints Kingdom is not yet come but to come Tertullian in his Book de Spectaculis disswading the Servants of God from them hath this Motive Nostrae coenae nostrae nuptiae nondum sunt So I say the Saints Happiness is not yet it 's yet out of sight and to come And so Sirs the Sinners and Ungodly's Hell and Horror and Torment is not yet begun but to begin Do you see them Ranting and Revelling Swaggering and Gallanting it out from Day to Day O think it not strange for I say their Hell is not yet begun they are yet in their Heaven and their Hell is to begin their Time nay their Eternity of Darkness and Chains and Fire and Weeping and Gnashing are yet to enter on O consider it you that live ungodly I may say to you as the Apostle James 5.5 Ye have lived in Pleasure on the Earth and been wanton and nourished your Hearts as in a Day of Slaughter Ay but where is it Sirs that you have lived is it not on Earth that you have lived thus in Pleasure is it not on Earth that you are living it's on Earth it 's on Earth only and beyond Earth there 's an unseen Hell How will you live there will you live in Hell as you have lived on Earth in Pleasures in Jollity in Delicacy will you take up a sensual Life a delicate way of living when you are in Chains in everlasting Burnings suffering the Vengeance of an eternal Fire and drinking whole Cups nay Rivers of the Wine of the Wrath of God Almighty O those will be no Delicacies then your Heaven will be past as Luke 16.25 Thou in thy Life-time receivedst thy good Things and Lazarus evil Things but now he is Comforted and thou art Tormented 5. I may add this Unseen things are things which are not considered observed or regarded they are not seen that is they are not minded and regarded or taken notice of by many This Phrase of seeing is used thus for taking notice of and care about a Matter Psal 66.5 Come and see the Works of God observe and mark them So Mat. 22.11 And when the King came in to see the Guests he saw there a Man which had not on a Wedding-Garment when he came in to take notice of his Guests Mat. 27.4 See thou to that i. e. take thou care about that look thou to that So also verse 24. See ye to it And so here we look saith the Apostle at things not seen that is we look at things that are little look'd at in the World that are out of sight and out of mind with many that many ne'r regard or once trouble themselves about This is another and in this respect also these things of Death Judgment Heaven and Hell are as to many unseen things they mind them not they take no more notice of them than if they were not among the multitude of Thoughts that are within them and pass through them every Day there are none of this sort no serious pondering Thoughts of the things of Death the things of Judgment of Heaven or Hell O Sirs how many be there who have gone over twenty thirty forty Years and yet it may be feared the Time is yet to come that ever they spent one single Hour Day or Night Night or Day one time or another in serious Thoughts about unseen things pray look home Sirs to your own selves and see what you have done in this Case These are I say with many unseen things things they are mindless of and careless about SERMON III. 2 Cor. 4.18 While we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal FOurthly We shall inquire what Looking at these unseen things imports and implies You see 1. That there are unseen things 2. What these unseen things are 3. How they are unseen Now the next inquiry may be what it is to look at unseen things or what this looking at unseen things which is the great Concern of Christians includes and implies Now this Phrase includes and carries many things in it I shall only at this Time point at these five that are bound up in it To look at thâ—ngs which are not seen is a Phrase that implies 1. A real Valuation or Estimation of unseen things as things meet to be minded and deserving to be regarded by us This Phrase is thus used to denote that which deserves to be regarded and valued 2 Kings 3.14 And Elisha said As the Lord of Hosts liveth before whom I stand surely were it not that I regard the Presence of Jehoshaphat the King of Judah I would not look towards thee nor see thee that is I would not have matter'd nor set by thee it 's Jehoshaphat that I look at and regard in the Matter So here to look at unseen things is to reckon of them as valuable things as things to be mattered and made account of by us And this now Sirs is our Concern and Duty it concerns thee and me and lies on us not to slight these unseen things as many do as if they were poor worthless inconsiderable Matters not worthy to be taken notice of or regarded take heed of this reckon not of Death of Judgment of Heaven of Hell as sorry as inconsiderable things as things too little and mean to be minded but look at them that is make them Matters of Moment Matters of Concernment of greatest Moment and Concernment of any Matters in all the World for so they are and such they will be found with every one of us another Day If there be nothing in Death Judgment Heaven Hell to be minded or matter'd by us who are on the way towards Death Judgment Heaven or Hell then there 's surely nothing nothing in the World nor any thing out of the World to be made any Matter of What is it that you make a Matter of that you look on as valuable if these be nothing with you surely Sirs these are things to be look'd at And this is one we must look at unseen things that is get and keep a home a lively and affecting Impression upon our Hearts of the Weight and Concernment of unseen things Art thou a gracious Person look at that is get and keep a-foot an affecting an abiding Sense of the Height of unseen Glory thou art going to of the Depth of unseen Wrath thou art delivered from and it will teach thee whatever comes to reckon as the Apostle our light Afflictions c. If Shame if Loss if Tribulation if Persecution O what
a small Pain is this to the Glory to come Art thou an ungodly profane Creature O look at unseen things i. e. get and keep a-foot an abiding affecting Sense of that eternal Glory thou art losing of that everlasting Punishment thou art in danger to drop into every Day and every Hour Either this would startle thee out of thy present Security or I know not what will 2. Serious Meditation on them This Phrase is thus used not only to denote something that deserves to be minded and regarded but also to denote the minding and regarding of it the imploying of our Thoughts about it Prov. 24.32 Then I saw and considered it well I looked upon it and received Instruction I look'd with a serious observing considering Eye 1 Sam. 16.7 Look not on his Countenance consider it not conclude not by that James 1.25 But whoso looketh into the perfect Law of Liberty i. e. bendeth his Mind to meditate on it and consider it So Isa 51.1 2. So here to look at things not seen is to admit them into our serious Thoughts to take them into our solemn Consideration and to set our musing Minds at work about them And this is our Concern and Duty it concerns me and it concerns thee and every one that 's here to day to reckon of these things as M tters to be minded and to mind them to mind them I say and to transfer our most serious Thoughts to them It 's not enough to confess that they are Matters of Moment a Thing that I think few will deny but we must also mind them and have our Thoughts exercised about them as Matters of such Moment a thing I fear that few practise This is another thing that is implied in this looking viz. serious thinking at unseen things pray think of it Hast thou never thought of Death Judgment Heaven or Hell or at most only glanc'd at them and cast an Eye on them by the by while thou hast been minding other things why know this Day that it is thy Duty to look at them to look to fix the Eye of thy Mind and Meditation on them as thou dost the Eye of thy Body on the Object thou wouldst look narrowly upon or accurately at O they are things to be looked at and not to be glanced at things to be eyed with all Diligence and not only on the by Our Morning Thoughts and our Evening Thoughts our Day Thoughts and our Night Thoughts our Company Thoughts and our solitary Thoughts should be meeting at these unseen things and spending themselves on them in thinking what a glorious blessed thing it will be to see the unseen things of Heaven and Glory we have hinted at to see God to see him as he is and what a sad and fearful thing it will be to see the unseen things of Hell and Damnation to see the Worm that never dieth the unquenchable Fire the Wrath to come These Sirs are Subjects that we should look at that is our Thoughts should fix settle and dwell much on them 3. Fixed Intention or Proposal of them to our selves as our great End or Aim the original word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here used signifies such a looking as a Watchman useth that stands on a Tower to descry Enemies and Dangers and marks every Corner diligently or such a looking as an Archer when he is shooting tho he have many Objects about him on this side and on that side yet he looks neither on this side nor on the other side but streight before him at the Scope or Mark he aims at This I say is the import of the Word and so to look at things not seen is to make them our Scope and End our great Mark and Aim in the World and this now Sirs is our Concern and Duty also it concerns me and it concerns thee and it concerns every one not only to value unseen things and to think on unseen things but also to aim at unseen things to make unseen things our Mark to eye unseen things as the great Mark we shoot at This is another thing I say that is implied in this looking to wit a steady aiming at unseen things we should look on all other things viz. seen things as if we looked not as By-businesses but we should look at these unseen things as our main Business and End that we propound to our selves Pray remember this have you been making seen things the seen Profits or seen Pleasures or seen Honours of the World your great Matters your great Marks that you have mainly designed and aimed at why alas you have been looking the wrong Way and all the while that you have been making this your Matter how to get Estates and Wealth or how to raise your Names and Families or how to take your fill of sensual Pleasures it has I say all the while concerned you and lain on you as your Duty to look at things not seen to make unseen things your greatest Matters I say it has concerned you to make these your Business these these things should have been your Matters your Marks your Aims Sirs viz. 1. How you might get into a readiness to see unseen Death 2. How you might escape the things that are coming on this World and stand before the Son of Man at his coming 3. How you might avoid the seeing of the unseen things of Hell the bottomless Pit the Wine-press of the Wrath of God the Darkness Chains and Prison of the Damned And 4. How you might be admitted to the seeing of the unseen things of Heaven in the Paradise the City the Temple of God these are the things the things you should have been looking and aiming at all this while and this is yet your great Concern and Duty in the World Well this is another unseen things are the things that we should look at that is aim at 4. It implies vigorous Prosecution or earnest Endeavour that we should pursue them with all care and diligence Isa 56.11 it 's said of the blind and greedy Watchmen They all look to their own way every one for his Gain from his Quarter i. e. it 's their great Matter they have in pursuit and are continually driving on So here to look at things not seen is to pursue them as our great business in the World As Paul Phil. 3.14 I press toward the Mark for the Prize of the High-calling of God in Christ Jesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scopum versus feror that is I have Eternal Salvation which is my Scope or Mark or End in chase I am making towards it up Hill and down through thick and thin as one resolved never to rest till I have attained unto it This is to look at unseen things and this now Sirs also is our Concern and Duty it concerns me and it concerns thee not only to aim at but also to lay out for unseen things with all our Might we must look at them as the Traveller that
great Concern lies in but on by-Businesses and inconsiderable things that are all nothing to the main Pray Sirs let us think of it we are all busy every day one is planting another is building another is purchasing another is trading another is tilling one is doing this another is doing that and every Body upon the Matter is taken up with something or other of the things which are seen yet alas Sirs our great Matters our great Concerns lie neither in one or another of these seen things that are temporal but in unseen things which are eternal Think on it Soul to day I say to thee that whatever it is which thou art about and most taken up with amongst things which are seen this is not thy Matter this is not thy Business this is not thy Great Concern thou hast a greater Matter a greater Concernment than this to mind and tend viz. thy future unseen eternal Estate I say Soul the thing is what shall be thine eternal Condition what thou shalt see in another World for ever Thy great Concernments lie in the things that are yet out of sight This is one thing we may learn hence and O that you would take it into your Thoughts and say to your selves where are we what are we doing what is this we are busying our selves about are we not out and off our great Concernment O our Matter is not 1. Where we dwell what our Habitation is while among seen things but where we shall take up our Lodging and make our Abode when we are come to unseen things 2. Nor how we are accommodated with Lands Meat Drink Clothes Money and other Conveniencies now while seen things are present but how we shall be accommodated what shall be our Portion and where our Lines shall fall when we go to enter on and begin with things not seen that we shall never end with 3. Nor who are our Neighbours our Friends and Relations that we are now living and sojourning among conversing and companying with but who we must come to see and be in Company of and spend Eternity with when we go to change seen Neighbours Friends and Relations for others that are yet unseen They are thus our unseen things and not our seen things our eternal things and not our temporal things that are our great Concernments our main Matters lie in Matters that are beyond all that our Eyes see under the Sun Alas Sirs it 's a common thing with many to say upon meeting with some smarting Cross or sad Loss in their Estates Comforts or Relations O now I am undone I am quite broken and on the other side if they meet with any special Success in any of their Matters or compass any of their Designs according to their Desire to say O now I am made now I shall be happy But truly this is a great Mistake and you are much out when you say or think on this fashion for seen things can neither make you nor undo you no body to this day was ever made or undone by them they are unseen things that will be a making or undoing to you the unseen things of Death and Judgment of Heaven and Hell are the making and the undoing things and when these come in sight then you 'l indeed be made or undone and that for ever 2. We may hence see that we have been and are a great way out of the way of our Duty many of us it has been our Duty to be much in looking at unseen things O but Sirs have we not been little in our lookings this way and to these things Pray Sirs look a little back and take a serious review of what is past and what you have been eying and minding all along and then tell me if among the many things that you have look'd at these unseen things have not had the least room in your Eye and then I fear there will be but few very few exceeding few if they 'l deal truly who must not confess that they have been very guilty in this particular Alas Sirs not only our Rabble of profane and dissolute Persons or our Crouds and Companies of mere Worldlings have been Strangers to the Practice of this Duty but many that have looked towards Religion have yet looked little towards this Duty the Truth is Sirs there is little looking at unseen things O who almost 1. Puts a Price on these 2. Who carries them in his Thoughts 3. Who set them before them as their Mark and Aim 4. Who goes after them Or 5. Who is waiting with an earnest expectation for them Alas seen things stand between us and unseen things and as they stand between us and unseen things so they come between us and looking at them we look but little over them or behind them This is another thing this Truth may convince a great many of us that we are not looking the right Way we are not looking at the right Object or that which is our grand Concernment Alas Sirs do we not Dine and Sup at our accustomed Times go to Bed and rise at our Hours Converse and Commune one with another as we were wont Trade and Till and tend our Occasions and Matters in the World Day after Day but among all suffer Death to creep on us Judgment to come towards us and another World approach and hasten every Day without taking them at all into our Eye or looking at them on that manner that Matters of that Moment deserve to be looked at Truly Sirs this Text and Truth speaks enough to shame us all for where are the Men the Women the Christians the Professors Young or Old in one Condition or another that can say we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen 3. We may hence learn that there are other things to be seen than those that we have yet seen or are seeing we have not seen all that we must see it was Solomon's Observation in his Time that there was no new Thing under the Sun Eccles 1.9 The Thing which hath been is that which shall be and that which is done is that which shall be done and there is no new thing under the Sun q. d. All things in this World have in all Ages been the same for Nature and Substance there has been no Diversity Variety and Novelty save in outward Circumstances and Appearances of things that that is now is but the same o're again in another dress which has been afore and that which shall be will be no more but the same o're again which now is and there is nothing new under the Sun This he puts to Men that may seem otherwise minded viz. to name the thing that may seem to be new Ver. 10. Is there any thing whereof it may be said see this is new and then constantly affirms that it hath been in former time it hath been already of old Time which was before us and only