and alluring Temptations as he came to our Saviour with all the Kingdoms of the World and all the Glory of them why an Eye set on unseen things sees greater things than all the Kingdoms of the World and the Glory of them Doth he come with terrifying and affrighting Temptations as Bonds or Banishment or Tortures why an Eye set on unseen things sees worser Unseen Glory in Heaven is greater than all the seen Excellencies on Earth and unseen Torments in Hell are worse than all the seen Tortures of this Life This is another Privilege of looking at unseen things would you be out of the way of Temptations Temptations that have cast many a one down and cost them much of their Peace and Comfort in the World then be much in this Duty keep an Eye on unseen things When a Temptation comes in its Power look before you as far as Death as Judgment as Heaven as Hell and while these are in your Eye they 'l keep your Heart and the Temptation asunder As long as the Bird keeps above in the Air she is out of the way of Snares her falling into these is by lighting on the Earth 6. A singular Remedy against Sin in these sinning Times wherein Iniquity abounds Solomon prescribes this to young Men Eccles 11.9 Rejoice O young Man in thy Youth and let thy Heart chear thee in the Days of thy Youth and walk in the ways of thy Heart and in the sight of thine Eyes but know thou that for all these things God will bring thee to Judgment Mark that they may be stopped in these Courses he calls them to look over their present ways to the unseen Judgment before them O Sirs these unseen unseen things have much weight in them if Christians would but carry them on their Hearts and look at them when Sin is at the Door I have read of a young Woman who being pressed by a Gallant to gratify his Lusts answered him if you 'l but grant me one request I will do what you desire What is that said he again why saith she it 's but this do but hold your Finger one Hour in the Blaze of this Candle he replied No then said she will you not for my sake hold your Finger one Hour in this Candle and would you have me throw my self into an everlasting Fire for you and this silenced him Why Christians pray try this Course when Sin is at the Door when you are ready to go out to any Evil take unseen things into your Eye look at Death Judgment Heaven and Hell and see if you can if you dare meet or meddle with that Sin with these in sight or while they are in sight Surely Sirs this would be a mighty great Preservative and if you would but walk more as seeing things invisible you should be more undefiled in the Way 7. It will make you more fit to live any where in any Place among any kind of Persons He that hath filled his Eye with unseen things is prepared to live among a Generation 1. Of profane Creatures without being drawn to run with them to the same excess of Riot 2. Among a Company of Worldlings that are crying up the Mammon of Unrighteousness without being enticed to approve their way by seeing them hurry and rake this World together by all means 3. Among Persons of mutable and temporizing Spirits that are off and on one thing at one time another at another time he that looks at unseen things has that in his Eyes which will keep him one and the same at all times and in all Places a Noah in the old World a Lot in Sodom a Job in Vz a God-fearing Person whereever he comes or is cast 8. Looking at unseen things will make you more willing to die and go to the seeing of unseen things whence is it that many Christians are so loth to leave and go from seen things to part with seen Relations and seen Possessions and seen Comforts is it not from a want of lively Apprehensions and believing Views of the unseen Provisions made for them in Heaven I remember I have read of a devout Pilgrim travelling to Jerusalem who in his way passing through many Cities and seeing many rare and choice Monuments yet took no content in any thing that he saw but would still say this is not Jerusalem this is not Jerusalem why so truly if we had but our Eye as the Apostle on things unseen we should among all our seen Comforts say this is not Heaven this is not seeing of God seeing his Face seeing him Face to Face this is not being before the Throne this is not the inheriting of all things and our Hearts and Souls would be more there more set on going thither Secondly This may serve to exhort us to prepare for unseen things for a seeing of things yet unseen are there such O then Sirs let it be your great Matter now Day and Night Night and Day to get into a readiness for a comfortable seeing of these things which are not seen This is the next word I would leave with you I pray take it up into your Practice and make it your Work Heb. 11.7 By Faith Noah being warned of God of things not seen as yet moved with Fear prepared an Ark to the saving of his House My Beloved I may say to you 1. You have been warned of God this Day by the Hand of one of his Messengers of things not seen as yet 2. You have been told that these things not seen as yet are certain and great greater than the things that Noah was warned of and unavoidable and near and Eternal O do as Noah here in this Case did i. e. 1. Believe the coming of these things not seen as yet 2. Fear fear being taken unready by them at their Coming And 3. prepare an Ark to the saving of your selves make Provision timely Provision for the Coming of these things that as Noah and his House were saved when the Deluge came so you may be saved in the Day when these things begin to come to pass I might tell you 1. That you are warned of them for this 2. That you are called to this to prepare an Ark. 3. That you have Means and Helps betrusted with you for this 4. That you have your Time for this 5. That you must not tarry long with seen things 6. That dreadful things will come in sight and continue for ever in sight if you have no Ark no Provision ready 7. That glorious things will appear at th s Appearing of things not seen as yet to them that have made due and seasonable Preparation for them only let me give you a word by way of Direction If you say but how may we prepare an Ark to the saving of our selves How may we provide and get into such readiness as when unseen things come into sight we may see God Why in a word I would tell you 1st Negatively 1. That seen
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
secret Curse in them 2. Their Possessions have a Curse resting on them Prov. 3.33 The Curse of the Lord is in the House of the Wicked These seen things are left to be as Fuel to their Lusts as Food to their Pride and Covetousness and Luxury as Snares to their Souls Now Sirs is it not a foolish thing for Men to set their Eye on nothing but a Babylonish Garment an Achan's Golden Wedg an accursed thing 5thly Seen things are Fuel prepared for Burning combustible Stuff that Dooms-day will make an end of all these things that are now seen are things that must all be burnt up before our Eyes 2 Pet. 3.7 The Heavens and the Earth which are now are reserved unto Fire against the Day of Judgment Ver. 10. The Earth also and the Works that are therein shall be burnt up Thus all these seen things are kept for Fire a Fire is kindling in their Bowels that will turn them into cold Ashes think on this pray a Fire is coming a Fire is coming upon all the Gain of the World a Fire is coming upon all the Glory of the World a Fire is coming upon all the Possessions of the World a Fire is coming upon all the Habitations of the World nothing shall be left nothing saved not a penny of thy Money not a Stick or Stone of thy House not a Foot of thy Land Well this is a fourth thing this Course is a foolish Course for all these seen things are but the Footstool of God the Devils Walk the World's Portion the Subject of God's Curse Fuel for the Fire at Dooms-day and is it not a very poor sorry Business for Men and Women then to look no further than these no further than the Footstool O that Men should so far lose themselves is both sad and strange 5. This is a ruining and an undoing Course many have been undone by it and it 's marked out as a way to Perdition Phil. 3.18 19. For many walk of whom I have told you often and now tell you even weeping that they are the Enemies of the Cross of Christ whose End is Destruction whose God is their Belly and whose Glory is in their Shame who mind earthly things Here the Apostle shews that there were many who were walking towards Destruction and whose Way would end therein And he doth further particularly name several sorts of them and among the rest you see this sort of Persons are one who mind earthly things who are wise about earthly things Thus minders I pray you take notice of it of earthly things are marked for Destruction that is such as only look after are busy about taken up with and aim at these Presents and Visibles O Sirs this looking at seen things is the losing of the Soul and unseen things for ever It was a Saying that Sir Thomas Moore used There is a Devil called Negotium Business that carrieth more Souls to Hell than all the Devils in Hell besides O this Business this minding of earthly things this looking at seen things undoes thousands Sirs if you could speak with many now in Hell and ask them what was their undoing they would surely tell you it was this O this this was our ruin 1. We were thinking what we should eat and drink and wherewithal we should be clothed when we should have been making provision for our Souls 2. We were plodding for Posterity when we should have been preparing for Eternity 3. We were surveying our Estates when we should have been looking into our Hearts 4. We were casting how to drive on our Bargains to contrive our Business and compass our Ends when we should have been working out our Salvation And these these things were our undoing while we were thus busy early and late about Earth we lost Heaven When we were in the World we minded seen things we loved seen things we were set on seen things and when we came to leave the World God told us we had that which we chose this would be the Language of many a Soul And now Sirs will you take the way that many have met with ruin in that is marked as a way to Destruction This is the first Word by way of Reproof to those who look only at seen things at things which are in sight You see it is a Brutish a Paganish a Faithless a Foolish an Undoing Course Will you continue in such a Course will you follow Pagans and Brutes will you live as Men without Faith and without Knowledg O learn this Lesson this Duty to look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen Secondly Those are to be reproved by this Doctrine who live as if there were no unseen things no Judgment to come no Heaven no Hell nothing but what is seen and what is present My Beloved there are multitudes of these in our Day you shall not meet with many who will say there are no unseen things But as one saith Impurissima profanissima illa vita quam maxima pars hominum sectatur perspicuè indicat quod non sentiant esse vitam post hanc They live just as if they had no more to do than to rant and drink and roar and revel and die and so an End of all for ever or as if they had nothing to do but rake as much as they can of the World together whether by Right or Wrong and then die behind which there is nothing My Friends are any of you of this Make of Persons such as are lying in Wickedness as giving your selves up to Profaneness Pray tell me what have you thought what are you thinking of Have you ever thought or do you ever think in earnest of unseen things or that there are any unseen things that there is any such thing as a Judgment to come or a Hell that the Wicked are to be turned into I say what do you think Are there any unseen things or are there not If you say that there are and be perswaded that there are things out of sight as you are told of and as have been hinted to you from this Subject then how can you dare you live on such a fashion Do you believe that the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming Fire taking Vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall be punished with everlasting Destruction from the Presence of the Lord and from the Glory of his Power as you have it 2 Thess 1.7 8 9. Do you believe that the Kings of the Earth and the great Men and the rich Men and the chief Captains and the mighty Men and every Bond-man and every Free-man shall hide themselves in the Dens and in the Rocks of the Mountains and say to the Mountains and Rocks Fall on us and hide us from the Face of him that sitteth on the Throne and from the Wrath of the Lamb
say of God's Creation Like the Goats-hair and Badgers-skins on the Tabernacle without that was overlaid with Gold within Gold within and Skins without so I say these seen things are but very sorry things poor Shadows empty Vanities broken Cisterns nothing to unseen things nothing that can make us happy 5. Your unalterable and unchangeable Happiness lies in unseen things not in any thing that is in sight It 's true sometimes seen things may have such a kind and favourable Aspect towards you as may tempt you to say as David once Psal 30.6 7. That your Mountain is made to stand strong and you shall never be moved But as he was presently convinced of his Mistake so will you find yours for alas this World is the Stage of Changes and Revolutions wherein all things are on a Wheel and in motion 1. The Sun rises and sets 2. Seas ebb and flow 3. Winds rise and fall 4. Rivers run Day and Night 5. Cities and Kingdoms are up and down 6. Persons and Families are coming up and going down 7. Rich and Poor are meeting 1 Sam. 2.4 5. The Bows of the Mighty are broken and they that stumbled are girt with strength They that were full have hired out themselves for Bread and they that were hungry ceased so that the Barren hath born seven and she that hath many Children is waxed feeble All things are as we say on their Feet none can sit or lie some go backward some go forward it were endless to enumerate the Changes that are acted every day upon the Stage of this World here is no constancy no stability in any thing this is only to be found above in the unseen World and there all things are unchangeable and unalterable for ever 1. God the Portion and Happiness of his Chosen is unchangeable 2. Angels unchangeable 3. Saints unchangeable 4. The heavenly Mansions unchangeable 5. The Riches of Glory 6. The Joy in God's Presence 7. The Pleasures at his right Hand are for evermore here will be an unchangeable unalterable State of Rest and Happiness without any Flux or Reflux Change or Variation for ever O therefore Christians check your selves that you have not looked that you are not looking more at unseen things and longing more to come unto the seeing of them It 's reported of great Aristotle that he should say when he was dying I rejoice that I am now going out of a World of Contraries How much more may the serious Christian rejoice to think of going out of a World of Contraries and off a Stage of Changes to unchangeable Blessedness The third Use is a Use of Exhortation Is it the great Part Duty and Concernment of Christians to look at unseen things then it may be for Exhortation to Christians in these three things First Look at and fix your Eye on unseen things this is the first Christians be perswaded to look at things which are not seen above beyond and past all that is now in sight over all that is present to the future and unseen Death and Judgment Heaven and Hell that are yet out of sight yet unseen Consider this looking at unseen things will be of very great Advantage to you on many Accounts it 's your Duty as you have seen and it will be your Gain and for your Good as you may see if you consider these seven or eight things this looking at unseen things will help very much 1. To mortify your Hearts to seen things to the World and the things thereof Seen things are full of Snares the World has been the Destruction of a world of Souls it 's a blessed thing to have a Heart that is loose from and dead to it Any thing that tends to part and keep the Heart and the World asunder deserves to have a Room and Place in our Hearts Now nothing is more sovereign in this Case than a close and constant practice of this proposed Duty a looking at unseen things Aeternis inhianti in fastidio sunt omnia transitoria He that looks at unseen eternal Things will make light of seen temporal Things this will take Affections off things below up to things above It 's said that the great Cities of Campania seem but small Cottages to them that stand on the top of the Alps So truly all the great and specious and precious things of the World that so many Eyes admire and so many Hearts dote on all the Thrones Crowns Pleasures Profits Beauties Braveries and Glories of this World seem but little to them that have an Eye looking at that within the Vail If you look but a little upon the Sun why when you look down again upon the Earth you can scarce for a time see any thing of all the things about you the Light and Beauty of that which you have seen makes these things disappear Why so a looking at unseen things will hugely darken and lessen seen things in our Eye and make that we shall see little in them to be much set by Some Writers say that after Lazarus was raised from the Dead he was never seen to smile or make any matter of the Matters of the World he had seen that which did keep his Heart dead to these things as poor and worthless My Beloved if we might suppose that some of the Saints now in Heaven should be sent back again to us in this World what would they do how would they look on all these things Do you think they 'd be taken with them or press after them 1. Would they fall in love with your Houses or Fields or Gardens 2. Would they set by your Gold and Silver 3. Would they make any thing of that you make most of Surely no the whole World would be no other than a Wilderness to them they that tread the Sun the Moon and the Stars under their Feet would surely trample all that is specious in the Earth under their Feet as so much Dung And as they would make nothing so surely Christians who are going to share with them would make less than ordinarily they do of all seen things if they looked but more to unseen things to the Place and Possessions of the Saints in Light Wouldst thou be accompanied with a mortified Heart to the World 1. To the Lusts of the World 2. To the Pleasures of the World 3. To the greatness of the World 4. To the Gain 5. To the Glory of the World then look look at unseen things 2. It will help to make you Content in every Condition this another and with whatsoever is your Portion in this World The Holy Apostle had his Conversation in Heaven Philip. 3.20 For our Conversation is in Heaven And had learned Chap. 4.11 in whatsoever state he was therewith to be Content His Converse with Heaven had taught him to be Content with his Condition on Earth O Sirs believing views of the things above that a Believer is going to are enough to make a Christian say when in the