's on a Journey looks at the End of his Journey or as a Runner that 's in a Race looks at the Scope or Mark he is to come to the one runs with speed and the other rides with haste and both make towards the Mark. Thus I say and on this fashion we should look at things not seen as those that are travelling or running towards them by earnest Endeavour in a diligent Use of all Means and Ways leading unto them O Sirs we have many that are running and riding that are up early and late that are toiling and moiling all the Day long and of whose Labour there is no end But what is all this about what is it for why alas seen seen things these are the Matters they are seeking and as for unseen things they either look not at them or only so coldly and remiâ—ly as if they cared not which end goes forward but Sirs it concerns you and me to be up and doing about unseen things to be looking i. e. taking great Care and seeking by all Means early and late to get a sure-Title to and to assure our Interest in the unseen things of Heaven and Glory O these are the great Matters that Men and Women should be 1. tirring about 2. Striving about 3. Labouring for And 4. pressing after in this World This is another unseen things are the things we should look at that is seek for and pursue 5. It implies earnest Expectation that we look at them as the great Object that we expect and desire to obtain and come to Looking is thus put for Expecting Isa 5.2 He looked that it should bring forth Grapes Verse 7. He looked for Judgment but behold Oppression Jer. 8.15 We looked for Peace but no good came and for a time of Health and behold Trouble 2 Pet. 3.13 We look for a new Heaven and a new Earth In all which places Looking is put for Expecting So here to look at unseen things is to look for unseen things we look not at the things which are seen that is we expect not seen and Temporal things as the things that our Portion and Happiness lies in but unseen and Eternal things are the things we are looking at i. e. that we are waiting for that we are in expectation of that we are tarrying for and this is also our Duty to look at that is make things not seen our Expectations Many look at seen things and no further having nothing either beside them or beyond them that they do indeed look for seen things something or other that 's seen is the utmost thing that they have in their Eye but Sirs our looking should be over beyond past all that is seen to that that is not seen 1 Cor. 1.7 Waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ Phil. 3.20 We look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 3.12 Looking for the coming of the day of God Why thus we should look over look past all that we are seeing to that which is unseen as the great Matter we are in Expectation of This now is the fifth thing you see what looking at unseen things imports it carries these things in it 1. A valuing of 2. Thinking on 3. Aiming at 4. Seeking for 5. Expecting of things not seen It 's our Duty to look at things not seen and to look at them is to value them to think on them to aim at them to seek after them and to live in expectation of them then we look at these things when we make Account of them as Matters of the greatest Moment when we mind them as Matters of such Moment when we propose them to our selves as our great Business in the World when we pursue them as our great Matter and when we expect them as our Portion all these are bound up in this looking and meet in this great Duty from which we may see by the way that this Duty is a Duty that very few are living in at this Day Fifthly Why is it the Part and Duty of Christians to look at unseen things You have seen 1. That there are unseen things 2. What these are 3. How unseen 4. What Looking imports Our next Inquiry may be this Why is it a Duty and doth so much concern us to look at i. e. to eye aim at seek after and to expect things which are not seen Now this is our Duty because these unseen things are 1. Certain and indubitable they are not imaginary things that consist in Notion and Speculation only but certain Verities it 's true they are to us invisible but it 's as true that they are as indubitable and unquestionable we see them not now but it is as sure that they remain to be seen as that there was a World to be seen when we were lying in the Womb of our Mothers and saw it not Our Parents then saw a World that we were coming into but we saw not a Heaven an Earth a Sun these were out of our sight and many of them are now also seeing a World that we are going into but see not Sirs there is a great certainty in these unseen things as in any thing that you see 1. Are you sure there is a Sun in the Firmament because you see it with your Eyes 2. Are you sure there is an Earth under your Feet because you see it and feel it 3. Are you sure there are Men and Women besides your selves on this Earth because you see them and converse with them every Day Why I tell you it 's not more sure that there is a Sun an Earth a Man or Woman besides your selves than this is that there is an unseen Death Judgment Heaven and Hell before you I have before hinted at many things of Heaven and many things of Hell that are unseen that there is a Paradise House City Crown Kingdom reserved for Saints in Heaven and that there is a Darkness Chains Worm Wrath Fire prepared for the wicked in Hell and Sirs these are no Dreams or Fancies but most certain things it 's not more sure that I am speaking of them that you are hearing of them at this Time than it is that there are such things tho we have never seen them as we are now speaking and hearing of Therefore this may be one Reason why we should look at them they are certain therefore certainly it concerns us to look at them If it were a Matter only probable that there are unseen things if as much might be said against them as for them then mindlessness of them and carelessness about them might be somewhat excusable tho in that case it would be a wise Man's part to take the surest side and say well I see it 's a Question it 's a Matter that is doubtful and dark but I 'll carry it so as I may not be at a loss and not know what to do if things prove so I say if these things were thus doubtful yet it would
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
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
and Temple wherein were the Ark of the Testimony the Mercy-Seat the two Tables the Pot of Manna Aaron's Rod the Golden Censor before which there was a great Vail drawn that none might see them but only the High Priest who entred once a Year Exod. 26.31 And thou shalt make a Vail of Blue and Purple and Scarlet and fine twined Linen of cunning Work with Cherubims shall it be made In allusion to this I say the things of Heaven are said to be within the Vail i. e. covered and unseen As there was a Vail between the People and that which was in the most Holy Place so there is a Vail between us and that which is in Heaven 1. The things in Heaven which are set down in Scripture by the Names 1. Of a better Countrey Heb. 11.16 A Countrey where there is no Hunger Rev. 7.16 no Death Rev. 21.4 no Night Rev. 21.25 no Curse Rev. 22.3 2. By the Name of Paradise the Place where there is fulness of Joy and Pleasures for evermore Psal 16.11 3. By Christ's Father's House John 14.2 In my Father's House are many Mansions 4. By a City which hath Foundations whose Builder and Maker is God a City whose Foundations are precious Stones Gates Pearls Streets pure Gold Porters Angels and that hath no need of the Sun neither of the Moon to shine in it for the Glory of God doth lighten it and the Lamb is the Light thereof Rev. 21.23 5. By an Inheritance an Inheritance that is incorruptible undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in Heaven 1 Pet. 1.4 6. By a Kingdom a Kingdom of Heaven a Kingdom of God a Kingdom of Christ a Kingdom that cannot be moved a Kingdom that is Eternal Everlasting 7. By a Crown of Righteousness of Life of Glory 8. By Glory Heavenly Glory an exceeding and eternal Weight of Glory I say the things of Heaven set out by all these Names and Titles are all unseen things And so also Secondly the things which are shadowed out to us 1. By the World to come 2. The New Heavens 3. The New Earth 4. The Throne of God and the Lamb 5. The Temple of God 6. The pure River of the Water of Life clear as Chrystal 7. The Tree of Life which bears twelve manner of Fruits Rev. 22.2 are unseen things And Thirdly the things set out 1. By sitting down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven 2. By sitting with Christ in his Throne as he is set down with his Father in his Throne 3. By being called to the Marriage-Supper of the Lamb 4. By eating and drinking at his Table in his Kingdom 5. By eating the hidden Manna are all hidden unseen things Fourthly we see not yet what it is 1. To see God 2. To see his Face 3. To see him face to face 4. To know as we are known 5. To be before the Throne of God 6. To have him that sitteth on the Throne to dwell among us 7. To walk with him in White 8. To follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth 9. To have the Lamb which is in the midst of the Throne to feed us and to lead us unto living Fountains of Water 10. To be made Pillars in the Temple of God and to have the Name of God and the Name of the City of God which is new Jerusalem and Christ's new Name written upon us 11. To be ever with the Lord 12. To have him all in all all these things are things which are most clearly reported to and most surely believed among the Saints but are not yet seen Fifthly And so 1. The Life of Saints that 's hid with Christ in God 2. The Hope of Saints that 's laid up in Heaven 3. The Glory to be revealed in Saints in Heaven and 4. The Inheritance of all things are yet out of sight O Christians 1. You that are going for Heaven to Day have not seen what a Country City Kingdom Company you are going to what things you are going to see 2. You that have seen something of the workings of Grace in your Hearts from Heaven have seen nothing of the Preparations of Glory for you in Heaven These are things which Eye hath not seen O be stedfast be immoveable stablish your Hearts until the Day break and the Shadows fly away the Day when all these unseen things shall be seen and enjoyed for evermore this Day will bring to light and into sight more than our thoughts can at present reach Fourthly The things of Hell are unseen things things which are not seen as Heaven so Hell is hidden from the Eyes and sight of all the Living The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 denotes a place unseen and our English word Hell is from Hil an old Saxon word that signifies to be hid hilled over or covered such is that Place such are the things of that Place things which are hill d over things which are not seen 1. The things in Hell which are set out in Scripture by the Names of 1. The second Death 2. The bottomless Pit 3. Of Perdition 4. Of Destruction 5. Of Damnation 6. Of the Wrath to come and 7. Of the Wine-press of the Wrath of God Almighty are things which are not seen These dreadful Expressions are Expressions that carry in them Rivers of unseen Woes Seas of unseen Vengeance yea whole Oceans of unseen and unutterable Torments 2. The things shadowed out to us 1. By Darkness outer Darkness everlasting Darkness 2. By Chains Chains of everlasting Darkness 3. By the Wine of the Wrath of God 4. By a Worm a Worm that shall never die 5. And by a Fire a Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels a Furnace of Fire a Lake of Fire a Furnace and Lake of unquenchable and everlasting Fire I say the things shadowed out by all these to us are unseen things O Sirs you that live impenitently and securely in Sin that Scoff and Swear and Drink and Whore and profane the Lord's day and make light of Threatnings Warnings Admonitions as if you had made a Covenant with Death and were at an Agreement with Hell as they who said Isa 28.15 We have made a Covenant with Death and with Hell are we at Agreement when the overflowing Scourge shall pass through it shall not come unto us for we have made Lies our Refuge and under Falshood have we hid our selves that is as if they had said Death and Hell are at amity with us we fear no more harm from them than we do from those that are in League with us than we do from Confederates we are at Agreement with Hell Hell shall not hurt us or as if they had said we are in no more fear of Hell than we are in fear of our Confederates for Hell is but a Fable a Bug-bear to fright Children and Fools let Preachers say what they will we care not for Hell either it is not or it is not so terrible as they tell us Are
you of this Temper Sirs do you live loosely and profanely securely and carelesly in a sinful State and Way and yet say we have made a Covenant with Death and are at an Agreement with Hell we fear not Hell we care not for Hell 1. Either it is not Or 2. we shall escape it Or 3. it will not prove so hot as we are told why I say your Covenant with Death shall be disannulled and your Agreement with Hell shall not stand you 'l find there is a Hell and this Hell will be what now you are told of Alas alas you have not seen what it is 1. To be turned into Hell 2. To go into Perdition 3. To be punished with everlasting Destruction from the presence of the Lord 4. To fall into the Condemnation of the Devil 5. To be thrown into the great Wine-press of the Wrath of God 6. To be cast alive into the Lake of Fire burning with Brimstone 7. To be tormented Day and Night for ever and ever 8. To feel an endless Rain of Snares Fire and Brimstone and a burning Tempest 9. To suffer the Vengeance of an Eternal Fire 10. And to have the Smoke of your Torment ascend for ever and ever You have not seen these I say you see not what is lying in their Womb but they will come in sight and know to day that as light as you make of them they will cause you change Chear for ever Mat. 25.30 There shall be Weeping and Gnashing of Teeth this is their Case who are now in outer Darkness and tho you may laugh at it now it will be your Case there there 's no laughing or jesting in Hell but only weeping and gnashing of Teeth Pray think of it you that are going for Hell you little think what a Place and Things you are going to what you shall both see and feel there the things thereof are things that are not seen and it 's not safe to make light of that you see not nor good to praise Hell before you have try'd it and wo to you if you come to try it once for that once will be for ever Thirdly The third Question under the Doctrine is how these things are unseen You see there are unseen things and what these unseen things are the things of Death Judgment Heaven and Hell Now the next inquiry may be this in order to the clearing of the Point viz. How they are unseen or what this imports or implies that they are not seen Now this Phrase implies these four or five things viz. That they are things which 1. Are not seen with Eyes of Flesh they are not seen that is they are not visible to our bodily Eyes not beheld with the Eye that looks upon visible Objects and things under the Sun Eye hath not seen them My Beloved your Eye hath seen a great Number and a great variety of Objects you are not able to tell how many Things and how many kinds of Things you have seen since you begun to look out at these Windows but I can tell you what you have not seen among all the Things which you have seen Day after Day you have never seen the things of Death the things of Judgment the things of Heaven nor the things of Hell these have all along been out of your sight 1. Hast thou seen great Things great Transactions great Revolutions thou hast seen no such great Things as the Things of the great Day of the Lord. 2. Hast thou seen good Things Things that were exceeding amiable lovely and desirable in thine Eye that thine Eye was much taken with yet thou hast seen no such good lovely and desirable Things as those of Heaven and Glory are 3. Hast thou seen ill Things Things that have been Dreadful Terrible Astonishing and Amazing to thee that have frighted thee that have put thee into a Consternation why yet for all that thou hast seen no such terrible or astonishing Things as the things of Hell and Damnation this is one these things are not seen by the Eye of the Body 2. It imports that these unseen things are n t known they are not seen that is they are not fully known and understood by us as they are things which are not seen by the Eye of Flesh so they are things which are not seen fully by the Eye of the Mind the Eye sees them not neither doth the Mind reach them proportionably to the Nature of them Alas it 's but a little that we understand of these things our Knowledg of them is mighty obscure dark confused and imperfect as Job says of the Knowledg of God Job 26.14 Lo these are but parts of his Ways and how little a Portion is heard of him the Thunder of his Power who can understand i. e. all that we hear and know and conceive of God is little low and nothing to what he is all our Thoughts Meditations Apprehensions are infinitely below his infinite Majesty So may I say of these unseen Things lo these are part of them these Things we have hinted at but how little a Portion is heard of them it's but little very little exceeding little that we do or can conceive of unseen Things to what they are and what we shall find them to be The Italians have a Proverb Qui Venetias non videt non credit qui aliquandiu ibi non vixit non intelligit So it is in this Case he that hath not seen these Things not seen cannot believe enough of them and he that hath not had some Experience of them cannot understand them as they are One of the Fathers branches things under three Heads 1. Things that are known 2. Things that are knowable that may be found out by Search and Enquiry 3. Things that are neither known nor knowable but reserved for another World and of this sort are these unseen Things they are not now known or knowable but the Knowledg of them is reserved for another World Alas the Secrets of Nature are much above us there are many thousand Things there that we either have no Knowledg of or know but very darkly the Secrets of Grace are more above us but the Secrets of Glory are most of all above us the Knowledg of them is too wonderful for us we cannot attain unto it Says Zophar Job 11.7 8 9. Canst thou by searching find out God canst thou find out the Almighty unto Perfection It is as high as Heaven what canst thou do deeper than Hell what canst thou know The Measure thereof is longer than the Earth and broader than the Sea It 's as high What 's as high Why God's Perfection this is as high So may I say here canst thou find out unseen Things by searching to Perfection alas no no they are as high as Heaven what can we do deep as Hell what can we know Paul who was a Man of eminent Attainments extraordinary Revelations and stood on a higher rise of Ground than any now living
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
11.25 The Pleasures of Sin for a Season for a time as the same word Mark 4.17 and have no Root in themselves and so endure for a time for a while as Mat. 13.21 Thus seen things whatever they are are but for a season for a time for a while as Job 11.16 Because thou shalt forget thy Misery and remember it as the Waters that pass away i. e. as that which is quickly gone and shall never return again When sudden and great Showers of Water fall they make great Torrents and Inundations in Brooks and Rivers but these soon pass away and being once past they return no more Why on this fashion the godly Man's Misery is as Waters and the ungodly Man's Prosperity is as Waters and all these seen things are as Waters that pass away But now 2dly The things which are not seen are eternal and everlasting not for a season or a time or a while but for ever and ever for Eternity The things not seen in Heaven are Eternal As 1. There is Life and this Life is eternal Mat. 25.46 But the Righteous into Life eternal 2. Salvation and this Salvation is eternal Heb. 5.9 And being made perfect he became the Author of eternal Salvation unto all them that obey him 3. Inheritance and this Inheritance is eternal 1 Pet. 1.4 An Inheritance incorruptible undefiled and that fadeth not away 4. A Crown and this Crown is eternal 1 Pet. 5.4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear ye shall receive a Crown of Glory that fadeth not away 5. A Kingdom and this Kingdom is eternal 2 Pet. 1.11 For an Entrance shall be administred to you abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 6. Glory and this Glory is eternal 2 Cor. 4.17 For our light Affliction which is but for a Moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal Weight of Glory And the things not seen in Hell are eternal as there is 1st A Pit and this Pit is a bottomless Pit Rev. 9.1 2. And the fifth Angel sounded and I saw a Star falling from Heaven unto the Earth and to him was given the Key of the bottomless Pit and he opened the bottomless Pit and there arose a Smoke out of the Pit as the Smoke of a great Furnace 2dly Damnation and this Damnation is eternal Mark 3.29 But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never Forgiveness but is in danger of eternal Damnation 3dly Destruction and this Destruction is eternal 2 Thess 1.9 Who shall be punished with everlasting Destruction from the Presence of the Lord and from the Glory of his Power 4thly Darkness and this Darkness is eternal Jude 1â— To whom is reserved the Blackness of Darkness for ever 5thly A Worm and this Worm is eternal Mark 9.44 Where the Worm dieth not 6thly Fire and this Fire is eternal Mat. 25.41 Depart from me ye Cursed into everlasting Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Well thus Sirs you see the Difference between things seen and unseen 1. Seen things are in continual Motion unseen things are immovable 2. Seen things pass away as Waters swiftly unseen things stand still as Weks through all Generations 3. The things we see here in this World we see them but for Hours Days Weeks or Years and then they are no more The things we must see hereafter in the other World we shall see for ever Now Time determines and puts an end to our seeing of all that comes into sight then Eternity will never determine or put any Period to what shall be in sight And this Duration this Eternity of unseen things puts as I have said an infinite Weight upon them and makes them of infinitely more Concernment to us than all seen things whatsoever I say again there are many things that call on us to keep an Eye on unseen things the Certainty of them calls us to take them into our Eye and the Greatness of them and the Unavoidableness of them and the Nearness of them but this their eternal Duration above all renders them to us as Objects that we are most concerned to eye Here in this World we regard and matter things very much according to the Duration and Continuance they are of Things that are of short Continuance and soon gone we make no great reckoning of whether great or small good or evil A Flower if never so sweet and beautiful if passing Solomon in all his Glory is not much valued because we know it's fading and will shortly lose both its Sweetness and Beauty An Ague tho it make all the Body tremble yet it 's not much regarded because it will have but a few Paroxisms or Fits and then be gone but things that are durable and of long Continuance we use to account of Whether good or evil their Duration makes them considerable in our Eyes and shall we not then make a Matter of the unseen things in the other World that will not only be of long and lasting but of endless and everlasting Duration O then what will we mind or matter O Sirs their Eternity their Eternity Eternity makes them things to be look'd at before all temporal Matters for Aeternitas in bonis infinitum bonum in malis infinitum malum This makes unseen good things to be infinitely good and desirable and unseen evil things to be infinitely evil and formidable O think on this if thou drop into Damnation there thou must see endless Woes and Wrath If thou get to Heaven there thou shalt see the Pleasures that are for evermore Now doth it not concern thee to think how thou mayst come to an everlasting Happiness how thou mayst scape an everlasting Misery This may be another Ground of this Truth the things not seen are interminable And now I have done with the 5th Particular in this Point and endeavour'd to shew you why it is that we must look at unseen things and you see that the unseen things are 1. Certain 2. Great 3. Unavoidable 4. Near. 5. Eternal And therefore upon all these Accounts it cannot but appear to us as a Matter of very near and great Concernment to our selves to look at unseen things if there be any thing either of Religion or Reason Faith or Fear Understanding or Sense in us SERMON IV. 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 WE now come to improve the Doctrine The first Use shall be an Use of Information Is it the great Duty and Concernment of Christians to look at unseen things Then we may hence learn what things they are 1. That our great Concernments are lying in a Matter that few understand or take notice of as they should and therefore let their Time and Thoughts and Cares and Endeavours run out on that that is not the Matter the Business that their
secret Curse in them 2. Their Possessions have a Curse resting on them Prov. 3.33 The Curse of the Lord is in the House of the Wicked These seen things are left to be as Fuel to their Lusts as Food to their Pride and Covetousness and Luxury as Snares to their Souls Now Sirs is it not a foolish thing for Men to set their Eye on nothing but a Babylonish Garment an Achan's Golden Wedg an accursed thing 5thly Seen things are Fuel prepared for Burning combustible Stuff that Dooms-day will make an end of all these things that are now seen are things that must all be burnt up before our Eyes 2 Pet. 3.7 The Heavens and the Earth which are now are reserved unto Fire against the Day of Judgment Ver. 10. The Earth also and the Works that are therein shall be burnt up Thus all these seen things are kept for Fire a Fire is kindling in their Bowels that will turn them into cold Ashes think on this pray a Fire is coming a Fire is coming upon all the Gain of the World a Fire is coming upon all the Glory of the World a Fire is coming upon all the Possessions of the World a Fire is coming upon all the Habitations of the World nothing shall be left nothing saved not a penny of thy Money not a Stick or Stone of thy House not a Foot of thy Land Well this is a fourth thing this Course is a foolish Course for all these seen things are but the Footstool of God the Devils Walk the World's Portion the Subject of God's Curse Fuel for the Fire at Dooms-day and is it not a very poor sorry Business for Men and Women then to look no further than these no further than the Footstool O that Men should so far lose themselves is both sad and strange 5. This is a ruining and an undoing Course many have been undone by it and it 's marked out as a way to Perdition Phil. 3.18 19. For many walk of whom I have told you often and now tell you even weeping that they are the Enemies of the Cross of Christ whose End is Destruction whose God is their Belly and whose Glory is in their Shame who mind earthly things Here the Apostle shews that there were many who were walking towards Destruction and whose Way would end therein And he doth further particularly name several sorts of them and among the rest you see this sort of Persons are one who mind earthly things who are wise about earthly things Thus minders I pray you take notice of it of earthly things are marked for Destruction that is such as only look after are busy about taken up with and aim at these Presents and Visibles O Sirs this looking at seen things is the losing of the Soul and unseen things for ever It was a Saying that Sir Thomas Moore used There is a Devil called Negotium Business that carrieth more Souls to Hell than all the Devils in Hell besides O this Business this minding of earthly things this looking at seen things undoes thousands Sirs if you could speak with many now in Hell and ask them what was their undoing they would surely tell you it was this O this this was our ruin 1. We were thinking what we should eat and drink and wherewithal we should be clothed when we should have been making provision for our Souls 2. We were plodding for Posterity when we should have been preparing for Eternity 3. We were surveying our Estates when we should have been looking into our Hearts 4. We were casting how to drive on our Bargains to contrive our Business and compass our Ends when we should have been working out our Salvation And these these things were our undoing while we were thus busy early and late about Earth we lost Heaven When we were in the World we minded seen things we loved seen things we were set on seen things and when we came to leave the World God told us we had that which we chose this would be the Language of many a Soul And now Sirs will you take the way that many have met with ruin in that is marked as a way to Destruction This is the first Word by way of Reproof to those who look only at seen things at things which are in sight You see it is a Brutish a Paganish a Faithless a Foolish an Undoing Course Will you continue in such a Course will you follow Pagans and Brutes will you live as Men without Faith and without Knowledg O learn this Lesson this Duty to look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen Secondly Those are to be reproved by this Doctrine who live as if there were no unseen things no Judgment to come no Heaven no Hell nothing but what is seen and what is present My Beloved there are multitudes of these in our Day you shall not meet with many who will say there are no unseen things But as one saith Impurissima profanissima illa vita quam maxima pars hominum sectatur perspicuè indicat quod non sentiant esse vitam post hanc They live just as if they had no more to do than to rant and drink and roar and revel and die and so an End of all for ever or as if they had nothing to do but rake as much as they can of the World together whether by Right or Wrong and then die behind which there is nothing My Friends are any of you of this Make of Persons such as are lying in Wickedness as giving your selves up to Profaneness Pray tell me what have you thought what are you thinking of Have you ever thought or do you ever think in earnest of unseen things or that there are any unseen things that there is any such thing as a Judgment to come or a Hell that the Wicked are to be turned into I say what do you think Are there any unseen things or are there not If you say that there are and be perswaded that there are things out of sight as you are told of and as have been hinted to you from this Subject then how can you dare you live on such a fashion Do you believe that the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming Fire taking Vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall be punished with everlasting Destruction from the Presence of the Lord and from the Glory of his Power as you have it 2 Thess 1.7 8 9. Do you believe that the Kings of the Earth and the great Men and the rich Men and the chief Captains and the mighty Men and every Bond-man and every Free-man shall hide themselves in the Dens and in the Rocks of the Mountains and say to the Mountains and Rocks Fall on us and hide us from the Face of him that sitteth on the Throne and from the Wrath of the Lamb
say of God's Creation Like the Goats-hair and Badgers-skins on the Tabernacle without that was overlaid with Gold within Gold within and Skins without so I say these seen things are but very sorry things poor Shadows empty Vanities broken Cisterns nothing to unseen things nothing that can make us happy 5. Your unalterable and unchangeable Happiness lies in unseen things not in any thing that is in sight It 's true sometimes seen things may have such a kind and favourable Aspect towards you as may tempt you to say as David once Psal 30.6 7. That your Mountain is made to stand strong and you shall never be moved But as he was presently convinced of his Mistake so will you find yours for alas this World is the Stage of Changes and Revolutions wherein all things are on a Wheel and in motion 1. The Sun rises and sets 2. Seas ebb and flow 3. Winds rise and fall 4. Rivers run Day and Night 5. Cities and Kingdoms are up and down 6. Persons and Families are coming up and going down 7. Rich and Poor are meeting 1 Sam. 2.4 5. The Bows of the Mighty are broken and they that stumbled are girt with strength They that were full have hired out themselves for Bread and they that were hungry ceased so that the Barren hath born seven and she that hath many Children is waxed feeble All things are as we say on their Feet none can sit or lie some go backward some go forward it were endless to enumerate the Changes that are acted every day upon the Stage of this World here is no constancy no stability in any thing this is only to be found above in the unseen World and there all things are unchangeable and unalterable for ever 1. God the Portion and Happiness of his Chosen is unchangeable 2. Angels unchangeable 3. Saints unchangeable 4. The heavenly Mansions unchangeable 5. The Riches of Glory 6. The Joy in God's Presence 7. The Pleasures at his right Hand are for evermore here will be an unchangeable unalterable State of Rest and Happiness without any Flux or Reflux Change or Variation for ever O therefore Christians check your selves that you have not looked that you are not looking more at unseen things and longing more to come unto the seeing of them It 's reported of great Aristotle that he should say when he was dying I rejoice that I am now going out of a World of Contraries How much more may the serious Christian rejoice to think of going out of a World of Contraries and off a Stage of Changes to unchangeable Blessedness The third Use is a Use of Exhortation Is it the great Part Duty and Concernment of Christians to look at unseen things then it may be for Exhortation to Christians in these three things First Look at and fix your Eye on unseen things this is the first Christians be perswaded to look at things which are not seen above beyond and past all that is now in sight over all that is present to the future and unseen Death and Judgment Heaven and Hell that are yet out of sight yet unseen Consider this looking at unseen things will be of very great Advantage to you on many Accounts it 's your Duty as you have seen and it will be your Gain and for your Good as you may see if you consider these seven or eight things this looking at unseen things will help very much 1. To mortify your Hearts to seen things to the World and the things thereof Seen things are full of Snares the World has been the Destruction of a world of Souls it 's a blessed thing to have a Heart that is loose from and dead to it Any thing that tends to part and keep the Heart and the World asunder deserves to have a Room and Place in our Hearts Now nothing is more sovereign in this Case than a close and constant practice of this proposed Duty a looking at unseen things Aeternis inhianti in fastidio sunt omnia transitoria He that looks at unseen eternal Things will make light of seen temporal Things this will take Affections off things below up to things above It 's said that the great Cities of Campania seem but small Cottages to them that stand on the top of the Alps So truly all the great and specious and precious things of the World that so many Eyes admire and so many Hearts dote on all the Thrones Crowns Pleasures Profits Beauties Braveries and Glories of this World seem but little to them that have an Eye looking at that within the Vail If you look but a little upon the Sun why when you look down again upon the Earth you can scarce for a time see any thing of all the things about you the Light and Beauty of that which you have seen makes these things disappear Why so a looking at unseen things will hugely darken and lessen seen things in our Eye and make that we shall see little in them to be much set by Some Writers say that after Lazarus was raised from the Dead he was never seen to smile or make any matter of the Matters of the World he had seen that which did keep his Heart dead to these things as poor and worthless My Beloved if we might suppose that some of the Saints now in Heaven should be sent back again to us in this World what would they do how would they look on all these things Do you think they 'd be taken with them or press after them 1. Would they fall in love with your Houses or Fields or Gardens 2. Would they set by your Gold and Silver 3. Would they make any thing of that you make most of Surely no the whole World would be no other than a Wilderness to them they that tread the Sun the Moon and the Stars under their Feet would surely trample all that is specious in the Earth under their Feet as so much Dung And as they would make nothing so surely Christians who are going to share with them would make less than ordinarily they do of all seen things if they looked but more to unseen things to the Place and Possessions of the Saints in Light Wouldst thou be accompanied with a mortified Heart to the World 1. To the Lusts of the World 2. To the Pleasures of the World 3. To the greatness of the World 4. To the Gain 5. To the Glory of the World then look look at unseen things 2. It will help to make you Content in every Condition this another and with whatsoever is your Portion in this World The Holy Apostle had his Conversation in Heaven Philip. 3.20 For our Conversation is in Heaven And had learned Chap. 4.11 in whatsoever state he was therewith to be Content His Converse with Heaven had taught him to be Content with his Condition on Earth O Sirs believing views of the things above that a Believer is going to are enough to make a Christian say when in the
worst most needy and wanting outward Condition in the World with David Psal 16.6 The Lines are fallen to me in pleasant Places yea I have a goodly Heritage yonder 's better Countrey where there is no Curse no Night no Hunger yonder Inheritance that is incorruptible undefiled and that fadeth not away yonder Kingdom Crown and weight of Glory will make amends for all Wants are now hanging on me but I shall want nothing when I am come to my Father's House to the new Heavens and the new Earth to the pure River of the Water of Life and to the Tree of Life in the midst of the Paradise of God all will be well in the World to come and I shall have enough when I am called to the Marriage-Supper of the Lamb and brought to eat and drink continually at his Table in his Kingdom I remember Jerome comforting a young Hermite that was sad bade him look up to Heaven Paradisum mente deambulare and says he tamdiu in Eremo non eris So may I say to you that fear God when you are in a Wilderness when Wants are on you and discontented Passions are ready to rise then look up to Heaven look at unseen things and so long you 'l not be discontent the Thoughts of seeing God and following the Lamb whithersoever he goeth will be enough to make you at Peace with your present States 3. It will help to lessen all the Losses of the World and of seen things The believing Hebrews did not only bear the spoiling of their Goods but took it joyfully Heb. 10.34 But how came it to be thus how came they to take this so chearfully that has broken the Heart of many a one in the World Why their Eyes were looking upwards as high as Heaven and the things of Heaven took away their Discontent knowing in your selves that you have in Heaven a better and an enduring Substance Mark their Eye the Eye of Faith and Hope was on the Eternal Riches in Heaven's keeping for them and this was their Encouragement this made them non modo aequis animis sed etiam laetis to take their Losses Do Losses come upon me do I lose this and that and the other Comfort and Enjoyment why while I look at things not seen 1. I see I shall not need them 2. I see I shall have better in the Room of them 3. I see I shall have Comfort that will not be losable When the Danites had taken away Micah's Idols and Priest he cries out after them Judges 18.24 What have I more that is as tho he had said you have taken all you have left me nothing thus it may be with a carnal Person he may lose this to day and that to morrow and so on till it come to this what have I more Ay but it can never come to this with a gracious Person let Losses come on him as thick and as fast as on Job yet after and at the End of all he can look up and say I have a Treasure more I have a Crown more I have an everlasting Kingdom more I have a whole World more out of sight and danger too that and the other thing is gone but it 's not Christ it 's not Heaven Christ is left and Heaven is left and this now cannot but very much lessen any Loss 4. It will help to lighten all the Crosses and Afflictions in the World Our Saviour himself went through the Sufferings and Shame of the World with an Eye set on the Joy set before him Heb. 12.2 Who for the Joy that was set before him endured the Cross despising the Shame and is set down at the right Hand of the Throne of God Mark pray for the lightning of the Cross and Shame he took the Joy in his Eye and this Joy in his Eye took the Weight out of the Cross and the Shame out of the Shame of the World for the Joy that was set before him And Christians are here called to look at him herein as their Pattern and Example that they are to follow in like Cases looking at Jesus the Author and finisher of our Faith The Apostles here in this Place had their Sufferings lightned by this in the Verse foregoing the Text you have them weighing their Affliction and finding it light measuring their Affliction and finding it short but how came it to be thus in their Account why this you have in the Text While we look not at things which are seen which are Temporal but at things which are not seen which are Eternal their present and seen Affliction was light while they weighed it with the Weight of unseen Glory and it was likewise short while they measured it with the Eternity of unseen Glory O Sirs there 's enough in unseen things to lighten any Cross Suffering or Affliction a Christian can come under and to make him quiet silent and patient under all the unseen things of Heaven are enough to quiet the unseen things of Hell are enough to silence under all look Soul but either of these ways when thou art going under any Cross and so long sure it cannot be heavy on thee are Sufferings now on thee look at the Prison Chains Darkness Worm Fire of the Damned what they are suffering on whom God is raining Snares Fire Brimstone and an horrible Tempest and thou canst not think them heavy or look at the Rest Joy Goodness Glory laid up for the Saints in Heaven and thou canst not but say with the Apostle Rom. 8.18 For I reckon that the Sufferings of this present Life are not worthy to be compared with the Glory that shall be revealed 5. It will be a remedy against all Temptations while Moses his Eye was upon the recompence of Reward the Riches Honours and the Pleasures of Pharaoh's Court were easily overlook'd Heb. 11.25 26 27. Chusing rather to suffer Affliction with the People of God than to enjoy the Pleasures of Sin for a Season esteeming the Reproaches of Christ greater Riches than the Treasures in Egypt for he had respect to the recompence of Reward By Faith he forsook Egypt not fearing the Wrath of the King for he endured as seeing him who is invisible This sets a Christian above Temptation as it were it mortifies to the World as before and this is commonly the Matter of Temptation the great Baits that Satan makes use of are the things of the World he tempts sometimes with the Beauty sometimes with the Gain sometimes with the Glory and ordinarily with something or other of the World Now I say this looking to things unseen helps to crucify to the World the Matter of Temptation and so is a special Antidote against Temptation for when the Heart is dead to the Matter of a Temptation it will not easily fasten on the Tempted besides the looking at unseen things brings greater things into sight than any that can be presented in a Temptation Does the Tempter come with specious
and alluring Temptations as he came to our Saviour with all the Kingdoms of the World and all the Glory of them why an Eye set on unseen things sees greater things than all the Kingdoms of the World and the Glory of them Doth he come with terrifying and affrighting Temptations as Bonds or Banishment or Tortures why an Eye set on unseen things sees worser Unseen Glory in Heaven is greater than all the seen Excellencies on Earth and unseen Torments in Hell are worse than all the seen Tortures of this Life This is another Privilege of looking at unseen things would you be out of the way of Temptations Temptations that have cast many a one down and cost them much of their Peace and Comfort in the World then be much in this Duty keep an Eye on unseen things When a Temptation comes in its Power look before you as far as Death as Judgment as Heaven as Hell and while these are in your Eye they 'l keep your Heart and the Temptation asunder As long as the Bird keeps above in the Air she is out of the way of Snares her falling into these is by lighting on the Earth 6. A singular Remedy against Sin in these sinning Times wherein Iniquity abounds Solomon prescribes this to young Men Eccles 11.9 Rejoice O young Man in thy Youth and let thy Heart chear thee in the Days of thy Youth and walk in the ways of thy Heart and in the sight of thine Eyes but know thou that for all these things God will bring thee to Judgment Mark that they may be stopped in these Courses he calls them to look over their present ways to the unseen Judgment before them O Sirs these unseen unseen things have much weight in them if Christians would but carry them on their Hearts and look at them when Sin is at the Door I have read of a young Woman who being pressed by a Gallant to gratify his Lusts answered him if you 'l but grant me one request I will do what you desire What is that said he again why saith she it 's but this do but hold your Finger one Hour in the Blaze of this Candle he replied No then said she will you not for my sake hold your Finger one Hour in this Candle and would you have me throw my self into an everlasting Fire for you and this silenced him Why Christians pray try this Course when Sin is at the Door when you are ready to go out to any Evil take unseen things into your Eye look at Death Judgment Heaven and Hell and see if you can if you dare meet or meddle with that Sin with these in sight or while they are in sight Surely Sirs this would be a mighty great Preservative and if you would but walk more as seeing things invisible you should be more undefiled in the Way 7. It will make you more fit to live any where in any Place among any kind of Persons He that hath filled his Eye with unseen things is prepared to live among a Generation 1. Of profane Creatures without being drawn to run with them to the same excess of Riot 2. Among a Company of Worldlings that are crying up the Mammon of Unrighteousness without being enticed to approve their way by seeing them hurry and rake this World together by all means 3. Among Persons of mutable and temporizing Spirits that are off and on one thing at one time another at another time he that looks at unseen things has that in his Eyes which will keep him one and the same at all times and in all Places a Noah in the old World a Lot in Sodom a Job in Vz a God-fearing Person whereever he comes or is cast 8. Looking at unseen things will make you more willing to die and go to the seeing of unseen things whence is it that many Christians are so loth to leave and go from seen things to part with seen Relations and seen Possessions and seen Comforts is it not from a want of lively Apprehensions and believing Views of the unseen Provisions made for them in Heaven I remember I have read of a devout Pilgrim travelling to Jerusalem who in his way passing through many Cities and seeing many rare and choice Monuments yet took no content in any thing that he saw but would still say this is not Jerusalem this is not Jerusalem why so truly if we had but our Eye as the Apostle on things unseen we should among all our seen Comforts say this is not Heaven this is not seeing of God seeing his Face seeing him Face to Face this is not being before the Throne this is not the inheriting of all things and our Hearts and Souls would be more there more set on going thither Secondly This may serve to exhort us to prepare for unseen things for a seeing of things yet unseen are there such O then Sirs let it be your great Matter now Day and Night Night and Day to get into a readiness for a comfortable seeing of these things which are not seen This is the next word I would leave with you I pray take it up into your Practice and make it your Work Heb. 11.7 By Faith Noah being warned of God of things not seen as yet moved with Fear prepared an Ark to the saving of his House My Beloved I may say to you 1. You have been warned of God this Day by the Hand of one of his Messengers of things not seen as yet 2. You have been told that these things not seen as yet are certain and great greater than the things that Noah was warned of and unavoidable and near and Eternal O do as Noah here in this Case did i. e. 1. Believe the coming of these things not seen as yet 2. Fear fear being taken unready by them at their Coming And 3. prepare an Ark to the saving of your selves make Provision timely Provision for the Coming of these things that as Noah and his House were saved when the Deluge came so you may be saved in the Day when these things begin to come to pass I might tell you 1. That you are warned of them for this 2. That you are called to this to prepare an Ark. 3. That you have Means and Helps betrusted with you for this 4. That you have your Time for this 5. That you must not tarry long with seen things 6. That dreadful things will come in sight and continue for ever in sight if you have no Ark no Provision ready 7. That glorious things will appear at th s Appearing of things not seen as yet to them that have made due and seasonable Preparation for them only let me give you a word by way of Direction If you say but how may we prepare an Ark to the saving of our selves How may we provide and get into such readiness as when unseen things come into sight we may see God Why in a word I would tell you 1st Negatively 1. That seen
things will be no Provision for unseen things will not serve to meet them with I pray you take notice of it they are seen things now that we spend most of our Time on that we lay out most of our Care about that we make the greatest stir about yet alas I tell you none of them all neither one nor another will be Provision to meet these unseen things with Dear Sirs when you have done all that ever you can and laid up the seen things together they 'l all serve for and signify nothing you cannot you cannot meet Death with Houses and Lands you cannot go to Judgment with Gold and Silver you can't go to Heaven by Master and Sir by Titles and Greatness among your Neighbours think a little of it I pray with your selves when alone seen things will be no Provision for unseen they may be your undoing when you come to enter on unseen as they have been to many thousands who are gone before but they can't be any Provision for them remember this while you are hurrying up and down among seen things for seen things you are wearying your selves for things that will not profit when unseen things come upon you 2. Only unseen things are Provision for unseen things things that will serve to meet them with as an Interest in Christ a new Creature a pure Heart a good Conscience a Treasure of saving Grace laid in these are the things that will be Provision to meet the things not yet seen with When the Flood came upon the old World Houses and Lands and Treasures and Multitudes of Friends and all seen things they had about were nothing many a one then perished that had a fine House a fair Estate that was living in the midst of Pomp and Pleasure and Plenty and only Noah and his House that had the Ark and were got into it were saved So Sirs when these things begin to come into sight all seen things as I have said will be nothing it will be all one whether you have Houses or no Houses Riches or Rags all will be if you have the Ark i. e. if you have Christ if you be in him only this an Interest in Christ will carry through unseen Death through unseen Judgment and to unseen Glory to the new Heavens and the new Earth to the Throne of God and of the Lamb to the Temple of God to the Crown of Life the Kingdom of Heaven and the Inheritance of all things 1 John 5.12 He that hath the Son hath Life and he that hath not the Son hath not Life Life in Death Life at Judgment Life in Glory and shall live with God for ever This this is the Provision that will not fail So that if you would be in readiness for this seeing of unseen things see that you get into the Ark I say that you hang not about it only by a general Profession but that you come into it that you get a Possession of Christ a part in Christ and then you are safe then and never till then you shall be ready A Man in a Market is then ready to go Home when he has done all his Business that he came about when he has bought in Provision for his House c. and so a Person is then ready for this great opening of unseen things when all his Time and worldly Businesses are ended and his Provision for Eternity are in readiness and this is when he is got into the Ark Christ 3. We may hence be exhorted to desire and seek to come to the seeing of these unseen things This is the third Word 1. Look at 2. Prepare for 3. Seek and long to go to the seeing of them If looking at them was such a Cordial and Corroboration to the Apostles among their many Pressures O then what what is this seeing the enjoying of them It 's said of the Patriarchs that they were Strangers and Pilgrims Heb. 11.13 These all died in Faith not having received the Promises but having seen them afar off and were perswaded of them and embraced them and confessed that they were Strangers and Pilgrims on the Earth Ver. 16. They desired a better Countrey Of Abraham Ver. 10. 't is said he looked for a City that had Foundations Why on this Fashion Christians 1. Live as Strangers and Pilgrims on the Earth 2. Seek a City and look for a better Countrey 3. Desire to go to see the things that God hath prepared O methinks this News of unseen things should set afoot great Desires Longings and Breathings in Christians after Heaven where they are to be seen But O the Unbelief and Carnality that lodges in us if we were told of wonderful things that were fallen to us in far Countries 1. What haste would we make towards them 2. How loth would we be to tarry from them 3. How long should we think it e're we came to them But alas the Holy Ghost hath made great Discoveries to us to us of glorious things within the Vail of Crowns and Kingdoms and Rest c. and yet we we linger here among unseen things make little haste towards unseen things or think it long that we are from them Pray consider in a word Christians that your Desires after this seeing of unseen things may be warmed and raised I say consider these three things 1. Who and what is there viz. in Heaven this may quicken you to this longing for I may tell you 1. That all your best Friends are there your Father is there and your Christ is there and your Comforter is there and your Brethren are there all the Sons and all the Daughters of God who have been going hence from Adam to this Day are gone thither and are now there Is it not very desirable to go to and to be with them Where should a Child of God chuse or desire to be if not there where his Father and all his best Friends are 2. Consider that your best Estate is there as your best Friends live so your best Estate lies there your Rest your Inheritance your Crown your Kingdom your World and all lies there It may be 1. Here you have no Rest and there you shall have no Labour 2. Here you have Shame and there you shall have a Crown of Glory 3. Here you have no Inheritance not so much as whereon to set a Foot or at most but a poor narrow and dirty one full of Incumbrances there you have a full and fair Inheritance 4. Here you are pent up in a narrow Compass there you have a whole Kingdom a World of your own to turn you to where should you desire and chuse to be 3. Your everlasting Home is there your eternal Abode the Place where you shall be for ever and ever Here you are as Strangers in a Foreign Country as Travellers in an Inn there 's your Countrey there 's your Home how should you long to be there This is one 2. Consider what there is