Selected quad for the lemma: end_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A32179
|
A glimpse of eternity very useful to awaken sinners and to comfort saints : profitable to be read in families / by A.C.
|
A. C. (Abraham Caley)
|
1679
(1679)
|
Wing C290A; ESTC R31283
|
161,448
|
236
|
The other cause respects the Apostles themselves their great sufferings made both for their present spiritual good and for their future happiness 1. Their present Spiritual good the cold blasts of persecution beating upon the outward man by a Spiritual antiperistasis augmented the heat of Grace within for which cause we faint not for though our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed day by day He was three times beaten with rods five times he received forty stripes save one (h) 2 Cor. 11. 24. c. But as they say the Bear is made fat with blows and the Ass battles with pricking and beating (i) Pascitur pungitivis so it was in a spiritual sense with our Apostle he was once stoned but (k) Per tot lapides pâ—trae conjungitur uni by those stones he was knocked nearer to Christ the corner stone he thrice suffered shipwrack but like Noah's Ark was lifted up nearer to Heaven by those floods of great waters he was in Journeyings often but every time his salvation was nearer than before 2. Their future happiness verse 17. Our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory For Affliction there is Glory for light affliction a weight an exceeding a far more exceeding weight for short affliction that lasts but for a moment an eternal weight of Glory And this it was they had chiefly in their eye so in this v. While we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen Things seen and not seen are I conceive the same with what else-where he calleth things present and things to come (l) 1 Cor. 3. 22. and things above and things on the earth (m) Colos 3. 1. and things of the life that now is and of that which is to come (n) 1 Tim. 4. 8. and so the Apostle explaineth himself in the following words the things that are seen are temporal but the things that are not seen are eternal The whole Verse falleth under a twofold Consideration 1. Relative as they are a reason why they fainted not under their present troubles as Moses chose rather to endure affliction with the People of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin because he had an eye to the recompence of reward (o) Heb. 11. 25 26. and our Saviour Christ for the joy that was set before him endured the Cross and despised the shame (p) Heb. 12. 2. so the Apostles having their eye upon things invisible and eternal made light of all their present sufferings and persecutions 2. Absolute and so they shew what the Apostles made their aim and end that is implyed in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to look as the Archer doth at the mark he shooteth at there were some things they made their great business which was the mark they shot at the great end they propounded to themselves and what they were is first specified then more fully explained First Specified and that 1. Negatively what they look'd not at things seen (q) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the things of this life which are things visible to the eye (r) Objecta sensibilia 2. Affirmatively shewing what were those things which they made the matter of their choice the great objects of their desires and endeavours things not seen (Å¿) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the things of another life which are objects of faith and not of sense things not visible to these fleshly eyes only apprehended by faith which is the evidence of things not seen (t) Heb. 11. 1. And that these are meant by things seen and not seen the Apostle 2dly further explaineth in the following words the things that are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal which are not onely exegetical explaining what is meant by things seen and not seen but as the word for implies contain the reason why they aimed at one and not the other the things that are seen are temporal all the visible things of this life whether prosperous as health liberty riches honour and the like or adverse as sickness poverty persecution death they are for a while (u) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a short season so the word is else-where rendred (w) Mat. 13. 21. Heb. 11. 35. therefore saith the Apostle we look not at them we make them not our aim we trouble not our selves much about them they are things of a higher nature we look at such as neither eye hath seen nor ear heard of and these are such as are durable the things which are not seen are eternal and here there are two things I shall speak to 1. That the things not seen the things of another life are eternal Or thus that the condition of man after this life is an eternal condition 2. That That which puts the weight upon things not seen and rendereth them proper objects of a Christians aim and choice is because they are eternal I shall speak to these distinctly in the Doctrinal part and then joyn them together in the Application CHAP. I. Of Eternal Invisible things the first Argument from God I begin with the first 1. THat the Unseen things of another life are Eternal the condition of man after this life is an eternal condition After a few daies are spent we must all enter upon that long day that hath no evening that infinite duration that hath no end that unlimited Eternity which alwaies hath been and is and shall be the same for ever and ever when man dyes he goeth to his long home (x) Eccles 12. 5. the body goeth to the Grave which the Scripture calls its house or home the Grave is my house (y) Job 17. 13. All the Kings of the Nations lye every one in his own house (z) Isa 14. 18. and this is a long home being to lye there till the Heavens be no more (a) Job 14. 12. and Solomon saith of these daies of darkness in the Grave that they are many (b) Eccles 11. 8. But the soul goeth to a longer home the home of Eternity as the Septuagint reads it believers go to their home their Country their Fathers house Wicked men go to their home their own place as it was said of Judas (c) Acts 1. 25. both Saints and Sinners when they go hence enter upon a new but never ending condition whether Death lands them upon the desired haven of rest and happiness or casts them upon the black shore of misery and torment whether they be received into Heaven or doomed to Hell whether they rise to the resurrection of Life or the resurrection of Condemnation they are equally put into an endless everlasting condition the one riseth to everlasting life the other to shame and everlasting contempt (d) Dan. 12. 2. The latter go away into everlasting punishment the other into life
hope for Heaven we must be Crucified to the world must set our affections on things above not on things on the Earth we must never expect Heaven when we dye if we be strangers to Heaven while we live In physical transmutations the form is introduced in an instant but there are some antecedent qualities some previous dispositions that prepare the body for that change though the soul in the instant of death quits Earth and mounts up to Heaven yet it must be prepared for Heaven by conversing there before-hand such as now live strangers to Heaven shall never intermeddle with those joyes 7. To these we must adde the grace of perseverance some have seemed to begin well yet ended miserably others have begun ill but ended happily perseverance is all in all other graces run the race but only perseverance receiveth the Crown Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a Crown of life (c) Rev. 2. 10. Solomon saith better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof (d) Eccles 7. 8. The grace of the Comedy lyeth chiefly in the last Scene it is the evening that Crowneth the day Seneca saith the last day judgeth all the precedent happy are they whose last dayes are the best dayes whose works are more at last than at first whereas when men seem to begin well and afterward turn from the holy Commandement it had been better for them never to have known the way of Righteousness e Among other Prodigies which were about the time Julian came unto the Empire this was one after a plentiful Vintage there were wild grapes appeared upon their Vines with which many wise men were much affected looking upon it as ominous when men seem to abound in the fruits of Righteousness and afterward bring forth the wild grapes of sin and disobedience it is a sad prognostick of their eternal ruine as the falling of the leaf is the forerunner of winter so the falling away of men in this life presageth that winter of Gods wrath when the storms and tempests of Dâ—vine vengeance shall for ever beat upon them having then put our hand to the Plow we must take heed of looking back again the promise of eternal happiness is made to such as persevere He that endureth to the end shall be saved (t) Matth. 10. 22. s 2 Pet. 2. 21. FINIS Books Printed for and are to be sold by Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside SErmons on the whole Epistle of St. Paul to the Colossians by Mr. J. Daille translated into English by F. S. with Dr. Tho. Goodwin's and Dr. J. Owen's Epistle Recommendatory An Exposition of Christ's Temptation on Matth. 4. and Peter's Sermon to Cornelius and Circumspect walking by Dr. Tho. Taylor A practical Exposition on the 3d. Chap. of the 1 Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians with the Godly Man's Choice on Psal 4. 6 7 8. by Anthony Burgesse An Exposition on four select Psalms viz. by Doctor Horton Books 4to The Door of Salvation opened by the Key of Regeneration by G. Swinnock M. A. The Fiery-Jesuit or an Historical-Collection of the rise encrease Doctrines and Deeds of the Jesuites Horologiographia optica Dyaling universal and particular speculative and practical together with a description of the Court of Arts by a new Method by Sylvanus Morgan The Practical Divinity of the Papist discovered to be destructive to true Religion and mens Souls by J. Clarkson The Creatures goodness as they came out of God's hand and the good mans mercy to the bruit creatures in two Sermons by Tho. Hodges B. D. Certain considerations tending to promote Peace and Unity amongst Protestants The Saints triumph over the last enemy in a Sermon at the Funeral of Mr. James Janeway by Nath. Vincent Peace