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
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
were in it and Death and Hell delivered up the Dead which were in them and they were judged every Man according to their Works The triumphant Church was seen Rev. 21. That there be unseen things may be proved from the very Confessions of Pagans and Heathens those who have not had the Light of the Word have yet had some confused obscure and imperfect Apprehensions of unseen things or that there are invisible things Saith Plato Extabat lex de hominibus sub Saturno semper nunc etiam extat apud Deos quicunque homines juste piéque vitam egissent cum è vita migrarent ad beatorum insulas profecti in omni foelicitate viverent à malis longe sejuncti qui vero injuste impiéque vixissent in punitionis justique supplicii carcerem quod appellant Tartarum irent in Gorgia pag. 356. Qui ob scelerum magnitudinem insanabiles esse videntur hos omnis conveniens sors mergit in Tartarum unde nunquam egrediuntur Idem in Phaedone pag. 84. Socrates rejoiced that he was to die because he should then go to see Homer Hesiod and other Worthies that were gone before Yea Bion of Boristenes the Atheist who all his Life time had denied the Gods and derided their Worship yet when Death came was extreamly afraid of dying and that not so much because of the loss of Life or Pains of Death but for fear of what followed after Death I might much enlarge here from this Principle those things took their Rise that we find either in Poets or Philosophers concerning the Elysian Fields the Stygean Lake c. From these Arguments we may see that there are unseen things The next Enquiry we shall make is Secondly What these things are which are not seen and which Christians are to look at Now the Holy Scripture which must be our Guide in this Enquiry brings us tidings of many things that to us and all the Living are not seen do not appear I shall at this Time confine my self to and sum up all I shall say as to this in four Heads there are these four things which are not seen and that it concerns us to look at 1. Death 2. Judgment 3. Heaven 4. Hell 1. The things of Death are unseen things things not seen as in a word 1. The time of Death is unseen The Living know that they shall die Eccl. 9.5 but they know not when they shall die Gen. 27.2 I know not the Day of my Death So thou and I may say I know not the Hour Day Week Month Year wherein Death will come it 's unseen When an Hour is past or a Day over we may say that was not the Day or Hour but we cannot say of the Day or Hour which is yet to come that it shall not be the Time Prov. 27.1 Boast not thy self of to morrow for thou knowest not what a Day may bring forth the Day thou art now in and spending on may bring forth unseen Death The time of Death is one thing unseen this is one no Man knows when it will be at what Day in what Year it will come whether in Youth or in old Age. O think on this Sirs the Time will come when you must die but when this will be is covered from you you see it not it may be at any Instant in any Moment Mark 13.35 Watch ye therefore for ye know not when the Master of the House cometh at Even or at Midnight or at the Cock crowing or in the Morning 2. The Place of Death is unseen this is another As we see not when so we see not where we must die in what Place whether at Home or Abroad in the House or in the Field in the Bed or at the Board It may be thou hast been shewed where it was that thou wast born in what Place thou camest into the World and took thy first Breath ay but they that have shewed thee this cannot take thee again by the Hand and lead thee to see the Place where thou must take thy last Breath and die and go out of this World into another this is unseen thou cannot say lo it is here or lo there it is or if thou wilt yet it may be neither here nor there but somewhere else that thou never thinkst of It 's said of Eschilus the Poet in Sicily that on a Day walking out of the Town where he dwelt to take the Air he sate him down upon a high Place and having his Head being bald bare and uncovered an Eagle flew over him in the Air with a Tortoise in her Talons and seeing his white Head took it for a Stone and so let it fall from a great Height thereon to break the Tortoise-shell which broke his Scull whereof he died presently One would have thought that this could not have been the Place of such a Death but rather that it was impossible for any thing to fall on his Head unless the Heavens themselves had dropt down but alas Death can come on us any where we are no where out of its reach neither know we where it will meet us when we think our selves most safe or never think of it it may thus drop on our Heads When Bibulus the Roman General was riding in Triumph in all his Glory through the Streets of Rome a Tile fell from a House and beat out his Brains Many have seen Death where they have never thought of seeing it and thou knowest not where thou may'st see it Psal 89.48 What Man is he that liveth and shall not see Death That 's the Psalmist's Question it may be mine What Man is he that lives of you that are here to day that can tell where it is he must see Death which he cannot scape seeing somewhere and it 's a Question you can none of you answer O that you would think of it and labour to be such as you may be ready to see it in any Place 3. The manner of Death is unseen as we see not when or where so we can as little see how we must die by what kind or manner of Death we must go out of this World there is but one way of coming into the World one Door that we all came in at at our Entrance but there are many ways out of the World Mors est bellua Centiceps and comes a hundred ways The Jews reckon 903 kinds of Death but among all the kinds that we may observe we can't see our own so as to single it out and say by this kind of Death I shall go into another World this is covered from the Eyes of all Flesh Jacob died in his Bed Josiah by the Sword Job's Children by the fall of the House where they were eating Eli by a fall from the Seat where he was sitting Death began with Asa in his Feet and struck him there e're it came to strike him at the Heart 2 Chron. 16.12 Death begun with the Murmuring Israelites at
the Heart and struck them with their Meat in their Mouths Numb 11.33 We see daily some die a natural others a violent Death some by this some by that and some by the other kind of Sickness some go out of the World by a Death that gives them long Warning others short Warning and others none at all and in this respect I say Death is an unseen thing with you and me we know not which of the many kinds of it whether this or that or the other is a coming to let us into another World Rev. 6.8 there we have Death riding on his pale Horse described in the 7th verse we may see whence he came And when he had opened the fourth Seal I heard the Voice of the fourth Beast say Come and see and I looked and behold a Pale Horse and his Name that sate on him was Death Mark he came from under a Seal broke out upon the opening of a Seal Death is sealed thy Death and my Death are remaining under the Seal of the Everliving God concealed from thee and me and all Mortals and not to be known till he open the Seal and send them out Death I say is sealed and as no Man knows what is in a Letter till the Seal be opened so no more do we know at what Time or in what Place or by what manner of Death we must go out of this World before the Lord break open the Seal and send Death on Horseback to our Doors 4. I might add the nature of Death is unseen we hear much of the Name but alas we see little of the Nature of Death we are acquainted with the word Death O but we have little Acquaintance with the work or thing Death now we talk of it and discourse of it at a distance but verily Sirs when that which is called seeing Death and tasting Death meets us Death will be another thing than now it 's commonly taken to be with many Deut. 32.29 O that they were wise that they understood this that they would consider their latter End Well this is the first Death as I told you in the entrance on the Particulars is the Door the Way to things which are not seen and I tell you here again in the close of it that this Door to things unseen is also unseen Pray think of it you that are here to day 1. You believe you must die 2. This thing that you call dying or Death is I tell you a Door an Inlet to unseen things things behind all that have ever been seen in the World 3. This Death that is thus a Door to those unseen things is it self an unseen thing the Time of it is unseen and the Place of it is unseen and the Kind of it is unseen you know neither when nor where nor how it will come upon any of you Therefore certainly Sirs it concerns you to look at this and to look how you are provided to meet this unseen thing that is the beginning of unseen things Unseen Judgment is next behind this an unseen Heaven or Hell Salvation or Damnation is next behind that you know not when or where you may see Death but as soon as ever you have seen Death you must see Judgment and as soon as ever you have seen Judgment you must see Heaven or Hell for ever I pray you think of it art thou not a Drunkard why the next Time thou goest to the Ale-house thou mayst see Death there and so never see House more but Hell-house Art thou a Fornicator or Adulterer Art thou a Swearer art thou a Profaner of the Lord's Day O remember Death that is now unseen may surprize thee in the very act of thy Sin this is the Porch and Door to the unseen things of another World and it 's also an unseen thing a thing not seen that leads to things not seen an invisible thing that is an Introduction to invisible things that are Eternal the things of Death I say are unseen SERMON II. 2 Cor. 4.18 While we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal SEcondly The things of the great Day of Judgment are unseen things things which are not seen There shall be such a Day as this a general Judgment of all Men Acts 17.31 Because he hath appointed a Day in which he will judg the World in Righteousness by that Man whom he hath ordained whereof he hath given Assurance unto all Men in that he hath raised him from the Dead 2 Cor. 5.10 For we must all appear before the Judgment-Seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his Body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad Mat. 12.36 but I say unto you That every idle word that Men shall speak they shall give Account thereof in the Day of Judgment There shall then be such a Day a Day of Judgment and I say the things of that Day are unseen are things which do not appear therefore it is called the Day of Revelation Rom. 2.5 But after thy hardness and impenitent Heart treasurest up unto thy self Wrath against the Day of Wrath and Revelation of the righteous Judgment of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Patefactionis the Day of the Manifestation of the righteous Judgment of God in this Day the righteous Judgment of God shall be fully manifested and appear to all Men in this World Eccles 8.14 There be Just Men unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the Wicked again there be wicked Men to whom it happeneth according to the work of the Righteous And upon this the Justice and Equity of God is oft-times questioned and accused by the Rash and Preposterous Judgment of Men Good Men are apt to think they have hard Measure and ill Men are ready to think that God is such a one as themselves but there shall be such a Revelation of the righteous Judgment of God as shall set all Matters and Men too to Rights and it shall appear to all that the Judgment of God is Righteous and the Heavens shall declare his Righteousness for God is Judg himself Psal 50.6 i. e. as Diod. God's Justice shall in this Judgment of his be manifested to all the World as plainly as those things which from Heaven are seen here upon Earth And when these things are tried The Heavens shall record That God is Just and all must bide The Judgment of the Lord. It will be I say a Day of Revelation Ambae civitates terrena coelestis temporalibus vel bonis pariter utuntur vel malis pariter affliguntur donec ultimo Juditio separentur percipiat unaequaeque suum finem cujus nullus est finis Aug. De Civit Dei Lib. 18. Cap. 54. O the righteous Judgment of God shall be seen as clear as the Light at Noon-day in that
be the part of a Wise Man to look at them and then what shall we do when they are unquestionable what shall we do I say dost thou believe Soul that these unseen things are certain are unquestionable and dost thou not think it concerns thee to look at them how can it be but thou must think so Think on this unseen things are sure things all that I have been telling thee of is sure see thou to it 2. Unseen things are very great great in themselves of great Moment and Concernment to us yea the greatest things and of greatest Concernment to us this may be another Reason Sirs unseen things are not only sure but they are also very great things they are no poor and trivial Matters no light and inconsiderable things that are unworthy to be regarded which are yet unseen yet invisible but I say great greater than any thing that is seen has been seen or shall be seen before they come into sight This you may see sufficiently from what is gone before 1. The Day of Judgment will be a great Day Acts 2.20 The Sun shall be turned into Darkness and the Moon into Blood before that great and notable Day of the Lord come O it will be such a Sight as this World never saw to see Christ riding through the Clouds on his Chariot of Glory to see the thousands ten thousands of Angels and all his Attendants 2. The things of Heaven are great things to see God and to see his Face and to see him Face to Face will be another manner of sight than any of the things that are now seen 3 The things of Hell are great things the most tremendous things that have ever been seen in the World are but very Nugae to the Darkness and Chains Worm and Fire of Hell This I say may be another reason why you and I should look at them that is mind them they are very great things if you be not looking at them you are looking at something else and whatever it is that you have in your Eye I tell you that it is very low little and inconsiderable yea nothing to those things out of your sight go over all visible things under Heaven and the greatest of them is less than the least of those invisible things the greatest of the things called Good in this World are nothing to the Good things of Heaven and Glory Minima aeternae vitae Corona praestantior erit quam mille mundi omnia ibi clara omnia ibi chara omnia ibi rara ad illud coelum coeli etiam terrae nostrae coelum terra est The Apostle Col. 1.16 having divided all things into visible and invisible does again divide things invisible the things of Heaven into Thrones Dominions Principalities Powers mark here he subdivides the Invisibilia quae etiam exornat as Beza in locum iis nominibus quibus summa quaeque inter homines significantur And 1 Cor. 2.9 Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard neither have entred into the Heart of Man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him There is scarce any thing more vast and boundless than the Thoughts of Man yet the things of Heaven are not only above what we see but also above what we can think and go beyond all our thoughts of them And as to the greatest of the things called ill in this World they are nothing to the Ills of Hell and Damnation this one word Hell or Damnation Sirs comprehendeth greater and more dreadful things in it than all the amazing things that were e'r seen in this World O Sirs we speak much of unseen things every Day but the Truth is we speak little of them as they are our Expressions our Apprehensions our Thoughts of them are low many of them unworthy none of them reaching their Perfection The Queen of Sheba had heard much of Solomon's Glory and Magnificence such things had been reported to her as were very wonderful nay incredible she could not believe them till she came and her Eyes had seen them but then when she saw she was forced to confess that the one half was not told her 1 Kings 10.6 7. Why thus the Ambassadors of Christ tell us much of Death and Judgment and Heaven and Hell such things as I fear many look on as incredible and not to be believed by them But alas when we come and our Eyes have seen them we shall cry out O the one half the thousandth part was never reported to us of that we now see if thou go for Heaven chuse what thou hast heard or may hear e'r thou come thither of the Glory of the Place Company Enjoyments and Imployments it 's not the one half nay not the thousandth part of what thou shalt see if thou go for Hell chuse what thou hast heard or may hear e'r thou come thither of the Shame and Sufferings there is not the one half nay not the thousandth part of what thou shalt see there Thus these unseen things are Magna maxima Great and greater than all other therefore certainly it is our Duty and Concernment to look at them that is to mind them 3. Unseen things are unavoidable as they are certain in themselves and as they are very great so they are also unavoidable Unseen things will come into sight are things that must be seen you and I must see them as it 's unquestionable that there are things lying out of our sight so it 's as indubitable that they will all come into sight and you and I must see the unseen things of Death of Judgment of Heaven or of Hell 1. Death is inevitable Psal 89.48 What Man is he that liveth and shall not see Death shall he deliver his Soul from the Hand of the Grave What Man no Man Psal 49.6 They that trust in their Wealth and boast themselves in the Multitude of their Riches Ver. 7. None of them can by any means redeem his Brother nor give to God a Ransom for him Ver. 8. For the Redemption of their Soul is precious and it ceaseth for ever Ver. 9. That he should still live for ever and not see Corruption 2. As it is appointed for all Men once to die so for them after Death to go to Judgment Heb. 9.27 1. The particular Judgment of every Man immediately after Death 2. The general Judgment of all Men at the great Day and as there is no way to avoid the seeing of Death and Judgment after Death no more 3 Is there any way to miss seeing Heaven or Hell after Death and Judgment Of all that are gone before us from the beginning of the World to this Day thorow so many Generations there is not one that hath not seen what we see not that is not seeing Salvation or Damnation this Day and of all that are here to Day there is not one Son or Daughter not one Man or Woman that shall never see them no no we must all see
them chuse whether you will look at them or not now you shall certainly look on them one Day And therefore Sirs it doth surely concern us to take them into our Eye if it were either a Question whether there be any such things or a Question whether you or I should see them then to lay them out of our Eye might be somewhat excusable Ay but Sirs both these are out of all question and therefore questionless it 's a Matter that concerns us This may be another reason why we should look at them unseen things will come in sight other things are questionable if thou be Sick and would have Health it 's questionable whether thou must ever see it again if thou be Poor and would have Wealth if thou be Persecuted and would have Peace it 's questionable whether thou shalt ever see these things many in these and many other cases have never seen that which they have desired to see and many have escaped the seeing of that which they have been unwilling to see and that would have been unwelcome to them as in 2 Kings 22.20 Good Josiah was taken away from seeing the Evil that God would bring upon Jerusalem But here is Sirs no uncertainty in this Case it admits of no Peradventure or may be It is a Question whether e'r thou must have Health or Peace but it 's no question whether thou must die and come to Judgment It 's a Question whether thou must ever see the Good in the Land of the Living thou wouldst see or escape the Evil thou wouldst not see but it 's no question but if thou be a gracious Person thou shalt see the Goodness laid up in Heaven and if thou be graceless and die so thou shalt without question see the Fire and Worm and Wrath prepared in Hell these are sure things And now Sirs if unseen things be thus certain great unavoidable and things that must most surely be seen then is there not a great deal of Reason that we should look at them and keep them ever in our Eye And how sadly do many miscarry in this Matter who only carry those things in their Eye that may and often do never come and lay those things out of their Eye that will most surely come 4. Unseen things are near they are certain they are great they are unavoidable and they are also very near unto us and therefore it doth certainly concern us to look at them This may be another ground suppose some great Matter i' th' World of much Concernment to you tending to your making or undoing while you live were now coming upon you would you not look upon your selves as concerned to look at it no question but you would Now this great seeing of unseen things is not a great way off but at Hand and hard by every one of you As the Apostle saith Rom. 13.12 The Night is far spent the Day is at Hand So I may say to you it 's but as an Hour or two to Day-break to Sun-rise that will inlighten things that are in Darkness O Sirs you and I stand at the Door of these unseen things and if Death do but once open it by any one of its many thousand Keys we shall immediately see that which we have never see Death as I have told you is an unseen thing and it is Ostium invisibilium here will be a beginning of them and O how soon will this be here Is there any more than a few Days a Hand 's breadth of Time a Wind a Breath a Vapor between any of us and this why verily there is no more Job 14.1 Man that is born of a Woman is but of few Days Psal 39.5 Behold thou hast made my Days as a Hand 's breadth and mine Age is as nothing before thee verâ—ly every Man at his best State is Vanity Job 7.7 O remember that my Life is Wind. Isa 2.22 Cease from Man whose Breath is in his Nostrils James 4.14 For what is your Life is it not a Vapour that aâ—peareth for a little Time and then vanisheth away Do you not see many about you dropping away one to day and another to morrow and a third the next Day why all all these go to see things not seen Many Sirs are seeing these things to day who saw them not Yesterday and many shall see them to Morrow who are not yet seeing them to Day and there are but yet a few a very few Days and there shall not be one of us who are here to Day but we shall be landed on the Shore of unseen things to see them for ever and never to see seen things more Pray think of this if unseen things were a great way off a long while too if there were some Ages or Ce turies to go over us e re we should see them why it were something b t alas we know not neither can we say that there is another Year another Week or another Day between us and them when we go out we may see them e're we come in again and when we come in they may follow us at our back and come in sight as we are sitting at our Boards or lying on our Beds shall we not then take them into our Eye and mind them O if we would but weigh the Certainty the Concernment and Propinquity of these things not seen how could we ever lay them out of our Eye 5. Unseen things are eternal 1. They are certain 2. They are momentous 3. They are unavoidable 4. They are near and they are also eternal and unchangable therefore it doth unquestionably concern us to look at them it will be but a while e're they come into sight Ay but when once come into sight they 'l tarry eternally in sight this is the Reason the Apostle lays down here why they looked not at seen but at unseen things For the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal Here my Beloved we have the Difference between the seen things of this World and the unseen things of the other World the seen are temporal the unseen are eternal a Difference that puts an infinite Weight upon unseen things and makes them of infinitely more Concernment to us than any than all things that are seen I say 1st The things which are seen are but temporal many have seen Health and Peace and Plenty and Pleasures and Prosperity who are now gone from seeing them and must never see them again And many have seen Want and Labours and Travel a Multiplicity and Variety of Troubles who are also now gone from seeing them and shall never see them more And whatsoever we are now seeing in this World whether of Comforts or Crosses of Peace or Trouble we must see them but a while and shall soon be sailed out of their sight for ever All these seen things are only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a Season as the same word is rendred Heb.
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
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
'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
great Concern lies in but on by-Businesses and inconsiderable things that are all nothing to the main Pray Sirs let us think of it we are all busy every day one is planting another is building another is purchasing another is trading another is tilling one is doing this another is doing that and every Body upon the Matter is taken up with something or other of the things which are seen yet alas Sirs our great Matters our great Concerns lie neither in one or another of these seen things that are temporal but in unseen things which are eternal Think on it Soul to day I say to thee that whatever it is which thou art about and most taken up with amongst things which are seen this is not thy Matter this is not thy Business this is not thy Great Concern thou hast a greater Matter a greater Concernment than this to mind and tend viz. thy future unseen eternal Estate I say Soul the thing is what shall be thine eternal Condition what thou shalt see in another World for ever Thy great Concernments lie in the things that are yet out of sight This is one thing we may learn hence and O that you would take it into your Thoughts and say to your selves where are we what are we doing what is this we are busying our selves about are we not out and off our great Concernment O our Matter is not 1. Where we dwell what our Habitation is while among seen things but where we shall take up our Lodging and make our Abode when we are come to unseen things 2. Nor how we are accommodated with Lands Meat Drink Clothes Money and other Conveniencies now while seen things are present but how we shall be accommodated what shall be our Portion and where our Lines shall fall when we go to enter on and begin with things not seen that we shall never end with 3. Nor who are our Neighbours our Friends and Relations that we are now living and sojourning among conversing and companying with but who we must come to see and be in Company of and spend Eternity with when we go to change seen Neighbours Friends and Relations for others that are yet unseen They are thus our unseen things and not our seen things our eternal things and not our temporal things that are our great Concernments our main Matters lie in Matters that are beyond all that our Eyes see under the Sun Alas Sirs it 's a common thing with many to say upon meeting with some smarting Cross or sad Loss in their Estates Comforts or Relations O now I am undone I am quite broken and on the other side if they meet with any special Success in any of their Matters or compass any of their Designs according to their Desire to say O now I am made now I shall be happy But truly this is a great Mistake and you are much out when you say or think on this fashion for seen things can neither make you nor undo you no body to this day was ever made or undone by them they are unseen things that will be a making or undoing to you the unseen things of Death and Judgment of Heaven and Hell are the making and the undoing things and when these come in sight then you 'l indeed be made or undone and that for ever 2. We may hence see that we have been and are a great way out of the way of our Duty many of us it has been our Duty to be much in looking at unseen things O but Sirs have we not been little in our lookings this way and to these things Pray Sirs look a little back and take a serious review of what is past and what you have been eying and minding all along and then tell me if among the many things that you have look'd at these unseen things have not had the least room in your Eye and then I fear there will be but few very few exceeding few if they 'l deal truly who must not confess that they have been very guilty in this particular Alas Sirs not only our Rabble of profane and dissolute Persons or our Crouds and Companies of mere Worldlings have been Strangers to the Practice of this Duty but many that have looked towards Religion have yet looked little towards this Duty the Truth is Sirs there is little looking at unseen things O who almost 1. Puts a Price on these 2. Who carries them in his Thoughts 3. Who set them before them as their Mark and Aim 4. Who goes after them Or 5. Who is waiting with an earnest expectation for them Alas seen things stand between us and unseen things and as they stand between us and unseen things so they come between us and looking at them we look but little over them or behind them This is another thing this Truth may convince a great many of us that we are not looking the right Way we are not looking at the right Object or that which is our grand Concernment Alas Sirs do we not Dine and Sup at our accustomed Times go to Bed and rise at our Hours Converse and Commune one with another as we were wont Trade and Till and tend our Occasions and Matters in the World Day after Day but among all suffer Death to creep on us Judgment to come towards us and another World approach and hasten every Day without taking them at all into our Eye or looking at them on that manner that Matters of that Moment deserve to be looked at Truly Sirs this Text and Truth speaks enough to shame us all for where are the Men the Women the Christians the Professors Young or Old in one Condition or another that can say we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen 3. We may hence learn that there are other things to be seen than those that we have yet seen or are seeing we have not seen all that we must see it was Solomon's Observation in his Time that there was no new Thing under the Sun Eccles 1.9 The Thing which hath been is that which shall be and that which is done is that which shall be done and there is no new thing under the Sun q. d. All things in this World have in all Ages been the same for Nature and Substance there has been no Diversity Variety and Novelty save in outward Circumstances and Appearances of things that that is now is but the same o're again in another dress which has been afore and that which shall be will be no more but the same o're again which now is and there is nothing new under the Sun This he puts to Men that may seem otherwise minded viz. to name the thing that may seem to be new Ver. 10. Is there any thing whereof it may be said see this is new and then constantly affirms that it hath been in former time it hath been already of old Time which was before us and only