excellent Antithesis I say 1. For Affliction here is Glory future Glory for present Affliction 2. For light Affliction here is a weight magnitudo of Glory not only so but an exceeding weight a far more exceeding weight of Glory Weigh Afflictions the weightiest Afflictions all the Afflictions of a Christian with Glory and there will be no proportion betwixt them Rom. 8.18 For I reckon that the Sufferings of this present Time are not worthy to be compared with the Glory which shall be revealed in us 3. For short Afflictions Afflictions for a moment here is eternal Glory an eternal weight of Glory This is the other Ground of their Patience Confidence and Consolation And now upon this the Words I have read come in 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 In the whole Verse you may take notice of two things 1. How they came to make this Judgment of their Afflictions to reckon of them as light and short This was by looking our Affliction is light while we look at things not seen 2. Why this looking made them thus to account this was the vast Difference which they hereby discover'd to be between the present Affliction and future Glory For the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal i. e. Our present Afflictions and Sufferings which are seen things are Temporal for a short time of short continuance but our future Glory and Happiness which are unseen things are endless and eternal The Words may be considered either 1. Relatively as they refer and have relation to the Context and so they carry in them an Account of the Way and Means whereby they came to this stability under their Afflictions viz. by eying unseen things Or 2. Absolutely in themselves and so they carry in them an Account of their Carriage and Practice or shew what it was they made their great Business in the World viz. to eye and mind eternal unseen things I shall look on them at this time under the latter Consideration and so you have in them 1. An Act expressed we look looking 2. The Object described And this is done 1. Negatively We look not at things seen Res hujus seculi the Matters of this present Life 2. Affirmatively We look at things unseen Res futuri seculi at the things of another World and within the Vail these are our Object Scope and Aim to these we look But how could they look at things not seen Oculus fidei longius penetrat quam omnes humanae naturae sensus fides etiam ideo vocatur rerum invisibilium Aspectus Calvin in locum By the Eye of Faith they might look at them There are several things very observable in the words I shall only at this time observe this from them Doct. It is the great Part and Duty of Christians in this Life to look at things which are not seen Or it is the great Concern of Christians to be looking at unseen things In this we shall First prove that there are unseen things things which are not seen which are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not visible don't appear to Eyes of Flesh And this will be evident from these five or six things 1. From general Assertions in Scripture that hold out to us a Being of things which are not seen do not appear see for this Heb. 11.1 Faith is the Substance of things hoped for and the Evidence of things not seen Fide convincimur ad credenda quae non videmus perinde ac si manifestò in luce viderentur Faith is an infallible Argument a clear Conviction a convincing Demonstration of their Existence Reality and Certainty that they are no Figments and Fancies but Realities So then you see hence that there are unseen things Quae mente nostrâ cernimus haud secus ac si praesentia essent Things which thrò Faith we see with our Minds as if they were present Again Rom. 8.24 We are saved by Hope but Hope that is seen is not Hope for what a Man seeth why doth he yet hope for As the antecedent and consequent words shew it is as if the Apostle had said We have a certain Apprehension of Redemption Glory and final Freedom from all Calamities here in Hope and Expectation not in present Possession for Hope that is seen is not Hope i. e. if we had them in hand we could not be said to hope for them So that here again you see there are unseen things the things of Hope the things that Hope waits for are unseen Ver. 25. We hope for that we see not Hence Believers are said to have their Hope laid up for them in Heaven Col. 1.5 For the Hope which is laid up for you in Heaven the Substance of which things is Faith Heb. 11.1 Again Isa 64.4 For since the beginning of the World Men have not heard nor perceived by the Ear neither hath the Eye seen O God besides thee what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him Mark 1. Here are things prepared 2. These prepared things are unknown things Ear hath not heard them Eye hath not seen them 3. They have been unknown things from the beginning The Ear of Man hath heard of many things and the Eye of Man hath seen many things up and down the World in those many Ages that the World hath stood yet behind all these things that so many thousands and millions of Ears now stopped in the Grave have heard and so many Eyes now sunk down in their Holes have seen I say behind all these there are things that Ear hath never heard that Eye hath never seen that Time which uncovers many things has not uncovered in its manifold Revolutions since the beginning It may appear there are unseen things 2. From the particular Enumeration which we have in the Scripture of things which have not been seen or are unseen The Holy Ghost mentions many things in particular that are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do not appear As in a word only to instance in a few things 1. The Holy Ghost makes report to us of a Life of Saints that is hid Col. 3.3 Your-Life is hid with Christ in God not only the Life of Grace but especially the Perfection of that Life the Life of Glory this is hid Hiding implies two things 1. Safety that the thing is in safety so is this Life for it 's hid with Christ in God 2. Secresy that the thing hid is covered and out of sight such is the Life of Glory it is a hidden Life the Glory of it is cover'd and out of the sight of all Mortals 2. We read of manifestation of Sons Rom. 8.19 For the earnest Expectation of the Creature waiteth for the manifestation of the Sons of God And also to the same purpose in 1 John 3.2 It doth not yet appear
11.25 The Pleasures of Sin for a Season for a time as the same word Mark 4.17 and have no Root in themselves and so endure for a time for a while as Mat. 13.21 Thus seen things whatever they are are but for a season for a time for a while as Job 11.16 Because thou shalt forget thy Misery and remember it as the Waters that pass away i. e. as that which is quickly gone and shall never return again When sudden and great Showers of Water fall they make great Torrents and Inundations in Brooks and Rivers but these soon pass away and being once past they return no more Why on this fashion the godly Man's Misery is as Waters and the ungodly Man's Prosperity is as Waters and all these seen things are as Waters that pass away But now 2dly The things which are not seen are eternal and everlasting not for a season or a time or a while but for ever and ever for Eternity The things not seen in Heaven are Eternal As 1. There is Life and this Life is eternal Mat. 25.46 But the Righteous into Life eternal 2. Salvation and this Salvation is eternal Heb. 5.9 And being made perfect he became the Author of eternal Salvation unto all them that obey him 3. Inheritance and this Inheritance is eternal 1 Pet. 1.4 An Inheritance incorruptible undefiled and that fadeth not away 4. A Crown and this Crown is eternal 1 Pet. 5.4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear ye shall receive a Crown of Glory that fadeth not away 5. A Kingdom and this Kingdom is eternal 2 Pet. 1.11 For an Entrance shall be administred to you abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 6. Glory and this Glory is eternal 2 Cor. 4.17 For our light Affliction which is but for a Moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal Weight of Glory And the things not seen in Hell are eternal as there is 1st A Pit and this Pit is a bottomless Pit Rev. 9.1 2. And the fifth Angel sounded and I saw a Star falling from Heaven unto the Earth and to him was given the Key of the bottomless Pit and he opened the bottomless Pit and there arose a Smoke out of the Pit as the Smoke of a great Furnace 2dly Damnation and this Damnation is eternal Mark 3.29 But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never Forgiveness but is in danger of eternal Damnation 3dly Destruction and this Destruction is eternal 2 Thess 1.9 Who shall be punished with everlasting Destruction from the Presence of the Lord and from the Glory of his Power 4thly Darkness and this Darkness is eternal Jude 1â— To whom is reserved the Blackness of Darkness for ever 5thly A Worm and this Worm is eternal Mark 9.44 Where the Worm dieth not 6thly Fire and this Fire is eternal Mat. 25.41 Depart from me ye Cursed into everlasting Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Well thus Sirs you see the Difference between things seen and unseen 1. Seen things are in continual Motion unseen things are immovable 2. Seen things pass away as Waters swiftly unseen things stand still as Weks through all Generations 3. The things we see here in this World we see them but for Hours Days Weeks or Years and then they are no more The things we must see hereafter in the other World we shall see for ever Now Time determines and puts an end to our seeing of all that comes into sight then Eternity will never determine or put any Period to what shall be in sight And this Duration this Eternity of unseen things puts as I have said an infinite Weight upon them and makes them of infinitely more Concernment to us than all seen things whatsoever I say again there are many things that call on us to keep an Eye on unseen things the Certainty of them calls us to take them into our Eye and the Greatness of them and the Unavoidableness of them and the Nearness of them but this their eternal Duration above all renders them to us as Objects that we are most concerned to eye Here in this World we regard and matter things very much according to the Duration and Continuance they are of Things that are of short Continuance and soon gone we make no great reckoning of whether great or small good or evil A Flower if never so sweet and beautiful if passing Solomon in all his Glory is not much valued because we know it's fading and will shortly lose both its Sweetness and Beauty An Ague tho it make all the Body tremble yet it 's not much regarded because it will have but a few Paroxisms or Fits and then be gone but things that are durable and of long Continuance we use to account of Whether good or evil their Duration makes them considerable in our Eyes and shall we not then make a Matter of the unseen things in the other World that will not only be of long and lasting but of endless and everlasting Duration O then what will we mind or matter O Sirs their Eternity their Eternity Eternity makes them things to be look'd at before all temporal Matters for Aeternitas in bonis infinitum bonum in malis infinitum malum This makes unseen good things to be infinitely good and desirable and unseen evil things to be infinitely evil and formidable O think on this if thou drop into Damnation there thou must see endless Woes and Wrath If thou get to Heaven there thou shalt see the Pleasures that are for evermore Now doth it not concern thee to think how thou mayst come to an everlasting Happiness how thou mayst scape an everlasting Misery This may be another Ground of this Truth the things not seen are interminable And now I have done with the 5th Particular in this Point and endeavour'd to shew you why it is that we must look at unseen things and you see that the unseen things are 1. Certain 2. Great 3. Unavoidable 4. Near. 5. Eternal And therefore upon all these Accounts it cannot but appear to us as a Matter of very near and great Concernment to our selves to look at unseen things if there be any thing either of Religion or Reason Faith or Fear Understanding or Sense in us SERMON IV. 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 WE now come to improve the Doctrine The first Use shall be an Use of Information Is it the great Duty and Concernment of Christians to look at unseen things Then we may hence learn what things they are 1. That our great Concernments are lying in a Matter that few understand or take notice of as they should and therefore let their Time and Thoughts and Cares and Endeavours run out on that that is not the Matter the Business that their
worst most needy and wanting outward Condition in the World with David Psal 16.6 The Lines are fallen to me in pleasant Places yea I have a goodly Heritage yonder 's better Countrey where there is no Curse no Night no Hunger yonder Inheritance that is incorruptible undefiled and that fadeth not away yonder Kingdom Crown and weight of Glory will make amends for all Wants are now hanging on me but I shall want nothing when I am come to my Father's House to the new Heavens and the new Earth to the pure River of the Water of Life and to the Tree of Life in the midst of the Paradise of God all will be well in the World to come and I shall have enough when I am called to the Marriage-Supper of the Lamb and brought to eat and drink continually at his Table in his Kingdom I remember Jerome comforting a young Hermite that was sad bade him look up to Heaven Paradisum mente deambulare and says he tamdiu in Eremo non eris So may I say to you that fear God when you are in a Wilderness when Wants are on you and discontented Passions are ready to rise then look up to Heaven look at unseen things and so long you 'l not be discontent the Thoughts of seeing God and following the Lamb whithersoever he goeth will be enough to make you at Peace with your present States 3. It will help to lessen all the Losses of the World and of seen things The believing Hebrews did not only bear the spoiling of their Goods but took it joyfully Heb. 10.34 But how came it to be thus how came they to take this so chearfully that has broken the Heart of many a one in the World Why their Eyes were looking upwards as high as Heaven and the things of Heaven took away their Discontent knowing in your selves that you have in Heaven a better and an enduring Substance Mark their Eye the Eye of Faith and Hope was on the Eternal Riches in Heaven's keeping for them and this was their Encouragement this made them non modo aequis animis sed etiam laetis to take their Losses Do Losses come upon me do I lose this and that and the other Comfort and Enjoyment why while I look at things not seen 1. I see I shall not need them 2. I see I shall have better in the Room of them 3. I see I shall have Comfort that will not be losable When the Danites had taken away Micah's Idols and Priest he cries out after them Judges 18.24 What have I more that is as tho he had said you have taken all you have left me nothing thus it may be with a carnal Person he may lose this to day and that to morrow and so on till it come to this what have I more Ay but it can never come to this with a gracious Person let Losses come on him as thick and as fast as on Job yet after and at the End of all he can look up and say I have a Treasure more I have a Crown more I have an everlasting Kingdom more I have a whole World more out of sight and danger too that and the other thing is gone but it 's not Christ it 's not Heaven Christ is left and Heaven is left and this now cannot but very much lessen any Loss 4. It will help to lighten all the Crosses and Afflictions in the World Our Saviour himself went through the Sufferings and Shame of the World with an Eye set on the Joy set before him Heb. 12.2 Who for the Joy that was set before him endured the Cross despising the Shame and is set down at the right Hand of the Throne of God Mark pray for the lightning of the Cross and Shame he took the Joy in his Eye and this Joy in his Eye took the Weight out of the Cross and the Shame out of the Shame of the World for the Joy that was set before him And Christians are here called to look at him herein as their Pattern and Example that they are to follow in like Cases looking at Jesus the Author and finisher of our Faith The Apostles here in this Place had their Sufferings lightned by this in the Verse foregoing the Text you have them weighing their Affliction and finding it light measuring their Affliction and finding it short but how came it to be thus in their Account why this you have in the Text While we look not at things which are seen which are Temporal but at things which are not seen which are Eternal their present and seen Affliction was light while they weighed it with the Weight of unseen Glory and it was likewise short while they measured it with the Eternity of unseen Glory O Sirs there 's enough in unseen things to lighten any Cross Suffering or Affliction a Christian can come under and to make him quiet silent and patient under all the unseen things of Heaven are enough to quiet the unseen things of Hell are enough to silence under all look Soul but either of these ways when thou art going under any Cross and so long sure it cannot be heavy on thee are Sufferings now on thee look at the Prison Chains Darkness Worm Fire of the Damned what they are suffering on whom God is raining Snares Fire Brimstone and an horrible Tempest and thou canst not think them heavy or look at the Rest Joy Goodness Glory laid up for the Saints in Heaven and thou canst not but say with the Apostle Rom. 8.18 For I reckon that the Sufferings of this present Life are not worthy to be compared with the Glory that shall be revealed 5. It will be a remedy against all Temptations while Moses his Eye was upon the recompence of Reward the Riches Honours and the Pleasures of Pharaoh's Court were easily overlook'd Heb. 11.25 26 27. Chusing rather to suffer Affliction with the People of God than to enjoy the Pleasures of Sin for a Season esteeming the Reproaches of Christ greater Riches than the Treasures in Egypt for he had respect to the recompence of Reward By Faith he forsook Egypt not fearing the Wrath of the King for he endured as seeing him who is invisible This sets a Christian above Temptation as it were it mortifies to the World as before and this is commonly the Matter of Temptation the great Baits that Satan makes use of are the things of the World he tempts sometimes with the Beauty sometimes with the Gain sometimes with the Glory and ordinarily with something or other of the World Now I say this looking to things unseen helps to crucify to the World the Matter of Temptation and so is a special Antidote against Temptation for when the Heart is dead to the Matter of a Temptation it will not easily fasten on the Tempted besides the looking at unseen things brings greater things into sight than any that can be presented in a Temptation Does the Tempter come with specious
end of his Sickness it pleased his Heavenly Father to visit him with a complication of painful Distempers under all the Tortures of which he yet glorified God with great Patience and expressed his Hope of his future Blessedness saying I am not sick unto Death but unto Eternal Life He would often say In a little while all will be well As to the Estate and Condition of his Soul he expressed himself to some Friends thus I can now look back upon my Way and Work in the Ministry and say I have been Faithful and I can look within and say I have Peace but after all the bottom I would fix on is Christ and his Righteousness I would make him all in all When his Body was brought exceeding low yet he would be left alone sometimes in the Day as was concluded that he might with less distraction enjoy Communion with God in secret Prayer and Meditation A little before he died some of his Hearers coming to him and inquiring of him how he did he said I long after your Spiritual and Soul-Welfare He departed this Life the 18th of June 1695. about eight of the Clock in the Morning and in the 70th Year of his Age. His pious Soul which through the whole Course of his Life had been bent towards God did shew her readiness and preparedness for the full and eternal Fruition by the sweet and ardent Breathings which it had that Night and Morning after him which were often expressed in these words Father come and take me Home to thy self His Body was interred in Bury Church-Yard being the Parish Church where he lived close by the Chancel-Wall on the South side June 20. Anno Dom. 1695. A vast Concourse of People appeared at the Funeral and made great Lamentation over him the Reverend Mr. Robert Seddon of Bolton preached the Funeral Sermon at Mr. Pendlebury's own Chappel The Subject of his Discourse was in the 12th of Daniel and the 13th Verse But go thou thy way till the End be for thou shalt rest and stand in thy Lot at the end of the Days Thus have we sorrowfully brought to the Grave this excellent Minister of Christ who was truly a Nathaniel an Israelite indeed a Gracious Humble Meek-spirited Christian that lived as he preached and preached as he believed his exact Life was an accurate Comment on his Doctrine his Doctrine was sound and Scriptural he was a solid judicious Divine that throughly studied what he preached he was not forward in speaking but what was wanting in Number was made up in Ponderousness of words they had all their full weight He was beloved of all and reverenced especially by Brethren in the Ministry and his People whom he laboured and spent himself for about 44 Years who will be ready to say of his Worth what the Queen of Sheba said of Solomon's Wisdom That the one half thereof is not here publish'd to the World Invisible Realities the Real Christians greatest Concernment SERMON I. 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 THE blessed Apostle having described the great Sufferings and grievous Persecutions which the Corinthians had endured and were enduring for the Gospel's sake in the 8 9 10 11 Verses of this Chapter proceeds in the following Verses to annex the Grounds of their Patience Confidence Constancy and Consolation in all the Pressures they went under And these may be reduced to two Heads two things bore them up and bore them out under all First A certain Hope and Expectation of a glorious Resurrection to Everlasting Life after all the ignominious Sufferings of this Life Ver. 13 14. We having the same Spirit of Faith according as it is written I believed and therefore have I spoken we also believe and therefore speak knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus and shall present us with you As if he had said this is our Corroboration and our Consolation the Assurance that we have of a happy Resurrection by this we are kept from sinking under Discouragements while we are alway delivered unto Death Ver. 11. The 15th Verse contains a Reason of his Confidence of being the Companion of the believing Corinthians after his many Sufferings for as much as they were endured for their Good and the Glory of God For all things are for your sakes that the abundant Grace might through the Thanksgiving of many redound to the Glory of God This is the first Ground of the Apostle's Constancy and Comfort ver 16. For which Cause we faint not but though our outward Man perish yet the inward Man is renewed day by day i. e. upon the confident Hope of Eternal Life we faint not knowing this that he which hath raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also c. 2. The Perswasion and Assurance they were settled in that they should not be losers by the Sufferings and Afflictions which they were enduring But that they should all tend and turn 1. To their present Good 2. To their future Glory 1. To their present Good Though our outward Man perish that is we faint not for this Cause as knowing that while our Bodies with all those things that tend to the maintaining and adorning of this present Life as Health and Wealth and Credit fall into decay and moulder away by the various Tribulations we are crushed under yet our inward Man to wit our Souls or our spiritual Estate is renewed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is made new again day by day is daily restored more and more to its primitive Form and Beauty So that we are not losers but gainers by our Sufferings if we lose our Externals lose our Health and lose our Strength and lose our Peace and lose our Liberty and lose our Livelyhood yet all this loss is not without a Compensation we have it made up we have it recompensed with Internals and things of Eternal Concernment Our outward Losses are recompensed with inward Gain the decay of our temporal Good compensated with the augmentation of spiritual Grace while the things of Earth are going from us the things of Heaven come into the room of them 2. To their future Glory ver 17. as they were tending to their present Good so they turned to their future Glory ver 17. For our light Affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory Here the Apostle shows 1. What their Afflictions were now 1. They were light 2. Short 2. What they wrought Now these light and short Afflictions which are but for a moment work for us 1. Glory 2. A weight of Glory 3. An exceeding weight of Glory 4. A far more exceeding weight of Glory 5. A far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory So that here is a threefold most
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
For the great Day of his Wrath is come and who shall be able to stand Rev. 6.15 16 17. Do you believe that the Vnrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God nor Fornicators nor Idolaters nor Adulterers nor Effeminate nor Abusers of themselves with Mankind nor Thieves nor Covetous nor Drunkards nor Revilers nor Extortioners shall inherit the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 6.9 10. Do you believe that the Fearful Vnbelieving and Abominable and Murderers and Whoremongers and Sorcerers and Idolaters and all Liars shall have their part in the Lake which burneth with Fire and Brimstone Rev. 21.8 Why then you must believe also Sirs that you are by these your doings undoing your selves damning your selves sinking your selves to Hell for ever You must believe there is a time a coming on you when you 'l be put to cry to the Mountains and Rocks to fall on you when you must be excluded from an eternal weight of Glory and lie down in everlasting Flames And if you say or think there are no unseen things you 'l be sadly disappointed and deceived for as you have here seen they are both sure and unavoidable and also near unto you and it 's but a while and you will all be convinced and that beyond any possibility of ever making a question of it again to Eternity that Death is not the End of all things with you that all 's not done when the Body falls into the Dust but that there 's then a Beginning a beginning that shall never have ending of things that now are out of sight pray think of it and as you would not see everlasting Sorrows everlasting Weepings everlasting Damnation break with your present Courses and live as those that look for the coming of things unseen SERMON V. 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 Thirdly IT may reprove Christians those that have made Religion their Business more than others that they have not made this their Business more been no more careful 1. In looking at unseen things 2. In aiming at 3. In seeking of 4. In following after 5. In clearing their Title to the unseen things of Heaven and Glory Alas Sirs this is verily a Fault among Christians we are much in looking at seen but we are little in looking at unseen things That you may not live in this Neglect but be more in looking this way pray consider 1. That you are not much concerned to look after seen things for they are but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they 'l not last as long as Eternity lasts nay they 'l not reach another World not go one step with you in another World As soon as ever you are passed into another World The former things are passed away Rev. 21.4 i. e. all the things that are present both good and bad none of the ill things of the present World will follow the Saints into another World nor will any of the good things of the present World follow Sinners into another World Seen things last but a while reach but a little way 2. Unseen things are the best things better than any thing that is seen weigh what you will against them and you 'l find they can bear no weight with the things of Heaven As 1. If you weigh against them Riches Gold Silver all the Treasures of Darkness and hidden Store of secret Places yet they 'l all be inconsiderable and amount to nothing less than a Drop of Water to the Ocean than a lump of Lead to a Mountain of Pearl they are things of no worth in Heaven things that have no place in Heaven It 's a Country as the Martyr said where Money bears no mastery where that that goes here for Hundreds and Thousands will not go for Pence and Farthings 2. And if you weigh against them Honours and Powers and Greatness why as little is there in them to bear any proportion with the things of Heaven add these to the former and put both together viz. all the Treasures and all the Crowns and Kingdoms under Heaven in the Ballance with the Crown and Kingdom of Heaven and they 'l be less than little to them 3. If you weigh Pleasures against them you shall still find they weigh nothing add these to the two former even all the Delights of the Sons of Men and put all three together in the Ballance with the unseen things of Heaven and they will be of no weight unseen things are the best things there is no worth in Riches to the Riches of Glory there is no weight in Crowns to the Crown of Glory there is no sweetness in Pleasures to the Pleasures the Rivers of Pleasures at God's right Hand 3. Nothing short of unseen things is of any moment or worth looking at unseen things are not only the best things that you or I can look at but there is nothing else we can look at that is of any moment The Holy Ghost speaking of seen things useth most diminishing Terms he calls Wealth thick Clay Hab. 2.6 Wo to him that ladeth himself with thick Clay The Dust of the Earth Amos 2.7 They pant after the Dust of the Earth Wind Eccles 5.16 What Profit hath he that hath laboured for the Wind Grass and the Flower of the Grass James 1.11 The Sun is no sooner risen with a burning Heat but it withereth the Grass and the Flower thereof falleth and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth so also shall the rich Man fade away in his Ways He stiles Power and Pomp and Glory Fancy Acts 25.23 The whole World a Surface an Out-side an empty Shadow 1 Cor. 7.31 For the Fashion of this World passeth away A vain shew Psal 39.6 Surely every Man walketh in a vain shew On this fashion the Holy Ghost speaks of these seen things and surely on this fashion they who are seeing unseen things are thinking of seen things to day the best the greatest the choicest of them are but Clay and Dust in their Eyes Alas look but on seen things in the Glass of Scripture and you 'l see there is nothing in sight that deserves to be look'd at they are either unseen things or nothing that you must make your Object Eccles 1.2 3. 4. All your Happiness lies in things unseen Those Grecians lost the Comfort of their Lives saith the Historian who saw not Alexander sit in Darius's Throne I may say those lose the Comfort of their Lives that don't lift up their Minds to the high things belonging to the heavenly Throne Nisi ad haec admitterer non fuerat operae pretium nasci Alas there is no true and solid Happiness to be had in seen things all the things that are under the great Vault of Heaven and on this side the Sun and Moon how fair soever they look are but the drossy part as we
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
a small Pain is this to the Glory to come Art thou an ungodly profane Creature O look at unseen things i. e. get and keep a-foot an abiding affecting Sense of that eternal Glory thou art losing of that everlasting Punishment thou art in danger to drop into every Day and every Hour Either this would startle thee out of thy present Security or I know not what will 2. Serious Meditation on them This Phrase is thus used not only to denote something that deserves to be minded and regarded but also to denote the minding and regarding of it the imploying of our Thoughts about it Prov. 24.32 Then I saw and considered it well I looked upon it and received Instruction I look'd with a serious observing considering Eye 1 Sam. 16.7 Look not on his Countenance consider it not conclude not by that James 1.25 But whoso looketh into the perfect Law of Liberty i. e. bendeth his Mind to meditate on it and consider it So Isa 51.1 2. So here to look at things not seen is to admit them into our serious Thoughts to take them into our solemn Consideration and to set our musing Minds at work about them And this is our Concern and Duty it concerns me and it concerns thee and every one that 's here to day to reckon of these things as M tters to be minded and to mind them to mind them I say and to transfer our most serious Thoughts to them It 's not enough to confess that they are Matters of Moment a Thing that I think few will deny but we must also mind them and have our Thoughts exercised about them as Matters of such Moment a thing I fear that few practise This is another thing that is implied in this looking viz. serious thinking at unseen things pray think of it Hast thou never thought of Death Judgment Heaven or Hell or at most only glanc'd at them and cast an Eye on them by the by while thou hast been minding other things why know this Day that it is thy Duty to look at them to look to fix the Eye of thy Mind and Meditation on them as thou dost the Eye of thy Body on the Object thou wouldst look narrowly upon or accurately at O they are things to be looked at and not to be glanced at things to be eyed with all Diligence and not only on the by Our Morning Thoughts and our Evening Thoughts our Day Thoughts and our Night Thoughts our Company Thoughts and our solitary Thoughts should be meeting at these unseen things and spending themselves on them in thinking what a glorious blessed thing it will be to see the unseen things of Heaven and Glory we have hinted at to see God to see him as he is and what a sad and fearful thing it will be to see the unseen things of Hell and Damnation to see the Worm that never dieth the unquenchable Fire the Wrath to come These Sirs are Subjects that we should look at that is our Thoughts should fix settle and dwell much on them 3. Fixed Intention or Proposal of them to our selves as our great End or Aim the original word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here used signifies such a looking as a Watchman useth that stands on a Tower to descry Enemies and Dangers and marks every Corner diligently or such a looking as an Archer when he is shooting tho he have many Objects about him on this side and on that side yet he looks neither on this side nor on the other side but streight before him at the Scope or Mark he aims at This I say is the import of the Word and so to look at things not seen is to make them our Scope and End our great Mark and Aim in the World and this now Sirs is our Concern and Duty also it concerns me and it concerns thee and it concerns every one not only to value unseen things and to think on unseen things but also to aim at unseen things to make unseen things our Mark to eye unseen things as the great Mark we shoot at This is another thing I say that is implied in this looking to wit a steady aiming at unseen things we should look on all other things viz. seen things as if we looked not as By-businesses but we should look at these unseen things as our main Business and End that we propound to our selves Pray remember this have you been making seen things the seen Profits or seen Pleasures or seen Honours of the World your great Matters your great Marks that you have mainly designed and aimed at why alas you have been looking the wrong Way and all the while that you have been making this your Matter how to get Estates and Wealth or how to raise your Names and Families or how to take your fill of sensual Pleasures it has I say all the while concerned you and lain on you as your Duty to look at things not seen to make unseen things your greatest Matters I say it has concerned you to make these your Business these these things should have been your Matters your Marks your Aims Sirs viz. 1. How you might get into a readiness to see unseen Death 2. How you might escape the things that are coming on this World and stand before the Son of Man at his coming 3. How you might avoid the seeing of the unseen things of Hell the bottomless Pit the Wine-press of the Wrath of God the Darkness Chains and Prison of the Damned And 4. How you might be admitted to the seeing of the unseen things of Heaven in the Paradise the City the Temple of God these are the things the things you should have been looking and aiming at all this while and this is yet your great Concern and Duty in the World Well this is another unseen things are the things that we should look at that is aim at 4. It implies vigorous Prosecution or earnest Endeavour that we should pursue them with all care and diligence Isa 56.11 it 's said of the blind and greedy Watchmen They all look to their own way every one for his Gain from his Quarter i. e. it 's their great Matter they have in pursuit and are continually driving on So here to look at things not seen is to pursue them as our great business in the World As Paul Phil. 3.14 I press toward the Mark for the Prize of the High-calling of God in Christ Jesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scopum versus feror that is I have Eternal Salvation which is my Scope or Mark or End in chase I am making towards it up Hill and down through thick and thin as one resolved never to rest till I have attained unto it This is to look at unseen things and this now Sirs also is our Concern and Duty it concerns me and it concerns thee not only to aim at but also to lay out for unseen things with all our Might we must look at them as the Traveller that