That the weighty concerns of the unseen world are eternal And that 1. By Scripture plainly 2. By induction from Scripture and Nature 1. We shall prove the Doctrine by plain Scripture Mat. 25. ult These shall go away into everlasting punishment but the Righteous into life eternal Here you see the rewards of the other world that all shall reap are styled everlasting and eternal Dan. 12.2 Many of them that sleep in the dust of the Earth shall awake some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt Both the reward of the Godly and the impious is here called Everlasting in the unseen world So you have the Scripture speaking of the Righteous and the wicked particularly and proclaiming their reward to be eternal and everlasting Thus 't is said the Godly seek for Eternal life in the other world Rom. 2.7 and that They are heirs of Eternal life Titus 3.7 and that They have an House not made with hands eternal in the Heavens 2 Cor. 5.1 And the Apostle tells us that he therefore endured all things for the Elects sake that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Jesus Christ with eternal Glory 2 Tim. 2.10 so Heaven is called their Everlasting Habitation Luke 16.9 And as the enjoyments of the Saints are eternal so likewise are the miseries of the wicked They are to be punished with Everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and the Glory of his power 2 Thes 1.9 they are to be cast into Everlasting fire Mat. 18.8 or into fire that shall never be quenched and where the worm dieth not Mark 9.44 So also 't is said that they shall be tormented day and night for ever and for ever Rev. 20.10.15 2. We shall prove the Doctrine by induction from Scripture and Nature 1. The Soul is eternal and dies not and therefore must be happy or miserable for ever This cannot be killed Mat. 10.28 when it leaveth the Body it doth not sleep or die as the Body doth Eccles 12.7 and when 't is again re-united to the Body at the Resurrection 't will never be separated from it but Body and Soul are joyned together at the Resurrection for Everlasting life or Everlasting shame and contempt Dan. 12.2 and therefore they will have an Eternal Existence At the Resurrection the very Body it self will be raised incorruptible Our corruption must put on incorruption 1 Cor. 15.53 Though at present our Bodies die and moulder to dust yet at the Resurrection they will not be capable of corruption We shall then die no more a Natural death Luke 20.36 And if Body and Soul will live eternally after the Resurrection-day they must needs be either happy or miserable to eternity if they have for ever an Existence they must needs have a felicitous or infelicitous Existence If they do not vanish into nothing or are not corrupted killed or separated then they will certainly for ever groan or triumph rejoyce or mourn 2. Eternal rewards are promised or threatned God doth not promise to magnify mercy and loving kindness to the Saints for a small season only but to Eternity nor doth he threaten momentany losses or sufferings only to the wicked and impious but everlasting The Righteous shall shine as the Stars for ever and ever Dan. 12.3 And the wicked have darkness for ever reserved for them 2 Peter 2.17 Believers shall never perish or die John 11.26 And the Impenitent are to be cast into fire that shall never be quenched Mark 9.43 This is the encouragement that God doth give his People they shall have everlasting joy upon their heads ere long and this is the discouragement he gives the wicked they shall be punished with eternal destruction or tormented day and night for ever and for ever Oh! Heaven will have Believers triumphing in it to the utmost limits and bounds of Eternity for God hath promised it to them And Hell will have ungodly Souls and the finally impenitent weeping and gnashing their teeth in it for ever more for God hath fore-told and threatned it and he is a true just and Righteous GOD. 3. GOD that is engaged to distribute these Rewards is eternal he liveth for ever to see the execution of what ever hath gone out of his mouth As he was from everlasting so he will continue to everlasting He inhabits eternity Isa 57.15 The Eternal God is the refuge comfort and salvation of the Saints Deut. 33.27 And the confusion discomfort and and terrour of the impious and wicked If Jehovah himself could die the Saints happiness would expire and have a period and the wickeds and damneds misery in Hell would be over but he living who hath promised and threatned and is engaged to accomplish the Saints hopes and wicked's fears we may be sure they will last for ever Oh! God hath no end of daies Jehovah's age will never expire He is Eternal that hath undertaken to priviledg the Pious with eternal Life and reward the Impious with eternal Death therefore unseen concerns will be eternal 4. As God is eternal so he will be eternally Alsufficient to make good his word As he was Almighty and Infinite and boundless in all perfections from eternity so he will remain unto eternity From everlasting to everlasting he is God Ps 90.2 He will never descend from the Throne or become frail or unable to execute his promises or threatnings He is the eternal and immortal King 1 Tim. 1.17 He is independent for ever and can perform his pleasure to all eternity And therefore his Decree and Law touching the endless condition of the Righteous and wicked will stand Alas God can as easily make the Righteous immortally happy and the impious immortally miserable as uphold the world and all things therein upon the borders of time He lives continually in the same Majesty Glory and Perfections that he is invested with to this day And he will never have his Omnipotency impaired diminished or weakned If God were capable to be dethroned or to become infirm or weak for the accomplishment of his projects or revealed Will the ungodly might hope for an expiration of their sorrows and the Righteous might fear a period of their Joy and Felicity but God being unchangeable and immutably the same to everlasting the hopes of the one and the fears of the other will be vain 5. God will eternally delight in the happiness of the Saints and miseries of the wicked and therefore both the one and the other will be eternal Touching the Pious 't is said that 't is the Father's good pleasure to give them a Kingdom Luke 12.32 They are the Persons that Jehovah delights to honour their Glory is God's Glory Ephes 1.12 JESUS CHRIST will come to be glorified in them at the Resurrection-day when he shall set the Crown of Heavenly Felicity and magnificency upon their heads 2 Thes 1.10 So that their happiness and exaltation will be God's Glory Delight and Rejoycing and therefore will be eternal
sharp and severe tryals here and yet Eternity makes them glad of these wholesom severities and causeth them to bless God for these medicinal and healthful corrections Oh! 't is happy for the Saints that God hedgeth up their way with thorns that they may not sin against him 'T is their high priviledg that they have be times God's fatherly sharp rebukes to preserve them from making shipwrack of their eternal hopes Alas if they did not mourn weep dolefully here they would be in danger of weeping and mourning much more dolefully to all eternity in Hell and that would be dreadful indeed and bespeak them miserable indeed 10. How happy a change will the Pious have and how dismal and doleful a change will the Impious have when Death hath done its work upon them or when they lanch into the other world Oh! how the Righteous will rejoyce when they are sensible of the alteration of their condition for the better to the utmost date of eternity And oh how the wicked will be horribly amazed when they are sensible of the alteration of their condition for the worse to the utmost limits and bounds of eternity When the Godly find themselves landed in the Kingdom of their Father where joys and triumphs glory and inconceivable felicity attend them world without end what a rapture of grateful exhilaration will seize upon them And when the wicked find themselves thrust or hurled into the infernal prison where sorrow and misery in perfection must be their everlasting never ceasing or ending portion what an overwhelming and heart-sinking flood of anguish horrour and dreadful amazement will seize upon them Oh! how far will the Holy be from repenting of their duty and faithfulness to God and their Souls then whatever hardships or extremities they here grapled with in pursuance of them and how certainly and dolefully will the impious and finally impenitent repent of their wickedness and neglects of CHRIST and their Souls then how highly soever they were dignified or priviledged here by it they will both find eternity presenting them with such weighty concerns as will bespeak all creatures and earthly concerns to be but trifles The Godly will be perfectly selicitous for ever and for ever and the wicked will be completely and perfectly miserable and eternally so 11. What a vain conceit is the Doctrine of merit and works of Supererogation Some Papists hold that 't is not only possible for the Religious to merit Heaven for themselves but also for others but alas who can believe it that doth soberly consider the weightines of those mercies they say they merit what proportion is there between their work and their wages what is a few Years holiness or service to God to an eternity of Mercy and Glory Surely 't is amazing Grace that doth priviledg the most righteous holy and pious with Heaven's Everlasting Blessings 'T is Infinite Mercy that doth reward the short finite and transitory performances and endeavours of the Religious with never ending consolation and felicity Ephes 2.8 9. The worth of Christ may indeed hence be gathered who really did merit these eternal Mercies for us and upon the account of whom the Saints are heirs of this stupendious Reward But alas the Saints themselves are but finite Creatures and their service and duty but finite and between finiteness and infiniteness there is no proportion Oh! the best of Men cannot merit the joyes of Heaven but must be beholden to an interest in amazing Grace for a participation of them because they are eternal Persons of this perswasion that their works are meritorious of the inconceivably glorious Blessings of Eternity do over-value themselves and duties and undervalue the Saints Triumphant and Eternal Blessings 12. God is the best Master and the worst enemy God's love is most valuable and his fury and frowns most dismal This is he that can priviledg us with never ending joy or reward us with never ending misery None can so well requite their servants as God can and will and none can so dreadfully avenge themselves on their enemies as God can and will In God's favour there is eternal life and in his wrath there is nothing but eternal death Happy are the people that have GOD for their God and Friend for they shall be felicitous world without end and cursed are the people that have GOD for their righteous adversary for they will be miserable world without end This is he that can save or destroy for ever and will dispose of us Body and Soul to eternity Oh! there is none whose love can thus reward us and there is none whose hatred can thus injure us as Jehovah's will So much by way of inference from the Doctrine 2. To speak by way of Examination Do you enquire whether you are bound for Eternal Life or Eternal Death Will the Unseen things of Heaven or Hell be your never ending portion have you sow'd for everlasting joy or sorrow for eternal comfort or discomfort 'T is certain you must have your portion of Unseen things which you hear are eternal you are all marching toward an everlasting estate and you do here sow the seed of an harvest of never ending and never sading happiness or misery And are you not then concerned to consider what is like to be your portion Oh! Sirs enquire whether you are the heirs of happiness or misery which shall last for ever Consider whether you are like to triumph or weep and howl to an endless eternity Consider whether God will be your Friend or your enemy for ever Really this is no light or contemptible affair 't is infinitely more considerable than all concerns here below Be careful therefore to search impartially for satisfaction in this The uncertainty of your lives and the weightiness of this concern should prompt you to faithfulness diligence and speed in this enquiry And indeed what greater concern have you to mind what trifles and how trivial are all concerns here to this alas 't is nothing considerable whether you are high or low rich or poor in adversity or prosperity here in comparison of what shall be your eternal portion You are inexpressibly foolish and mad in minding any thing here in the neglect of this weighty concern Enquire after these things following if you would be satisfied and not deceived in this Affair 1. What have you made your buâ—siness or what hath been the main bent and aim of your Souls during the daies of your vanity here what is it that all your Undertakings and endeavours are subordinate to Is it Heaven the enjoyment of God in Glory or the contents of time can you say that you are seekers for Glory and Immortality in the main course of our lives yea or no The generality mind Soul-concerns or what will or shall become of them for ever only by the by whilst worldly or perishing concerns are most minded and chiefly pursued Oh! enquire whether this be not your case 2. Are you arrived beyond
loss of Heaven is irrecoverable and you must for ever be shut out of the Habitation of the Blessed And especially when you find that your temporal felicity is your eternal bane and for your short enjoyment of these fading comforts you must be miserable and roar under God's insupportable wrath for ever more The Rich man in the Gospel that here enjoyed his good things to full content when he had lost Heaven and his Soul and was tormented in these flames that were unquenchable could not chuse but dolefully repent of his madness in taking up with and doting upon such vanities as his portion Yea doubtless this doth fill Hell with roaring to think for what trifles they lost Eternal Life and purchased to themselves eternal death Take heed therefore of this desperate madness Prefer not in your practical judgments or estimation temporal concerns before eternal and suffer not the things of time to cause you to neglect or be cold or indifferent in your pursuit after Everlasting Mercies rather live like strangers here and trample under your feet all earthly enjoyments that you may be heirs of God's eternal Kingdom and not be punished everlastingly from his presence and the glory of his power 3. You that are Godly take heed of being discontented or discouraged with the portion of evill things here attending you considering that your reward is eternal Be not offended with the sorrows or miseseries way-laying you in your passage to Glory considering the weightiness of the Prize before you that will make amends for all This was the great encouragement the Apostles had to bear all afflictions and sufferings patiently even because their light afflictions which were but for a moment did work for them a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory Oh! think it not much to groan a few daies or years that you may eternally rejoyce be content to weep for a season that you may triumph for ever Yea think it no marvel if a Prize so glorious and weighty as Everlasting Life be attended with difficulties and cost you some sharp though very short afflictions Alas what is worth your toil and utmost suffering here if Heaven and its never fading consolations are not and what will uphold support and keep you from sinking under the pressures and afflicting sorrows of this life if the eternal weight of Glory which you have or should have in your eye will not Nay will you not judge your selves unworthy of this Glorious Prize whilst you cannot patiently bear small affliction in pursuance of it The Mariner and worlding will resolutely pass through many a dismal and perillous storme for the poor prize of temporal riches which they may lose as soon as they enjoy and they will suffer much contentedly in order to the obtainment of them And should not Christians much more willingly cheerfully and patiently endure all conâ—…cts in order to the enjoyment of a Prize â—…itely more weighty What should not 〈◊〉 hope of Everlasting Life be encourageâ—…â—…ough to undergo and adventure on 〈…〉 you find in all Ages could 〈…〉 rejoyce under utmost sufferâ—… 〈…〉 of Eternal Life and why 〈…〉 Oh! you that are Christians learn of the Apostles learn of the Martyrâ— and Saints in all Ages patiently to bear thâ— crosses of this life which are but temporal and to glory and triumph in sufferingâ— for CHRIST considering the end oâ— them which is Eternal Life 4. We come to speak something by way of Exhortation And is it so thaâ— Unseen things are eternal Then 1. Be exhorted to get sound convictions and believing apprehensions of the truth and weightiness of these Unseen things See that your judgment be fully satisfied about the verity and that you are to purpose sensible of the Unspeakable ponderousness of these great concerns Alas there are but very few that do really believe that an eternity of sorrow or joy will be their portion in the other world And there are but few that in any tolerable measure are sensible of the importance or consequence of eternity These things would otherwise influence their hearts and lives and be more visible in all their carriage and deportment How could they carelesly pursue these great concerns if they had sound and convincing apprehensions of their truth and weightiâ—ess how could they choose but live like â—trangers here and in the contempt of all â—errene enjoments in comparison of these â—hings if they did indeed look for the reâ—elation of them Could Men endure to â—pend their time for trifles or vanishing â—nd fading contents that knew that everâ—asting life or death would be their portion ere long according to their deportment â—ere surely no. Oh! time would be more precious and the word and ordinances of the Gospel would be more precious and better husbanded if these things were soundly believed and to purpose considered Be careful therefore to get your Faith in these affairs strengthned labour to be soundly convinced that you shall be in Heaven or Hell for ever and be sure to understand and be sensible of the weightiness of these things This is the foundation of all Religion and practical Godliness You 'l never to purpose work out your salvation or lay hold on Eternal Life without this therefore see to it 2. Be exhorted to lament your hitherto slight care doleful lukewarmness in these weighty affairs Lament your heartless pursuit after Eternal Life and your lifeless endeavours to escape eternal death Lament your mispent time which might have been improved for your everlasting comfort Mourn over especially your misimproved Sabboths and golden opportunities and advantages for never ending felicity which you have been fruitless or unprofitable under Oh! let your sad neglects of the things of your eternal peace be your shame penitent confusion and heart-afflicting grief Alas what have you more reason to lament than your regardlesness of eternity wherein did you ever shew greater folly or madness than in your slighting this weighty concern Oh! what a mercy is it that you are not forced to lament with desperation by the convincing light of eternity what now you are called upon to lament in a day of Grace before hope is gone You do not know how soon you may be compelled to mourn over your folly in this affair in Hell if you mourn not over it now in order to your future advantage and comfort And alas who is there that hath not cause enough to be covered with confusion for their mindlesness of eternity in the daies of their present vanity the inconsiderable preparation they have made for their comfort in that Ocean We have too much reason to be ashamed for our dull prosecution of these weighty concerns 3. Be exhorted to make sure work for Eternal Life and to give diligence to lay hold on the everlasting Blessings of the Unseen world Oh! build firmly for your peace and triumph in that Kingdom which will last for ever spare no expense of time strength or cost in this
weighty affair Wherever you are slothful unfaithful or careless see that utmost unwearied diligence and faithfulness be used here Make this the buisiness of your daies to sow for Everlasting joy comfort when time is gone Yea see that you have no Imployment or affair but what is undertaken and managed in a due subserviency to this weighty affair Alas Sirs what greater buisiness have you to mind what an infinitely glorious prize doth the Unseen world set before you and how poor and inconsiderable are all concerns of time to it You spend your time and strength for trifles whatever you pursue if you neglect Heaven Eternal Life Earthly Kingdoms and Crowns are but shadows and vanity to the everlasting substantial enjoyments of the Paradise of GOD which you are invited to secure for your Souls 'T is a wonder that the World should have in it a rational creature that can find himself employment without reference to his comfort in the Eternal Ocean the concerns thereof are so infinitely weighty above all the things of time Oh be not you so unreasonable do not you thus neglect your own greatest most necessary and most glorious mercies For perishing fading contents let not never ending and everlasting triumphing Blessings be lost and jeoparded Seriously consider the weightiness of these concerns and surely they will influence you to utmost faithfulness for the assuring of them Everlasting joy or sorrow what is there here that is any thing like it Triumphs or howlings for evermore what on Earth bears any comparison to them If any thing here be worth your care or minding surely eternity and its concerns are infinitely more considerable and should be infinitely more influencing The Joyes of Heaven are Mercies indeed they are the most inconceivable glorious Blessings There 's happiness in perfection fulness of joy peace content and comfort without a dram of sorrow in glory There God is to be enjoy'd who is All in all There are Rivers of pleasure and an Ocean of the most Soul-satisfying goodness So glorious are the Blessings of eternity that eye never saw ear never heard and it never entred into the heart of Man to conceive their glory 1 Cor. 2. 9. These are mercies that quite surpass and exceed the very thoughts and imaginations of finite Men so unspeakably do they excel all contents here and infinitely more if you were capable to set your ear at Heaven's door and could hear the Souls ravishing Songs of the glorified quire in God's Paradise If there were but a hole or a little chink through which you might view their triumphant Robes or if by any means you could get a glimpse of that overflowing consolation wherewith they do abound unto eternity no temptation will ever be strong enough to make you neglect or slight the pursuit of their enjoyments yea you would certainly reach after an interest in them whatever they cost you and would not endure a diversion from a faithful prosecution of them Add to this that Eternal Life contains in it an eternal salvation from Hellish misery if you make sure of Heaven you shall not sip of the Lake of fire and brim-stone wherein the wicked will be tormented for ever This you are at present in danger of and this you will escape if you become the Heirs of eternal Blessings And what a rich Price is this which yet Infinite Mercy entrusteth you with How would the damned in Hell prize and improve it now they have tasted hellish sorrows if the priviledg of hope of deliverance were yet before them what would they not do or give for their redemption from those miseries 'T is not unlike but you have or may have all of you some troubles afflictions crosses pains or miseries to groan under here redemption from which you would be willing to purchase at the dearest rate And is not redemption and deliverance from Hell much more desirable and necessary Oh! how will you value this mercy when the Eternal Ocean hath effectually acquainted you with the worth of it to be saved from these sorrows that are unspeakable and never ending is a prize inestimable therefore spare no diligence or endeavour in pursuit of it Moreover remember you must and will be housed in Heaven or Hell for ever you will unquestionably have your portion in everlasting joy or sorrow there is no avoiding it but you will be the vessels of amazing mercy in God's triumphant Kingdom or the vessels of amazing wrath and indignation in unquenchable flames And which of you can think of dwelling with devouring fire or of being the fuell of everlasting burnings without horrour how should the thoughts of your dreadful peril cause you to mend you pace in your Christian course and double your diligence watchfulness and faithfulness that you may inherit eternal mercies especially if you consider the qualitie and nature of that misery that otherwise will certainly overwhelm you with the eternity of its duration Remember misery in perfection will be your inheritance for evermore if you lose Heaven's Mercies and Blessings extremity of sorrow you will endure world without end if you have no part nor lot in the triumphs of God's Paradise Once have the gate of Heaven shut against you and it will be shut against you for ever and once be plunged into the Infernal Lake where is weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth without intermission and you will be hopeless of redemption from it forever Christ's love and blood will be insignificant to you and all the promises of the Gospel will be in vain to you and your day of Grace will be utterly unprofitable to you and have an everlasting period And oh Sirs soberly consider the weight of this adjunct eternal and everlasting and surely 't will effectually render unseen things most incomparable to you and make them chiefly influential in heart and life Upon serious consideration you will find eternity weighty beyond your conceptions Remember it notes not only lasting joyes and sorrows beyond the account of time inconceivably and not only a continuance of happiness and misery without any intermission but also an everlasting or never ceasing permanency of felicity and calamity without any period or ending When sinners have been groaning and roaring in Hell under unspeakable torments as many millions of millions of Years as there be drops of water in the Sea piles of grass in the field small dust in the Earth sand on the Sea shore hairs on Men and Women's heads in the world and Stars in the Firmament yet their miseries sorrows calamities are no nearer ending than at the beginning And when the Saints have been triumphing in the Paradise of God as many more millions of millions of Years yet still their joyes happiness and triumphs are no nearer expiring than at the first entrance into Glory As long as God is just holy and righteous that is as long as God is God the damned must howl and roar under inexpressible miseries and the Glorified Saints must be swimming and rejoycing in triumphant Blessings And how few to purpose consider the weightiness of these things If your danger were only to suffer God's hottest wrath and lose his special love for a million of years yea for a year or a month 't were yet so considerable as that you would forfeit your reason to slight this concern upon the account of any earthly happiness whatever and how much more unspeakably foolish will you be to make light of this concern which is eternal not only of inexpressible but inconceivable length of duration Oh Sirs pause more frequently on the meaning and weightiness of Eternity that the Gospel-promises and threatnings of the Word may more influence you and render temptations from worldly enjoyments and fleshly delights to byass you from holiness not only succesless but contemptible and whatever you do be careful to make sure of eternal Life and an escape from eternal misery 4. Be exhorted to perform every duty as for eternity Fast and pray and humble your Souls for sin as for eternal Life and an escape from eternal death Hear the Word labour to profit by it as persons that know eternity depends upon it love and serve God as for eternity As Solomon adviseth Whatsoever thy hand sâ—ndeth to do do it with thy might for there is no work nâ—r device nor knowledg nor wisedom in the grave whither thou goest Eccles 9.10 Set all the powers of your Souls on work in every duty for in Eternity you can't amend what is amiss you must then reap the cursed fruit of your negligence sloth and unfaithfulness in duty but you will not have opportunity or ability to reform your miscarriages in order to one dram of comfort or consolation for your Souls As Zeuxes therefore of old was used to draw his Pictures with singular exacteness because as he said he painted for eternity even so should we be industrious and exact in what we do because all is for eternity Oh! ask your Souls in all your undertakings and endeavours Is this to work for eternity do I now improve my self like a person sensible that an eternity of joy or sorrow happiness or misery depends upon my present carriage and deportment Shall I reflect back with heart-sinking remorse and regret or with heart-ravishing content and satisfaction upon my present work in the Ocean of eternity Say and think of every action what if this should be my last what if eternity should swallow me presently and bring me to God's impartial and eternal Judgment and accordingly with utmost vigour and faithfulness be found in your duty and the exercise of your integrity in pursuit of everlasting Blessings FINIS
But Christ being incarnated and having satisfied justice and purchased a Gospel-Covenant we are now â—apable of escaping everlasting sorrow and â—erplexity and of triumphing eternally 〈◊〉 God's Love and Mercy And what a â—ich and glorious priviledg is this how â—appy are we if we knew and had wiseâ—om to lay hold on the things of our peace â—nd comfort We may be happy for ever â—hrough Christ if we will look about us Eternal life through Christ's Blood is obâ—ainable if we are not wanting to our selves â—nd that everlasting wrath which we have deserved will never be our portion if we do but ark our selves in Christ Oh! Christ â—s the greatest price that ever was put into â—he hands of mortals and they are the wisest Men that know his worth and prize him â—ccordingly And they are fools and mad-men that lightly esteem and neglect him 6. The Word and Ordinances of the Gospel are likewise an inestimable price in our hands for these help us to acquaintance with and security about these unseen concerns Alas notwithstanding all that Christ hath done for us if we had not the Word among us we should eternally without question perish and be undone How should we ever know the way to Heaven or an escape from the wrath to come without this how easily would Hell beguile the best of us cause us to make shipwrack of our eternal hopes and sow the seed of eternal misery had it not been for this Many poor Heathens are therefore in a lamentable condition that have nothing but the dim light of Nature to help them in this weighty affair though they know or have have some imperfect or superficial convitions of another life in the other world where it shall go well with the Good and ill with the Bad yet they do not know the way to true Happiness The Book of Nature preacheth not Christ or his Redeeming Love to sinners multitudes are in darkness and blindness in comparison of those that are priviledged with the Scripture Little do many that are only under the Tutorage of the Light of Nature know of their duty or of their sin and what wonder is it then that they walk not in the way of Life or forsake not the way of eternal death And those that now enjoy the Word and Ordinances of the Gospel if they should be deprived of them will be in no small danger of losing their eternal hopes In a little time they may forget those precious truths they are acquainted with or at least the constant preaching of temptations and the Spirit of seduction may in time wear off the impression the Word had formerly made upon them Experience tells us that the frequent pressing of the same truths is necessary to their effectual influence upon the hearts of mortals and to the prevention of the frauds and cheats of their Spiritual enemies Without the Word and Ordinances of Christ Men will not sow for eternal Life yea they will certainly sow the seed of eternal death And what a mercy doth this bespeak the Word and Ordinances to be And what enemies are they to a people that deprive them of these mercies considering the weightiness of eternal concerns that are before us 7. They are unworthy of unseen mercies that slothfully carelesly and indifferently prosecute them They bid too low a price for these stupendious Blessings and judge themselves unfit to enjoy them that faintly or lukewarmly mind them How righteously will they miss of everlasting Triumphs that think it much all the daies of their vanity here to sweat and labour to make them sure And how righteously will they be the Vessels of eternal misery that think not salvation from it worth their utmost endeavours during their short abode here Alas that there should be any so dismally unreasonable thus to undervalue Everlasting concerns and yet what more common general or epidemical malady in the world though these are the most weighty affair yet they are not at all or inconsiderably minded by the most Most seek after eternal life as if it were a matter of smallest moment Most prefer the trivial concerns of time before them Men's greatest care and most constant endeavours are about temporal enjoyments what they shall eat or drink or wherewith they shall be clothed or how they shall be Great or felicitous or happy here whereas Eternity is allow'd only those scraps of time care that the world or their earthly concerns can spare Oh! very few live like strangers here in the exercise of self-denyal and contempt of Creature-comforts and enjoyments 't is but a little flock that to purpose maketh it the business of their daies to work out their salvation and make sure their everlasting peace and comfort and how deservedly then is everlasting Life entailed and confined only to a little flock If never ending felicity be not worth the work and utmost diligence of a few daies and years 't is worth nothing and if salvation from Hell and the dismal miseries there attending the damned for ever more be not worth constancy in duty and utmost faithfulness during the little season of mortals abode here 't is worth nothing 8. The Unholy and Ungodly are unmeet and unfit to dwell in Heaven The enjoyments thereof are so much against their nature that they will soon be weary of them they cannot endure holy work or such a holy place a little while and much less for ever None but those that have Godliness for their element are meet for the everlasting mercies of the Paradise of God None else will delight to be housed in that eternal Dwelling Those that are enemies to holy love and praise and duty to God what should they do there where there is nothing else All that dwell in God's triumphant Kingdom must make holiness their delight and this the wicked do not and therefore are unmeet for these Eternal mercies 9. Afflictions and sharp providences that cause us to mind Unseen concerns most intensely and effectually are happy dispensations Alas 't is better to weep and groan dismally for a small season than for ever 't is better to be in heaviness and distress for a short moment than to eternity and Heaven's joy being everlasting will certainly fully make amends for all our temporal sufferings how great soever Though we should lye in extremity of misery during the age of Methusalah yet if all be sanctified to our never ending comfort and triumph we shall not ere long repent it but call our miseries happy miseries and our afflictions happy afflictions This was that which supported and caused our Apostle and the rest of his Brethren to rejoyce under all the most terrible providencâ—es attending them in the exercise of their duty and faithfulness that they worked for them a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory Yea all that are bound for Heaven are more or less the Sons and Daughters of sorrow here God estrangeth them from the world and its vanities by many
the attainments of hypocrites in Grace and Holiness can you say that you are got beyond the bounds of common Grace and Sanctification have you not merely a common repentance a common Faith and a common love to God and fear of him and a common obedience to him The generality among us are deceived in this weighty affair by common Grace which causeth them to think they are the Vessels and Heirs of Heaven when they are not 3. What delight have you in Holiness and duty to God is it your meat and drink is it your Element could you be contented with or take pleasure in an eternal Exercise of holy love duty and praise to the Infinite Jehovah Alas what should you do for ever in Glory if you delight not in these exercises which will be the eternal work of Saints in the Kingdom of their Father Heaven will be no Heaven to you whilst obedience to God and Spiritual enjoyments are your burden and not your recreation and complacency By this therefore do you enquire whether you are bound for Heaven and eternal Life yea or no. 3. We come to speak something by way â—f Dehortation And is it so that Unseen â—hings are eternal then 1. Take heed of sowing the seed of sorâ—ow grief or misery in the other world â—or you hear it will be eternal Oh! take â—eed at any rate of plunging your selves under the unseen wrath fury and vengeance of the Great Jehovah for you see it will be of everlasting duration You read of some that treasure up for themselves wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the Righteous Judgment of God Rom. 2.5 Oh! let not this be the case of any of you Yea the generality of Men and most Professours do walk in the broad way leading to everlasting destruction Matth. 7.13 do you take heed that you be not of their number And for that end take heed of hypocrisy for the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath Job 36.13 Watch also against every sin for the wages or fruit of it is eternal death Rom. 6.23 Get acquaintance with the things of your eternal peace for you find God himself complaining sometimes that for want of knowledg his people perish Hos 4.6 Be careful to be delivered from an evill heart of unbelief for he that believeth not wâ—… be damned Mark 16.16 Die not in impeâ—…cy for those that repent not will certaâ—… be destroyed Luke 13.3 Live not afâ—er the flesh for he that liveth after the flesh must die Rom. 8,13 Take heed of pride for this goeth before destruction Prov. 16.18 Abhor unmercifulness and cruelty for he shall have judgment without mercy that sheweth no mercy James 2.13 Especially neglect not the relief of Christ in his indigent Members for you see this is given as the reason of that dreadful sentence that will pass on the vessels of perdition at the last day Mat. 25.41 42. c. And lastly dread dis-obedience to the Gospel of Christ for Christ will come ere long to take everlasting vengeance on those that obey not his Gospel 2 Thess 18. Oh Sirs you are in fearful danger be not in insensible of it and do not further it Live not in peril of eternal damnation do not make sure everlasting burnings for your selves if you would not groan for ever under insupportable miseries take heed of being heirs of them 'T is here that sinners prepare for their never ending horror in the other world be not you guilty of this folly and madness And for that end consider 1. That most do sow for Hell and destruction and accordingly will reap the doleful harvest thereof to all eternity most are in the broad way leading to the chambers of everlasting death yea multitudes of those that to others seem bound for Heaven are certainly bound for perdition world without end Oh! you have need to look about you considering what abundance miscarry in this affair and especially what abundance that seem to bid fair for Heaven do yet eternally lose their Souls There are many that pray and fast and in some sort mourn for and repent of their sins and live in the exercise of much holy duty that yet remain in the gall of bitterness and at length groan under the insupportable wrath of God for evermore 'T is but a very little flock even among Professours that effectually take heed of the seed of Hell and eternal damnation Therefore you are fearfully concerned to look about you 2. You have a wicked nature within you addicted to this Soul-undoing course The hearts of Men and Women are desperately evill The seed of Hell is in your breasts already 'T is very difficult for you to escape the snares and entanglements of sin death through the doleful propensity of your Souls to comply with them 'T is upon this account that the Righteous are scarcely saved and that the best of Saints have so much ado to avoid the wrath to come If you are not very watchful the evill heart within you will be your eternal perdition without fail The law in your members will certainly captivate you to your everlasting doleful prejudice Oh! how natural is pride flesh-pleasing and worldliness to sinful Man which are the seed of Hellish misery And how doth carnal interest covertly secretly and insensibly sway the Souls of multitudes to their utter destruction you are in doleful peril of sowing for eternal misery Therefore you are concerned to take heed 3. Sorrow and much less eternal sorrow in the other world is not desirable 't is much less desirable unspeakably than a harvest of misery and utmost extremities and calamities here Yea 't is most abhorrent as the greatest evill Alas what is more dreadful to mortals than severe punishments and what greater severity of misery is there than what is the cursed fruit of sin in the eternal Ocean The damneds roarings and heart-sinking lamentation in Hell do evidence that their portion there is most dismal The stoutest heart will tremble as the sinners in Sion are said to do when they are to purpose sensible what they adventure on by sin in the other world and cry Who among us shall dwell with devouring fire who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings Isa 33.14 Deliberately none would choose destruction and much less everlasting destruction Sinners know not what they do when they treasure up wrath for their Souls in the Unseen world They little dream that they store up such fearful and dreadful sorrows as they must reap when they have left the borders of time Oh! Sirs 't is extremity of misery or perfection of calamity that you are now cautioned against 'T is that infelicity which will be the most eminent display of God's hottest fury and indignation and what can be imagined to be more dreadful Be careful therefore at any rate to flie from the wrath to come and not to make light of it considering how dismal it is and not desirable 4. You have a better
ETERNITY OR THE WEIGHTINESS OF THE UNSEEN CONCERNS Of the other World from their Duration Opened proved and applyed in a Sermon preached in WORCESTER-SHIRE By THO. BADLAND Minister of the Gospel Illi brevi huic vitae se totos implicent qui aeterna nesciunt Hieron LONDON Printed for Sampson Evans Book-seller in Worcester and are to be sold by N. Simmons at the Prince's Arms in St. Paul's Church Yard 1676. Jan. 18. 1675. IMprimatur haec Concio de Aeternitate Gul. Jane S. T. B. Rev. in Christo Patri D no Henrico Episc Londin agrave Sac Domest TO THE READER Christian Reader THis Sermon was never intended to peep out of the bounds of a popular auditory The importunity of Friends who would not otherwise be satisfied hath brought it upon the publick Stage The Discourse is but short and mean for so large and ponderous a subject but the smalness of the Volume may bring it to more hands and the plainness thereof is most apt and congruous for their use and benefit for whom 't is chiefly sent abroad The poor and unlearned which are alwaies most numerous and who are also no less concerned in the weighty affair of Eternity than others cannot reach nor perhaps so well understand the bigger and more learned or otherwise more useful Treatises of this subject that are written And to such I hope the Father of Mercies at least will make this hasty scrible a Blessing which is the great desire and shall be the earnest prayer of the Author who is Thine in Christ T. B. 2 Cor. 4.18 the latter part But the things which are not seen are eternal TO pass by the Analysis of this Chapter toward the latter end you have the Apostle acquainting us with the reason of his own and other Apostles and Ministers of the Gospel's constancy boldness unwearied diligence and faithfulness in the work of Christ in the midst of the great perils distresses and hazards attending them in their course The main of their encouragement is this that their utmost sufferings and sorrows in their duty were their high advantage They worked for them a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory vers 17. This prize he tells us their hearts were on in the contempt of all things here This they would not lose whatever they lost or suffer'd in pursuance of it And that they were rational in this resolution he evidenceth from the Glory of the prize they had in their eye This is the most excellent prize and infinitely sufficient to recompence them for all losses and afflictions befalling them in the due prosecution of it There is no comparison between things that are seen and things that are not seen The invisible concerns of the other world do as much excell outward and visible concerns as Eternity is of more consequence than time The things that are seen saith he are temporal but The things that are not seen are eternal So that the words are a reason why the Apostles had their hearts so fixed on the blessings of the unseen world as lightly to set by the most terrible discouragements attending them in pursuance of them They were eternal whereas their outward afflictions and miseries were but temporal In the words there is 1. The things spoken of Things which are not seen that is the invisible concerns and enjoyments which yet are out of our view in the other world The mercies of the Paradise of God and the miseries of the unquenchable fire which will be the portion of the damned The happy estate of the Blessed and the wretched condition of the Cursed and condemned beyond the borders of time These are the things which in general the Apostle means by things unseen 2. Here is something affirmed of these unseen things They are Eternal that is they are of everlasting duration they will never have an end but continue for ever and for ever When this world and all Sublunary things are burnt up and vanish and all concerns of time have a period the happiness of the Saints and the misery of the wicked shall last and continue they shall never vanish or have a period The Godly shall triumph in God's Love and the wicked weep and howl under God's fury to the endless bounds of eternity When the space of million of millions of years according to our poor and shallow reckoning are over the happiness of the Pious and the sorrow and perplexity of the wicked is never the nearer a period still the Saints joy continues and still the wickeds sufferings continue and are no nearer ending than at the beginning Night and day to eternity the Holy shall rejoyce and triumph and night and day to eternity the impious shall have gnashing of teeth and mourn Unseen things are eternal From the words thus explained were raised these two Doctrines Doctr. 1. The weighty concerns attending us in the other world are unseen The entertainment that immortal Souls will meet with when death comes and hath done its work upon them we cannot here behour We perceive not the triumphant joys of the Glorified here nor do we perceive the doleful howlings of the damned here 'T is true we have something of these weighty concerns revealed in the Word but yet they are not within our view We see not now the Saints Crowns or Glorious Robes and we hear not now their melodious and transporting Songs of triumph and praise wherewith they are priviledged in the Kingdom of their Father and we see not now the wickeds horrour torments and insupportable sufferings in the Hellish Lake we have only the report of these things though it be an infallible report And doubtless this is the main cause why Heaven is no more prized and no more vigorously pursued and Hell is no more abhorred and strenuously and diligently avoided and shunned by Mortals they believe not these things because they see them not had they seen the happiness of the Righteous in God's Eternal Kingdom or the misery of the impious in the Infernal prison or had they believing apprehensions of 〈◊〉 equivalent to sense they could not neglect them they could not choose but look upon them as the Apostle here doth as the most weighty affair and concerns Doctr. 2. The weighty concerns of the unseen world are eternal They are not fading or vanishing but of never ending continuance and duration The triumphant world's felicity shall never have a period and the damned world's misery shall never expire When innumerable years are past and gone the Saints triumph is as far from a period as at the beginning and the sorrows and sufferings of the wicked are no nearer expiring than at the beginning This last is the Doctrine we intend to handle and in the prosecution thereof we shall observe this Method 1. We shall prove it 2. We shall shew what is imply'd in this word Eternal and so the weighâ—iness of Unseen concerns 3. We shall make some application First we shall prove thâ— Doctrine