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
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
others the scope of all his Studies Prayers and Sermons was directed by him to the saving of himself and those that heard him And in his Conversation were so expressed the Power and Life of all his Ministerial Acts in a Holy Imitation of his Lord and Master Jesus Christ as did shew him to be really perswaded in his Heart that there was more than ordinary Care required of him to keep himself in all Respects pure from the Blood of Souls and the Lord who is the searcher and trier of the Heart and who loves Truth of Grace in the inward parts did crown his Ministerial Endeavours with great Success He did not run in vain nor labour in vain nor spend his Strength for nought but he had Seals of his Ministry all along from the beginning to the close thereof and the Lord ordered it so wisely in his Providence that sometimes the notice or the saving Success of his Ministry was then brought unto him when it conduced most to his inward Support and Consolation Then to give one Instance of many when he was banished by the Oxford Act at the first House he took up his Lodging as a poor Exile from his own Home he who saluted him as his Spiritual Father related to him that he was the Instrument of his Conversion by preaching a Lecture-Sermon at Leigh Church Mr. Nathaniel Hilton of London gave a Stipend for a Weekly Lecture at Bolton every Monday of the most eminent Ministers in the County to four in their Courses among whom this worthy Servant of Christ was chosen one other two were Mr. Roger Baldwin and Mr. Henry Newcome who are both sometime since removed by Death Cease Lord by whom shall Jacob arise for he is small He was a great redeemer of his Time there was not so much as a Day spent by him in Idleness the sense of unseen things was so deeply imprest upon his Spirit as made him fill every Leaf in the Book of his Life with those great and weighty Works which were incumbent on him in his Place When Persons that had been converted by his Ministry gave notice to him thereof he would with great Humility lift up his Eyes and Hands towards Heaven and say Lord who am I that I should be so far honoured as to be the Instrument in the converting of one Soul He was Eminent for Contempt of the World he never sought great Places for himself and when they were offered him he declined them he was content to move in an obscure and low Sphere so he might but be an Instrument of doing good to Souls he would not be drawn nor driven away to any other Business but continued in his laborious Course of Preaching twice every Lord's Day administring the Lord's Supper Monthly He was a constant Mourner for the Sins of the Nation and was greatly concerned for the rising Generation and bent his Discourses tâ— establish them in the true Religion He welcomed his last Sickness with deep Submission to the Will of God He expressed his Contentedness if his Lord and Master whom he served with his Spirit in the Gospel had any more Work for him to accomplish in the Church below but if not he was willing to depart desirous to have his own Blessedness among the Saints above and to be with Christ as being far better He had little pain in the beginning of his Sickness and was much in blessing of God for dealing so gently with him and carrying on his long Visitation with so great ease to him He kept his resigned Frame to the Will of his Heavenly Father and said I have had more Time to work for my own and others Souls than I made accompt of when I was Young and so if God have no more Work for me to do I am free to go to my Rest I have had enough of Living and am filled and satisfied with this Life upon Earth There came Friends from all Places where he had preached to visit him to whom he always dropped some word of sutable Counsel He advised those who told him they were converted by his Ministry to give God the Glory and to walk worthy of the Vocation wherewith they were called He exhorted those who had profited and were built up in Grace by his Labours to go on their way rejoicing tho they should see his Face no more He cautioned rich and trading Professors to take heed that they lost not their Souls in a croud and hurry of earthly Business he charged them to remember the Saying of Sir Thomas Moor there is a great Truth in it as well as a Scum of Wit There is a Devil that is termed Business that carrieth more Souls with him to Hell than all the Devils in Hell beside O beware of the Devil when you come to be in my Condition your full Bags your full Shops and full Houses will stand you in no stead Some of his Reverend Brethren in the Ministry did visit him with whom he freely conversed and whom he always desired to pray with him as he did all his other Christian Friends and amongst the rest Reverend Mr. O. H. was with him and in his Discourse propounded these Queries here inserted to which be returned with great composedness of Mind the following Answers What are your Thoughts as to Justification by Christ's imputed Righteousness I look only to be justified by Christ's Righteousness received by Faith Being ask'd What Evidence he had for Heaven He said he had good grounds of Hope many Years ago concerning his State of Grace tho be was full of defects yet the Merits of Christ were alsufficient on which he trusted Are you satisfied that you have delivered in your Sermons nothing but such Gospel-Truths as you can own at the Tribunal of Christ Excepting humane Frailty so far as I can remember I have never delivered any thing to my Hearers but what I dare die with and go with to Judgment Mr. H. continued Whether have you any comfortable Seals of your Ministry He answered I bless God I have and have had more Fruits appearing since my Lying down than I knew of before especially many young Persons have appeared hopeful What are your Thoughts now as to your Non-conformity Do you repent of it I bless God I am abundantly satisfied with it and if I was to make my choice over again and if it were possible for me to see all the Sufferings which I have undergone for it which are nothing to what many of the precious Servants of God have suffered and if they were all laid together I would make the same Choice which I have made and take my Non-conformity with them and I bless God that I never so much as tampered with them What Legacies have you to leave I am unfit to give Counsel to you my Brother but the words of the Apostle I leave with you Be not weary of Well-doing and you shall reap in due Time if you faint not In the latter
Day So this Day is in Scripture called 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Revelation Appearing Manifestation of Christ All which Phrases import a detection and uncovering of Christ in that Day behind what has been or is seen in this Life It will be I say the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Revelation of Christ 1 Cor. 1.7 Waiting for the Revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Thess 1.7 The Lord shall be revealed from Heaven 1 Pet. 1.7 At the appearing of Jesus Christ ver 13. At the Revelation of Jesus Christ The original word in all these Places signifies an opening an uncovering a drawing the Vail from over that that 's covered that it may be seen Such will this Day be detectio occultarum rerum Christi an uncovering of his hidden Glory 2. The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the appearing of Christ 1 Tim. 6.14 2 Tim. 4.1 The word signifies a bright or clear Appearing or shining out and it will be a glorious appearing or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the words are Tit. 2.13 the glorious Appearing of the Great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ 3. The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Manifestation of Christ Col. 3.4 1 Pet. 5.4 1 John 3.2 But we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is The Word imports an Illustration a Manifestation by clear Light of something hid in Darkness Christ shall at this Day come as out of Darkness into Light O Sirs there will be thus a glorious Revelation a glorious Appearing a glorious Manifestation of Christ in this Day such as was never seen in the World to this Day nor ever shall be seen before that Day Remember this my Friends there will be a great and notable Day of Judgment and the things of that Day are unseen things There was a great Discovery of things at Christ's first coming in the Flesh that had been hid from Men of all Times and Ages and kept unseen till then Rom. 16.25 According to the Revelation of the Mystery which was kept secret since the World began here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an opening of the Secret that there had been Silence about that there had been nothing said of in the World from the beginning to that Day So Col. 1.26 Even the Mystery which had been hid from Ages and Generations but now is made manifest to his Saints here again we have a Mystery which hath been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a hidden Secret Thus the Redemption of the World the calling of the Gentiles were a Mystery hid from Ages and Generations and either not known at all as among the Gentiles or opened more obscurely in the dark glass of Types Shadows Prophecies as to the Jews but this great Mystery thus covered from all was opened and uncovered at his first Coming and therefore Luke 10.23 24. saith Christ Blessed are the Eyes that see the things that ye see For I tell you that many Prophets and Kings have desired to see those things which ye see and have not seen them and to hear those things which ye hear and have not heard them 1 Tim. 3.16 God manifest in the Flesh the accomplishment of Types the fulfilling of Prophecies And as there was thus a great seeing of things before unseen at the first Coming of Christ in the Flesh so there shall be a greater opening of things at Christ's second Coming to Judgment that have been hid from all Ages 〈◊〉 mundi initio from the Beginning are hid from the present Age and that shall be hid from all following Ages and not be seen till that Day that Great Day of the Lord reveal them O Sirs the things which the Scripture reports unto us of this Day are all to us unseen things I. 1. The coming of Christ riding through the Clouds on his Chariot of Glory 2. The thousand thousands of Angels that shall minister unto him 3. The Multitude of Saints that he shall bring with him 4. The Glory that he shall appear in are things which are not seen II. 1. The great White Throne 2. His sitting upon the Throne of his Glory 3. The sounding of the Trumpet 4. The opening of the Graves 5. The rising of the Dead in numberless numbers all the Earth over When the Sea shall give up its Dead Rev. 20.13 are things which are not seen III. 1. The gathering of all Nations all Men that ever were now are or hereafter shall be before him 2. The separation of the Sheep 3. The Collocation the placing of them 4. The opening of the Books that will lay open all the Thoughts Words and Works of all Men. 5. The standing of the Dead both great and small at the Judgment-Seat of Christ 6. The Judging of the World in Righteousness 7. The Promulgation of the final Sentence 8. The Execution of it in sending away one part with a Go ye Cursed into everlasting Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels in welcoming another part with a Come ye Blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the Foundation of the World are things which are not seen O Sirs these these are unseeen things IV. 1. The Wailings of Sinners when they shall see the Lord Jesus revealed in flaming Fire from Heaven 2. The wringing of Hands when they shall see the Books opening before all the World 3. The fearful Tremblings when they shall hear themselves doomed to everlasting Burnings 4. The dreadful Cries and horrible Noise of Wailings and Lamentations that they shall go away with when they are going to the eternal Prison are unseen things We see enough and too much of the mad Mirth and ringing Shouts of Profane Creatures now when they are met about their Recreations O but we see not how their Chear will change the Cry the Cry the doleful Cry that will be among this sort of Persons in this great Day of Wrath and Revelation of the righteous Judgment of God Almighty These things Sirs and many other things of this great Day which the Scripture tells us of are to us things which are not seen This is the second thing pray remember it there shall be a Day of Judgment and there are great things to be seen at that Day which now are not seen which shall not be seen till this Day appear and bring them into Sight Saints shall see that they have never seen before Sinners shall see that they have never seen before all the World shall see that which was never seen before Thirdly The things of Heaven are unseen things things which are not seen these are chiefly meant in the Text by the things which are not seen as both the antecedent and consequent words shew and these are unseen things I say things within the Vail as the Apostle's Phrase is Heb. 6.19 an expression used in Allusion to the most Holy Place in the Tabernacle