thâ— Lord Jesus may the more fully and sweetly manifest his love to the Souls of his people See Mr. Burr on the Second of Hos Verse 9 10 11 12 13. There are many heavy Judgments threatned the taking away all the Comforts of the outward Man Where we may note God's absolute Soveraignty over all our enjoyments and his propriety in them all So Ezek. 16. 18 21. All we have is the Lord's and his gracious sweet and blessed ends and purposes in threatning and executing those terrible things and that is wonderful as Verse 14. Therefore Behold I will allure her and bring her into the Wilderness and speak comfortably to her It was to make way for the communications of glorious Mercies The gracious God hath gracious Ends in all his taking Providences towards his poor people to make the wastings fadings totterings perishings of their outward Man to prove helpful to the increasing prospering and flourishing of the inner Man Outward Takings make way for inward Givings I will take away saith God all her Lovers dry up all her Cisterns that I may open to her the Fountain I will strip her naked of all her outward Comforts that I may speak comfortably to her Soul Now I will allure her now I have brought her into the Wilderness now my poor peoples hearts are taken off from the Creature I will see now to win them to my self I may now win their love and gain their hearts to me seeing they are stript of the earthly comforts O what support should this be to God's afflicted People O that we could believe it and improve it that God's design in all his takings from us is but to make way that he may bestow greater and better Mercies upon us This Argument our Lord used to comfort his Disciples with John 16. 6 7. Of all earthly Comforts the bodily presence of Christ with his Disciples was the best yet he tells them he must leave them and withal assures then for their comfort that it was for their advantage and that it was expedient for them that he should leave them that the Comforter might come which should abundantly supply his absence and who would not come to them if he did not go away This would be enough to quiet and comfort â—â— in all sinking providences that these takings an intended to make way for the giving of Spirituâ—â— Mercies if our unbelief distrust despondencâ— and impatience do not hinder Oh could we but drink in this truth and firmly believe it that God's takings from us are iâ— order to his givings to us as God took from Daviâ— an Infant begot in Adultery and gave him Solomon in its room and that his Castings of â— down are in order to his Raisings of us up hâ— witherings of our outward intended for the reneâ—ings of our inner how patiently and comfortablâ— should we bear our troubles yea and how fervently should we pray that God would bring pass all those his gracious purposes upon oâ— Souls I shall conclude this particular by setting dowâ— an Instance of our times which I had from a Person of Quality and Honesty tho' I never use â— record Reports but this upon the credit of tâ— relator I shall for once and it is very remarkable There was some years since in London a veâ—â— Godly Gentleman and his Wife who had a veâ—â— fair Estate both of them very zealous professors Religion eminent for Piety and Charity who had lived together many years but had never a Child which they much desired and often sought the Lord to build their Family for them and at last God was pleased to give them a Son to their great joy which lived and grew up to be three or four Years Old exceeding fair and witty very delightful and pleasant tractable and teachable and they having but this one Child their affections were much set upon him and likely too much The Husband and Wife lived exceeding lovingly together insomuch that many observed their sweet Carriage to each other he being of a lovely disposition and every way well bred and a Man of good Parts and of an Holy Life so amiable and tender to his Wife that her Life was even bound up in his In the midst and height of this their Prosperity the Gentleman fails Sick and Dies which was so heavy a stroak to his poor Wife that she could not bear up under it her Spirit sinks and she refused to be comforted many Prayers were put up to God for her in the publick Congregations and many pious Ministers and godly Friends visited her to Comfort her but to no purpose for she had no regard to her self or did care to Eat or Drink but for meer necessity but would sit in the Chimney-corner all day sighing and weeping and hanging downher head seldom giving an answer to any body Upon a certain day some godly Ministers with Christian Friends by agreement met at her House to Fast and Pray and seek God for her and it came to pass that after they had ended their work walking up and down where this disconsolate Widow was her lovely Child playing there in the Room of whom she took no noice had got a Joint-steel and carrying it up and down at last he turns the Stool upside down and immediately fell or thrust himself into it no Person present knew how but the Stool and the Child overturning together the Childs head being downward he brake his Neck they sent presently for Physicians and Chirurgeons but the Child died presently and no means would avail at all to get so much as one breath from him which was most amazing and astonishing to all the beholders the Chamber being then full The poor Mother sat there all this while in her usual posture but when she saw her Child was really dead she arose up and before them all uttered these words or words to this purpose most of them are the very words O! blessed Jesus will nothing please thee but the heart of thy poor Creature and the whole heart and the whole love now take it Lord take it thou hast won it thou art worthy of it I give thee my whole heart Lord take it take it fill it with thy Love and possess it for ever And from that very moment she was filled with joy and comfort and walked very chearfully and comfortably several Months even until God took her unto himself Here we see the truth of what I have been treating of the Lord made the blastings and breakings of her outward Man the means of refreshing and comforting her inner I should not have set this down but that I depend upon the Credit of the Relator O Lord how unsearchable are thy Judgments and thy ways past finding out 4. The last particular proposed was that for a Christian to be renewed in the inner Man when the outward Man doth decay and perish is the Character and Comfort of gracious Persons That it is their Character appears because the
delight upon him Always minding that it is God in Christ that we must thus look unto and mind in all these particulars God in Christ not God singly considered but God in Christ for God cannot be comfortably thought upon out of Christ our Mediator in whom alone he is well pleased No Communion with God but in Christ no Communication of any good from God to us but in Christ and by his Spirit It is the invisible eternal God by the invisible eternal Son of God and through the invisible eternal Spirit that we must make all our Addresses unto and expect all Communications of good from It is Christ alone that must bring God and the Soul together In Christ we are reconciled to him even by the Blood of his Cross 2 Cor. 5. 19. Col. 1. 21. And being reconciled to God by him we have Peace with God and then have Communion with him In Christ God's Nature becomes lovely to us and ours to God otherwise there is an utter Enmity betwixt his pure and our impure Nature Christ hath made up the vast gulf between God and us He drank of the brook in the way Psal 110. last Aim at and thirst after Communion with God in Christ in all your receipts of Mercies from him and in all your returns of Duty to him Pray and pant that all that you receive from him may come to you from his Love in Christ Oh that this Mercy that this Affliction may proceed from God's Fatherly Love in Christ Jesus so in all your Approaches to God in Ordinances and Duties pray and pant after Communion with God in Christ Oh that I may meet with God in this Ordinance and in this Duty without which we should not be satisfied in any Ordinances and Duties and all outward Blessings are but visible temporal things we must look beyond them and above them unto God in Christ for the invisible eternal love and grace and blessing of God in them So holy David Psal 63. 1 2 3. That I may see thy power and thy glory saith he And Vers 8. My soul followeth hard after God to see God's power and love and grace in Ordinances So Psal 42. 1 2. My soul thirsteth for God for the living God This is the marrow and fatness of God's Ordinances and this is that will satisfie the Soul therefore this is the thing that our Souls should long and breath after that we may have sights sweet sights of the invisible eternal God in Christ in Ordinances and Duties and tasts of his love and goodness in them And if we have Communion with God in our Mercies we shall be able thankfully to receive them and fruitfully to improve them for God And also we shall be enabled patiently and comfortably to bear all our Afflictions and profitably to improve them Now if we would have Communion with God in Christ we must look well to these things viz. 1st We must labour to be pure in Heart for such as are pure in Heart and they only shall see God God in his Son God in his Ordinances in his Providences and in Glory at last If we regard Iniquity in our Hearts God will not hear our Prayers nor afford us any Communion with him Mat. 5. 8. A pure Heart is a new Heart an Heart purged by the Blood of Christ from the guilt of Sin and purified by his Spirit Acts 15. 9. An Heart renewed and sanctified a single sincere and upright Heart that hath pure Principles planted in it the Spirit of God the Fear of God the Love of God Faith in God and Christ Christ formed there the Image of God stamped there the Kingdom of God set up there These are the true Principles of Purity of Heart and Life and also an Heart set and bent by the Rules of God's pure Word that pure Rule and that acteth for pure ends to please God to bring Glory to him to do good to others and to enjoy God in our Salvation Such may expect sweet Communion with God 2 Cor. 6. 16 17. the Lord God Almighty will walk and dwell with such 2ly We must labour to be poor in Heart poor in Spirit Mat. 5. 3. broken in Heart contrite in Spirit Isa 57. 15. O the wonderful condescension of the high and lofty one who dwelleth in the Heavens that He should stoop so low as to dwell in the broken Heart to revive such Hearts such Spirits O the Revivings of God they are Soul-satisfying things The Consolations of God are not small Happy indeed are those Souls in whom the great and glorious God dwells Blessed Souls that are the Temple of the holy God Habitations of God by the Spirit 1 Cor. 3. 16. Eph. 2. 22. Isa 66. 2. To the man will God look that is poor and of a contrite Spirit and God's looks on such are sweet looks Love-looks such shall have much communion with God and Christ for Christ was sent to bind up the broken hearted Luke 4. 18. What a comfortable support is this to a poor afflicted Christian that is poor in this World destitute of Friends and earthly Comforts restrained and shut up in Prison or otherwise confined to Chamber or Sick-bed and withal is poor in Spirit is content in this condition Yet now in this his desolate condition he may have Communion with the great God he may enjoy the blessed and sweet Company of the Lord Jesus by day and by night even when Lover and Friend is put far from him even then his God is near him his everlasting Father is with him his dear Lord and Redeemer his â—â—eet Saviour and loving Husband is with him Psal 25. 15 16 17. Psal 102. 17. He will regard â—e prayer of the destitute and not despise their prayer He will never leave them nor forsake them Yea He will then speak most comfortably to their poor Souls Hos 2. 14. He will speak to their Hearts He knows their Souls best in Adversity and their Souls know him best then Jesus Christ will then â—hew them his Love and manifest it unto them and support them 3ly If we would have Communion with God â—n every condition we must labour to be upright in Heart Psal 125. The Lord is nigh unto them that call upon him in truth they shall have Communion with him He loveth truth in the inner parts He that walketh uprightly shall dwell in God's tabernacle and abide in his holy hill Psal 15. 1 2. God hates Hypocrisie Oh the guile and falshood of our hearts let us bewail it and cry to God with David Make my heart sound in thy statutes 4ly Be heavenly in heart be heavenly-minded such shall have sweet Communion with God such as have their Conversation in Heaven have converse with God Phil. 3. 20. We must be very watchful that the World do not lye too near our hearts nor lodge too long in our hearts for that will steal away our hearts from God and hinder our Communion with him We must take
cases God and his Service must be preferred before all visible temporal things But when earthly things so fill up our Heads Hearts Minds Thoughts Hands Time and all that we have none left to spend or bestow on heavenly things then we mind visible things immoderately 2. When our minding visible temporal things unfits and indisposeth us for minding invisible and eternal things when earthly things have so entred our Hearts and so engaged our Minds that they deaden and dull clog and cloy our Spirits so entangle and perplex our Thoughts as that thereby we are put out of frame and temper and made unfit to mind or meddle with Divine and Heavenly things Luke 21. 34. Take heed lest at any time your hearts be over-charged with surfeiting und drunkenness and cares of this life saith our Lord. 3. When we are less tired and wearied in the thoughts of visible temporal things than in the thoughts of invisible eternal things When we can plot study cark care think muse ponder upon freely talk of earthly things without weariness but with much delight as being very suitable to our Minds and therefore very pleasing and grateful to us we can think and speak of earthly things from morning till night without weariness but are soon weary of the study and meditation of heavenly things nay are meer Strangers to heavenly Meditation and heavenly Discourse Mal. 1. 13. When we are in company where there is heavenly talk we are soon weary of such company and of such talk and are willing to break off such Discourse and to entertain the talk of worldly things 4. When we are more attentive unto more intent upon more seriously affected with and more strongly impressed by those visible temporal things than we are with and by invisible and eternal things When good News from Sea or Land a good bargain good success in our Worldly business doth more heartily affect us and rejoyce us thâ—â— good News from Heaven or any spiritual Mercy then we do immoderately mind earthly things It was far otherwise with holy David Psal 4. 6 7. Many say Who will show us any good any visible temporal good but Lord lift thou vp the light of thy countenance upon us Thou hast put more gladness into my heart than when their corn and wine encreased And so it is with all gracious Souls 5. When the gain of visible temporal things brings more joy and the loss of them breeds more sorrow than the gain or loss of invisible eternal things when the gain of an Estate of Honour of the Favour of a great person doth more rejoice the Heart than the gain of the Pearl of Price and the loss of an Estate or Friend doth more cast down than the loss of God or a good Conscience 6. When we are more afraid of Suffering than of Sin and would rather venture the loss of invisible eternal things than the loss of visible temporal things Surely it was not thus with the Apostles and Primitive Christians they looked not on those visible temporal things they did not mind them unseasonably inordinaiely immoderately and so comparatively they are said to mind them not at all The Proof of this 〈◊〉 will appear I by express Precept H. bâ— the 〈◊〉 of Gospel-Christians III. by solid Reasons I. By express Precepts besides 〈…〉 before John 6. 27. 1 Cor. 7. 31 〈…〉 that in Col. 3. 1 2 3 5. Set your affections 〈…〉 things above and not on things below and 〈…〉 inordinate affections 1 John 2. 〈…〉 would nor the things of the 〈…〉 the love of the father is 〈…〉 〈◊〉 in lay that to Heart the love 〈◊〉 World is utterly inconsistent with the love of 〈…〉 that in Jam. 4. 4. He that is 〈…〉 is the Enemy of God the 〈…〉 is enmity to God It is a dangerous 〈…〉 to be the Enemy of God nothing is so dangerous See Nahum 1. 2. God is jealous and the Lord revengeth the Lord revengeth and is furious the Lord will take vengeance on his adversaries and reserveth wrath for his enemies What a dreadful Text is this And who are the Lord's Enemies Why those that are the friends of the world saith the Spirit of God Although but few think or believe so yet so it is and it is a most dreadful thing to be the Enemies of God for then God is our Enemy and that is most dreadful Now he that is a friend to the world is the enemy of God World in that place I take to be the same that is here in my Text called Visible temporal things the good things of this World Such as are the friends of these things saith the Apostle are the enemies of God and this is no small matter let us all therefore look well to it that we be not such Q. But who are the friends of this World you will ask A. First All such as love this World and the things of it more than God and Christ and Heavenly things this is most clear So Matth. 10. 37. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me saith our Lord. 2 Tim. 3. 4. Lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God What do most People mind most and think most upon and speak most of Is it not the World things that are seen What is most in their Thoughts Mornings soon and Evenings late Where are their Hearts and Affections most Let our Consciences speak Whom do we serve most follow and pursue most God or the World Christ or the Creature Who hath the precedency and supremacy in our Hearts What Interest is uppermost in our Souls This is a plain Rule of Tryal and if we will suffer our own Consciences to speak plainly and tell us the truth we may know whether we be Friends of the World or no. Let us deal faithfully with our selves in this great Case and not flatter and deceive our selves as most do and so mistake our selves by taking our selves to be the Lord's Servants when indeed we are his real Enemies because we are Friends of the World and by this mistake may we ruine our selves for ever Secondly All such as covet desire seek after the World the Profits and Pleasures and Favours of it more than after God and Christ after Grace and Glory Such as pant after the Dust of the Earth that make haste to be rich that load themselves with yellow Clay such are Friends of the World Whereas gracious Souls are like those in Isa 26. 8. Yea in the way of thy judgments O Lord have we waited for thee the desire of our soul is to thy name and to the remembrance of thee With my soul have I desired thee in the night yea with my spirit within me will I seek thee early So Psal 73. 25 26. Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever So Psal 42. 1 2. As the hart panteth
Words and Actions have reference to invisible eternal things If they be good and holy they have reference to eternal glory if bad and wicked they have reference to eternal Misery for such as is our Heart and Life here such shall be our eternal state hereafter 3 Direct Thirdly Be much in the Meditation of Heavenly Things if we firmly believe and are fully perswaded that there are indeed such great and glorious such excellent things in the other World as the God of Truth assures us of in the Word of Truth and if we believe or have good ground to hope that we have a title to them and shall shortly enjoy them why are they not more in our Thoughts why do we not more meditate on them Our frequent fixed Meditations on Heavenly things will so sweeten and delight our Souls and yield such satisfaction to us as to take off our Minds from Earthly things And to Meditation add Prayer That God would raise and lift up your Hearts to mind things above 4 Direct Fourthly Discourse frequently and feelingly of the vanity and emptiness of visible temporal things and of the reality and excellency of invisible eternal things If Heaven and Glory be in your Hearts they will be in your Mouths Consider also the shortness of the time you have to converse with visible temporal things 1 Cor. 7. 31. and study a crucified Christ more by that you will come to be crucified to the World and the World to you Gal. 6. 14. 5 Direct Fifthly Consider you that are Christians are not at home you are in a strange Country you are but on your Journey in your passage to your Father's house to your long home and therefore you should not much mind the things of this World 6 Direct Sixthly Consider what you lose all the while you are inordinately minding earthly things you lose not only your precious time but much inward joy and peace and much sweet communion with God which you might have in minding of and meditating upon Heavenly things Psal 63. 4 5. My soul shall be satisfied as with marâ—â—â— and fatness When I remember thee open my bed and meditate on thee in the night-watches 7 Direct Seventhly Let us work a few more serious Considerations into our Hearts and Minds to take them from Earthly things 1. That whatever any Man or Woman hath of visible temporal things Death will put a full end to them all and after Death they all shall partake of invisible and eternal things Matth. 25. 46. The wicked shall go away into everlasting punishment and the righteous into life eternal 2. That every Man and Woman in the World is either made for ever or undone for ever as they are related and entituled unto the invisible eternal good things or evil things of the other World they are made for ever if related and entituled to the invisible God and Glory and undone for ever if not So that our Eternal Happiness or Misery depends not on our relation or title to visible but to invisible things 3. Such as is our Title and Estate now to the one or other such it will be to all Eternity As the tree falls so it lies as death leaves us so will judgment find us 4. This looking off from earthly things is the way to grow and encrease in Grace for Worldly Cares do choak deaden and weaken Grace cloying the Affections entangling and encumbring the Thoughts much hindring the exercise of Faith and Love which are the principal Graces whereby holy Souls enjoy Communion with God 5. By this you will have more Communion with God for the less we look downward the more we shall look upward and the more we look upward to God and Christ in the actings of our Faith and Love the more will God and Christ manifest themselves and their love to our Souls 6. This will support us in Affliction and comfort us in a dying hour when our Affections are crucified to the World we shall not be unwilling to part with it Col. 3. 3. We are dead saith the Apostle that is to the World And this supported those in this Chapter they were crucified to all visible temporal things therefore they could easily part with them 3 Vse Thirdly by way of Examination By this gracious frame of Spirit we may know our spiritual state whether we be born of God or no whether in Christ or no to wit by this Whether our Hearts and Minds are more set on God Christ and Heaven or on the World Rom. 8. 1. There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus they are safe come Plague Sword Fire Faggot But who are in Christ Jesus He tells us They that walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit So Ver. 5 6. They that are spiritually minded they that have their conversation in Heaven Phil. 3. 20. Col. 3. 1 2. They are risen with Christ So Psal 73. 25 26. If we be born from Heaven we are bound for Heaven Heavenly-mindedness is as good an Evidence for Heaven as any is and Earthly-mindedness is as ill a Character as can be Let us now try our selves by this Where are our Hearts and Minds and Affections mostly set on Heaven or Earth on Christ or the Creature Let our Consciences speak Surely this one Rule of Tryal will help us to know in what state we are Lastly For Consolation to Believers in respect of outward Losses and Troubles that they are all visible and temporal things that we can lose and but temporal things that we can suffer which are but light and short as we have seen but our invisible eternal Mercies they are all sure and can never be lost If we had enjoyed our earthly Comforts a little longer it could have been but a little longer they and we must have parted All visible things are but temporal our fairest Flowers are fading our sweetest earthly Mercies are perishing And here is our Comfort that if we be in Christ we shall be delivered from Eternal Death from Everlasting Destruction from the Wrath to come If we have our part in the first Resurrection the Second Death shall have no power on us Let this comfort us that the Comforts we lose here are but temporal Comforts and the Troubles we suffer here are but temporal Troubles And this brings us to the second Point observed from the Text which was 2 Doct. That a right and true Judgment of earthly things will help to support the Lord's Services under their Afflictions Of which I shall speak but briefly because much of what hath been said in the former point 〈◊〉 confirm this Heb. 10. 34. They took joyfully the 〈…〉 their Goods And why but because 〈…〉 in themselves they had in Heaven 〈…〉 a more enduring substance They 〈…〉 Judgment both of Earth and Heaven 〈…〉 Earthly and of Heavenly Things and 〈…〉 infinite worth and value of 〈…〉 they knew that Heavenly things were 〈…〉 real the most substantial the most
then Heirs Heirs of all those invisible eternal things Rom. 8. 17. Now if we be the Children of God we are led by the Spirit of God Rom. 8. 15. As many as are led by the Spirit of God just so many and no more are the Children of God If we have the Image of our Heavenly Father on us and do love him with all our Hearts and can trust him and depend on him in all things and for all things and are most careful to obey him in all things if it be so with us in Sincerity then have we a good and firm Right and Title to all those great and glorious things in the other World And when we can prove our Right to them and can call them our own then surely we shall think on them our Hearts and Minds will be set upon them all our Affections will be carried out after them Psal 73. 24 25 26. Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee My flesh and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever When a Soul can in truth and upon good grounds say My God my Lord my Jesus then he will in earnest mind them Psal 63. 1 2 3 4 5 6. O God thou art my God early will I seek thee my soul thirsteth for thee my flesh longeth for thee To see thy power and thy glory because thy loving kindness is better than life my lips shall praise thee Thus will I bless thee while I live My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips When I remember thee upon my bed and meditate on thee in the night-watches And v. 7 8. Because thou hast been my help therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoyce My soul followeth hard after thee thy right hand upholdeth me And the ground of all this was his Interest in God O God thou art my God 2. If we would have our Hearts and Minds set and fixed on invisible eternal things let us seriously consider the nearness of those things of those invisible eternal things unto us and of us to them things that are great but at a distance from us seem but small things to us and but little affect us The time of our departure hence is at hand and then farewel for ever to all visible temporal things our Houses our Honours Estates and Friends shall know us no more we shall have no more converse with or enjoyment of any visible temporal thing for ever And it will not be long e're this parting come God is near to every one of us Christ is nigh the Holy Spirit is nigh stirring and striving with us the Word is nigh us even in our Mouths and in our Hearts Rom. 10. 1. Heaven and Glory are nigh to us if we be Saints we are not far from our Father's House not far from the Kingdom Hell and Destruction nigh to us if we be wicked but a Breach between us and everlasting Damnation and if we be Saints and Believers the day of our full Redemption draws nigh the Coming of Christ is at hand our Salvation at the very Door As it is dangerous for the Wicked to put far off the evil day Amos 6. 3. so it is disadvantagious to the Godly to put far off the good day We shall shortly very shortly enter the Conâ—â—nes of Eternity and converse with nothing but invisible eternal things those things that now are out of our sight and too much out of our minds but it were our great Wisdoms to look on them as night at hand and to spend our Thoughts and Affections upon them We are displeased with our Friends that when we are out of their sight we should be out of their Minds And may not God and Christ our best Friends be justly displeased with us that they are so much out of our Minds But though God and Christ be invisible to our bodily Eyes they are nigh unto us therefore we should still mind them Psal 16. 8. I have set the Lord always before me because he is at my right hand c. Psal 109. 2 3 4 5. 3. Let us be often discoursing and speaking of those invisible eternal things let those things be often in our Mouths Should not the Children of God be often talking of their Heavenly Father and of their Father's House and of that Kingdom and Inheritance which he hath prepared for them Should not the Heirs of Salvation be often speaking of that Crown of Glory of Life of Righteousness that is purchased for them and promised to them and of that incorruptible Inheritance that they are born unto 1 Pet. 1. 2 3 4 5. Oh! can we have any Title to all the Promised Glory and not speak often of it How much is it to be lamented that those that profess themselves Children of God and Heirs of Heaven when they come together that they speak so little of God and Heaven This is our great Sin and should be our great Shame and Sorrow Whither are we bound Where are we travelling Where is our Home our long Home our last our everlasting Home Where is our Treasure Where lies our Inheritance Is it above or below Where is our Country Where is our Father our Redeemer Where are all our pious Relations that slept in Jesus Are not all these above And do we so seldom think or speak of these Shame shame on us Are we born of God born from above and do we belong to that City that hath Foundations to that heavenly Canaan to that New Jerusalem What! and our Minds so glued our Hearts so fastened to Earthly things and our Tongues so constantly employed about earthly things Oh our idle words Matth. 12. 36. Can our Treashres be in Heaven and our Hearts not there And can our Hearts be there and nothing appear in our words Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh Surely the earthliness vanity empriness unfavoriness frothiness of our common ordinary Talk doth but too much discover the vanity and earthliness of our Hearts Oh that we did all of us lay this to our Hearts The more we talk of these invisible eternal things the more we shall mind them 4. Consider it is the express Duty of every true Christian to set his affections upon things above and not upon things below Col. 3. 1 2. Charge the Command of God upon your Consciences accustom and inure your selves to it O my Soul this is as much thy Duty as to pray or hear or read how long wilt thou neglect it O dare not neglect it any longer begin it presently call upon God to renew and raise thy Heart 5. Let us learn that blessed Art of Spiritualizing earthly things every earthly Mercy to a Child of God is a taste of Eternal Mercy every visible temporal thing discovers somewhat of invisible eternal things This is a sweet
is the sum of the Gospel Acts 20. 21. Repentance towards God and Faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ Repentance in order to the obtaining of our Pardon Acts 3. 19. Repent and be converted that your sins may be blotted out when the time of refreshing shall come Acts 5. 31. Christ is exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance and remission of sins Job 22. 21. And by Faith in Christ we take hold of God's Strength Isa 27. 5. Which is the mercy of God in Christ this is the strength of God to save sinners Lay hold then on this Strength of God viz. the Mercy of God in Christ and so shall we make Peace with God Rom. 5. 1. Being justified by faith we have peace with God Make sure and sound work then in Repentance and Faith let us often try our Repentance and Faith dally not nor delay in this business we are all upon the Borders of Eternity we are all near those invisible eternal things This is the common Counsel we give every body on their Sick-beds You must make your peace with God we say but how this may be done few know or mind O let us mind those great matters Have we unfeignedly repented from dead Works unto Life Is all Sin hated and sought out Are we truly converted Acts 26. 18. 3. 19. Sound Conversion a thorow Change of Heart and Life is the surest sign of true Repentance Have we Faith in Jesus Christ the Faith of God's Elect Faith unfeigned that purifieth the Heart worketh by Love overcometh the World unites to Christ and draws Life from him to live as he lived and walk as he walked Let us try our Repentance by these Texts Jer. 31. 19. Joel 2. 14. Isa 55. 7. Matt. 3. 8. Heb. 6. 1. Thorow Examination of Heart and Life Clear Confession Hearty Humiliation Self-Abhorrency Thorow Reformation will prove our Repentance true and sound Q. How shall I know that I have truly believed A. Haft thou found it an hard Work to believe a Work altogether above thy own Power Haft thou seen and felt thy loft Estate by Nature Haft thou seen the Excellency of Christ and thy absolute necessity of him Is he most precious to thy Soul Hath thy Soul been drawn to Christ made heartily willing to close with Christ upon his own Terms to take him for your only Lord and Saviour hath all this been wrought in thee by the Word Dost thou value Faith as a Jewel Dost thou rely on Christ and trust him with all things and for all things Doth this bring Peace to thy Soul Dost thou draw Life and Strength from Christ Doth thy Faith in him support thee in Trouble What Service doth it do thee in time of Trouble It is the greatest Support the poor Saints have in all their Afflictions as Heb. 11. throughout Our great Business lies upon making sure and clear the Truth of our Repentance and Faith and we must go to God for both for they are his special gifts Also we must go to Christ he is the Author and Giver of them Acts 5. 31. Heb. 12. 1 2. And we should be often trying our Repentance and Faith for without these no Soul can ever attain unto Salvation and with them no Soul shall ever miss it The penitent Believers are the only heirs of the Promises all the great and glorious things of the other World which the faithful God who cannot lye hath promised and which our Blessed Jesus hath purchased with his most precious Blood they do ill belong to penitent Believers and to none else The exceeding great and precious Promises are those sweet Breasts of Consolation which they should lye upon and suck continually and by two immutable things to wit the Word and Oath of God wherein it is impossible that God should lye these Promises are confirmed that the heirs of the Promises might have not weak but strong Consolation Heb. 6. 17. Fourth Vse for Lamentation These things are to be lamented I. The great ignorance of those invisible eternal things Our Lord lamented and wept over Jerusalem for this Luke 19. 21 22. If thou hadst known at least in this thy day the things that belong to thy peace It is a lamentable thing that People living under the clearest Discoveries and brightest Displays of those invisible eternal things should yet be so grosly ignorant of them and so unacquainted with them as God complains of Israel Hos 4. 1 6. 8. 12. No knowledge of God in the Land though it was the only Land in all the World then that had the means of Knowledge Hos 8. 12. I have written to them the great things of my law but they have counted them strange things Look over those particulars afore-mentioned and we shall find that there is very little true distinct knowledge of them in the Land Obj. But we do know these things Ans If we do know God why do we not obey him Tit. 1. 16. To profess to know God and in works to deny him is the Character of a Reprobate Why do we not trust him Psal 9. 10. They that know his name will put their trust in him 1 John 2. 3 4. 4. 17. What likeness have most Men and Women to God and Christ What Fruits of the Spirit do appear Gil. 5. 22. but the Fruits of the Flesh are manifest What Power Sweetness and Comfort do Men find in the Word and Promises how little are most affected when they read or hear of all the great things purchased by Christ and prepared in Heaven for Believers What fixed delightful Thoughts and serious Meditations are spent upon these things Alas alas whose Conscience doth not accuse him Whose Heart that hath any tenderness doth not smite him for his neglect of this While I am writing this my Conscience flies in my Face and chargeth me with guilt O pardon me Lord through the Blood of Christ and give me true Repentance Let me be ashamed and even confounded for my woful neglect of minding invisible eternal things I am convinced of my guilt and blessed be God for that O give me an heavenly heart let in more of Heaven to my heart O shew thy self to me Or take me up to thee II. It is a Lamentable thing that those high glorious invisible eternal things should be so little believed by us They are little known but less believed They cannot but be known to us in some measure they have been so often preach'd to us and we have so often read of them Their sound hath gone out to the ends of the earth Rom. 10. 19. Did not Israel know Doth not England know Then we must be stark deaf and blind Some Knowledge in our heads we must needs have but certainly here is the Root-Sin the Spring of all Ungodliness even Unbelief whatever People profess these things are not believed People are not fully perswaded in their Hearts and Souls of the Truth of the Excellency and of
We see how bravely the Primitive Christians carried themselves in all their Sufferings by looking unto minding and thinking upon those invisible eternal things Oh could we keep them in our view and keep our Eye on them we should not faint nor sink under any of our Troubles We look too much on and mind too much those visible temporal things and look too little to the Invisible God to our Blessed Jesus and Eternal Glory Oh that God would encrease and strengthen our Faith and help us to live in the lively actings and exercise of it By it we stand Oh that we could live more by Faith and less by Sense 2 Cor. 5. 7. Fifth Vse for Instruction If we would set our Hearts and Minds on those invisible eternal things we must 1. Be much in Prayer Pray oh pray for new Hearts old Hearts will not hold heavenly things Pray for Saving Light and Knowledge Ephes 1. 17 18. Pray that ye may clearly apprehend and understand those things Pray for Faith that you may really believe them and may be fully perswaded of the Truth and Excellency of them Heb. 11. 1. Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen Pray for Love that your Hearts may be throughly and truly affected with them that you may relish and savour them and may feel taste and see the goodness of them Pray for strength of Faith and Love that you may act those and other Graces as Hope Joy Desire and Delight upon those heavenly things Pray without ceasing pray fervently for these things and never leave praying till you obtain Tell God that an earthly empty carnal Heart you have and how impossible it is for you your selves to make â—t heavenly Complain to the God of all Grace who can make all Grace to abound 2. Search the Scriptures diligently Read the Word of God conscientiously for there all those great and glorious things are discovered And labour to believe what you hear and read and to get the power and efficacy of God's Truths on â—â—our Spirits 2 Cor. 4. 4 6. 3. Be watchful against all Sin and against the World and the Lusts of the Flesh Be much in mortification of your inordinate Affections Col. 3. â—1 2 5. compared Watch against vain thoughts and strive in God's strength to draw up your â—earts to Heaven and hold them there 4. Seriously and often consider the great and â—â—al difference between visible and invisible things between temporal and eternal things uncertain and certain things transitory and permanent things between those things that respect the mortal Body and those that concern the immortal Soul between those things that are the Portion of Reprobates and those that are the Portion of God's Elect. Oh consider the great difference between those things which are the Effects of Common Providence and those that are the Fruits of God's everlasting Love and Christ's most precious Blood Surely a due and deep consideration of the vast difference which is between these things would help us to mind eternal things 5. Consider what taste these visible temporal things will have in a dying hour surely either none at all or a bitter one Oh then what will Honours Riches Pleasures signifie Oh then how much better and sweeter will those invisible eternal things be to a poor Soul Oh then an Interest in God and in Christ a Pardon a Title to Eternal Life Assurance of Salvation will be things of value And why should they not be so now 6. Converse much with heavenly-minded Christians but alas where shall we find them Let us all bewail our horrible Earthliness our Earthly Discourse all Earth in our Thoughts Earth in our Mouths and yet hope to go to Heaven at last and live in Heaven for ever O how unlikely Surely if I am not very much mistaken I think a great many of our Professors will be mistaken at last and that will be dreadful because irrecoverable O Lord give thy poor Servant an heavenly Heart Sixthly The Last Vse is for Comfort to those that do mind and look unto those invisible eternal things in good earnest For your Comfort consider 1. This is to you an Evidence of your Interest in all those great and glorious things That you do thus mind and converse with heavenly things with God and Christ and Glory it is a good sign that these are all your own that you have a good Title to them An heavenly Mind is a very good sign of one that belongs to Heaven 2. You shall shortly enjoy and possess them all Where Christ is there shortly shall his Servants be He will not always dwell in Heaven without you nor will he always be absent from you no but he will come again and receive you to himself that where he is there you may be also John 14. 1 2 3. And where is he but at the right hand of the Throne of his Father and there you shall be also when Christ who is our life shall appear we shall appear with him also in glory Col. 3. 3 4. Now you can see and think on those invisible eternal things but darkly and confusedly but then you shall see clearly yea possess and enjoy them for ever 3. This your minding of heavenly things will very much sweeten your present Sufferings And this brings me to the consideration of the last thing in the scope of the Text namely the help or benefit those Primitive Christians had by their looking unto those invisible eternal things which was that thereby they were supported under their present Sufferings Ver. 16. We faint not while we look not on things that are seen but on things that are not seen Hence may we observe this Doctrinal Conclusion Doct. That a believing sight and serious minding of unseen eternal things is a singular means of sweet support to poor Christians under all their Troubles This flows from the scope of the Text We faint not say they but rather we gather strength and courage and our inner man is renewed day by day while we look not at those things which are seen but at those c. Looking off from visible temporal things doth much help to support God's People under their Troubles but looking on upon invisible eternal things doth help more Crucifixion of our Affections to visible temporal things is very useful but the fixation of our Affections on invisible eternal things is more useful to our Support and Comfort Psal 27. 13. I had 〈…〉 believed to see the goodness of God in the land of 〈…〉 Ver. 14. So Heb. 11. 26 27. By Faith Moses endured as seeing him that is invisible Moses could never have endured all those hard things if he had looked only on those things which are seen but he looked on the invisible God and the unseen Jesus and on the Promises the Recompence of Reward he had a fixed Eye to those great things his mind was setled on these and that carried him through all
24. They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof Gal. 2. 20. Christ liveth in me 4. Hence we may know the true cause and ground of Discouragement and Despondency under our Troubles to wit our want of Faith in and our not minding of eternal invisible things They that believe not the Crown can never comfortably bear the Cross The way to forget our Misery is seriously and believingly to remember and consider our Felicity Rom. 8. 17. The sufferings of this life are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed in us Our Burdens would not be so heavy as they are if our Hearts were more heavenly than they are If we could get more above and converse more with God our Troubles would not be so troublesome as they are Nil sentit in Nervo cum anima sit in Coelo Oh let us pray for more acquaintance with God and thereby good all good shall come unto us Let us cry out with the Divine Poet O shew thy self to me Or take me up to thee Converse with God and Christ will sweeten every bitter Cup and lighten every heavy Burden 5. Hence also we may inferr the Necessity of Patience under all our Afflictions which are designed to prepare us for Glory and that no otherwise than as we do by Faith and Patience live in the expectation of that Glory Rom. 2. 7. To them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory and honour and immortality eternal life Heb. 10. 36. Unless we patiently bear our Troubles they are not like to produce those blessed effects it is only through Faith and Patience that we inherit the Promises 6. The Misery of all Unbelievers then is very great whatever they posse's in this World for they must needs meet with Troubles also in this Life and must meet with the King of Terrors at last And what possibly can support them having no interest in God and Christ and no good grounds of hope that they shall enjoy those invisible eternal good things hereafter Part they must with all visible temporal good things and that for ever and cannot look on God and Glory and Heaven as theirs because not regenerated not united to Christ not effectually called surely their case is most sad for then also all their vain hopes and groundless confidences shall perish 7. The mischief of Earthly-mindedness also appears hence Inordinate minding earthly things whether Friends or Foes Ease or Pain Loss or Gain c. this very much hinders our Comfort and Support Oh pray against it watch against it Now to take us off from this inordinate minding of these Earthly things let us take these Helps 1. Let us urge and press the express Command of God upon our Hearts Col. 3. 1 2. Set your affections upon things above and not upon things below Let this sway with us It is as much our Duty as any other and there is as much Divine Authority in this Command as in any other and as much of the Power of Religion and Truth of Grace lies in the Practice of this as of any other Duty and by the consciencious performance of this Duty we do as much evidence the sincerity of our Love and Obedience as by any other 2. If we be true Christians we are of an high noble heavenly extraction and original begotten and born of God Jam. 1. 17 18. John 3. 3 5. born from above Heaven-born therefore we should mind heavenly things As is the heavenly such are they that are heavenly 3. If we be true Christians we have an invisible eternal Life in us Christ is our Life and our Life is hid with Christ in God Col. 3. 3 4. We have invisible eternal Principles of Life in us Christ formed in our Hearts Phil. 4. 19. The incorruptible Seed of God in us the Spirit of Jesus in us the Divine Nature in us all which dispose and encline us to look upwards and to mind invisible and eternal things 4. Your Hopes are grounded and fixed on invisible eternal things 1 Cor. 15. 19. If our hope were only in this life we should be of all men most miserable Our hopes are not here we hope for what we see not Rom. 5. 2. 2 Pet. 1. 13. 1 John 3. 3. It is invisible glory the glory that is to be revealed at the Coming of Christ That when Christ shall appear you may appear with him in glory and may see him as he is and may be like him You hope for infinitely better things than this World can afford Tit. 2. 13 14. Phil. 3. 21. You look for the Coming of Jesus in glory who shall make your vile bodies like unto his glorious body and then you that look for such things in Heaven surely you should have your Conversations in Heaven 5. Your Actings and Workings here in this life are for invisible ends and purposes not to be seen of Men not to have your Reward here but you seek Honour and Glory and Immortality and Eternal Life Rom. 2. 7 8. Your sowing here is to reap Life everlasting Gal. 6. 8. It is an invisible incorruptible Crown an everlasting Kingdom an Heavenly Inheritance that you are seeking 1 Pet. 1. 4 5. You labour not for that meat which perisheth but for that which endureth to everlasting life John 6. 27. You are seeking a City which hath foundations and travelling home to your Father's House therefore needs must your thoughts and affections be set upon things above 6. Let us consider that all our best Friends and dearest Relations are above invisible and unseen to us here below There is our Heavenly Father there our dear Redeemer sitting at his right hand there are all our pious Friends and dear Relations that dyed in Christ there they are together praising and enjoying God 7. If you be true Christians you have enlightned Minds Eyes of Faith Spiritual Understandings given you to discern and apprehend those invisible eternal things 1 Cor. 2. 9 10. you are spiritual persons 8. You esteem value and love those heavenly things most and best if you be true Christians your Hearts are in Heaven for there is your Treasure 1 Pet. 1. 8. 9. You have invisible Supports Influences and Experiences a Well of Living Water springing up in you unto eternal life John 4. 14. which no others but you have and from those spiritual Principles which the Spirit of Christ plants in his People good thoughts and heavenly Meditations are continually bred and fed 10. You are in Heaven already in Christ your Head Ephes 2. 6. Risen with Christ And this Heavenly-mindedness the Apostle makes the true evidence of our being risen with Christ Col. 3. 1 2. If ye then be risen with Christ seek those things which are above Set your affections on things above And it is the very distinguishing Character of one in Christ Rom. 8. 1. They that are in Christ walk not after the flesh but after the