therefore he will shew his displeasure against it But it is so likewise in Spiritual blessings we read of great things ascribed to Faith Acts 15.9 as purifying the heart overcoming the World quenching all the fiery darts of the wicked 1 Jo. 5.4 Eph. 6.17 Now it doth not all these things in a moral way as Moses overcame by looking to the recompence of the reward but we are thereby strong in the Lord and in the power of his might Heb. 11.26 Ephes 6.10 2 Tim 2.1 1 Peter 1.5 Col. 1.11 or in the grace that is in Christ Jesus and we are kept by the power of God through Faith to Salvation It is the Divine Power that keeps us and we are strengthned thereby or according thereto and not only morally by his word as men may strengthen each other Job 43.4 Ezek. 13.22 but it is Faith that takes in this aid or assistance of Grace or the supplies of the Spirit of Jesus Christ Phil. 1.9 which are communicated from him to the several Members of his Mystical Body as the Spirits are from the Head in the Natural Body and as Christ dwells in the heart by faith Ephes 3.17 so we derive Spiritual Life and Virtue from him in the daily Exercise of Faith he leaving those usually to themselves that trust to their own strength as Youth and Young men are ready to do when those that wait on the Lord and look to him for supplies of Grace shall surmount all difficulties and persevere in well-doing without weariness or fainting Isaiah 40.30 31. Psalm 27.14 He will strengthen the heart of those that wait on him and give Grace to such humble Souls as distrusting themselves rely upon him for strength and assistance CHAP. IX THere is yet one way more whereby Faith becomes such an effectual Remedy against Touble and that is as we thereby have a view or prospect of the other World or of the Future state We thereby look to the things that are not seen which are eternal And if any shall say 2 Cor. 4.18 the word there used doth not imply that he saw them or had a view of them but only that he made them his scope or aim I answer The word sometimes signifies to mark or observe as well as to consider or have respect to Rom. 16.17 Phil. 3.17 Heb. 11.27 And we do in a sort see the things which we aim at Moses is said to endure as seeing him that is visible which implies not the manner of his enduring but the ground of it not as if he had seen him that is invisible but because he saw him that is invisible or like one that saw the invisible God John 1.14 So as the glory of the only begotten Son of God is a glory becoming such an one And if it be said there is a Contradiction in the terms to see him that is Invisible I answer It is an Elegancy used frequently in Scriptures where a word in the same place is taken in different senses as to believe in hope Rom. 4.18 1 Tim. 5.6 against hope And she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she lives She lives Naturally but is dead Spiritually So God is invisible to our bodily Eyes but we see him by faith which is the evidence of things not seen Heb. 11.1 And if it be further objected that Faith and Sight are opposed in Scripture as We walk by faith and not by sight And in whom 2 Cor. 5.7 1 Pet. 1.8 tho now ye see him not yet believing ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory For this latter place distinguish of seeing as before and the sense is plain and for the former place Faith is there opposed either to the Vision of God which we shall have in the Future state or to present sense implying that we should govern our lives not by Sense or what we see but by what we belive or hereafter hope for And the Apostle when he would set forth the virtue of Faith and of what excellent use it is to support Christians under Trials and Sufferings he grounds it upon this Heb. 11.1 that it is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen It gives as it were a real and present subsistence to things that are yet but future and so hoped for and giveth us as full satisfaction concerning those things which we do not see as if we saw them clearly before our eyes And these two things make that which is future to affect us more and work more effectually upon us We say indeed among men that seeing is believing And they have Proverbial Speeches in other Nations like this of our own There is so much deceit and falshood to be found among men that persons will hardly believe till they see or have sufficient ground for it and so will not venture much on uncertain hopes But when we have to do with God that cannot lie believing is seeing that is when we have his Word to ground our Faith upon we are as sure as if we saw with our eyes or as if things were proved to us by a Mathematical Demonstration that is by such clear evidence as nothing can be objected against But tho we look upon things as certain they do not much affect us if we look upon them as at a great distance of time therefore wicked men relieve themselves against the fear of future Evils by looking upon them as at a great distance Ezek. 12.27 Amos 6.3 or putting far away the evil day We are likewise encouraged to patience by the near approach of the recompense of reward because he that shall come will come and will not tarry Heb. 10.37 James 5.8 9. Luke 21.28 The coming of the Lord draws nigh The judge stands before the door And our Saviour bids his Disciples lift up their heads when their redemption draws nigh If persons were going to some places and tired with the tediousness of their Journey and discouraged with the Difficulties and Dangers that they meet with in their way questioning whether they should find the way to it or hold out till they come at it should come to the top of an Hill and before they are aware see the place that they are going to a little before them what Courage and Life would it presently put into them As Columbus that first discovered the West Indies when his men were ready to Mutiny having been wearied with a Voyage of Sixty days over the Ocean he perceiving the Clouds to look clearer concluded that they were not far from Land and so promised them to return if they did not within three days discover Land which they did before the end of the third day So if we could get a sight of the other World as Moses did of the Land of Cannan on the top of Pisgah Deut. 3.27 What Vigour and Life would it add to us when we
pleasure of but there is further a sweet smell or fragrancy in them which the sight intermeddles not with and there must be another sense of Smelling to enjoy the pleasure thereof So neither can we enjoy the pleasure of Wine without the sense of Tasting or of Musick without the sense of Hearing So likewise if a man do not understand any thing of Learning or have no Genius thereto he cannot take any pleasure in reading Books or in Academical Exercises which are better than Wine and Musick to others So if a man be not sanctified or renewed after the Image of God tho he would dispense with his Sin and admit him to Heaven he would say of it as of the Service of God what a weariness is it Mal. 1.13 he might be content to be there to be kept out of Hell as here he might be content to be in a place where there is a Sermon to be sheltred from a storm It was to no purpose for Barzillaâ— to go to David's Court when nature was so decayed in him that he could not enjoy any of the pleasures of it 2 Sam. 19.35 If it be said this doth not infer any necessity of Holiness here in this life for God can in a moment at death fit us for Heaven which is easily done when we lay down this body which is both a clog and a temptation to the Soul not only as it influences the Soul but as most of our sins are in order to provide for the body or to fulfil the lusts of the flesh I answer There is a necessity of Holiness here partly as there is such an inseparable connexion betwixt that and Faith which works by love and is dead without works this purifies the heart overcomes the world Gal. 5.6 Jam. 2.24 Acts 15.9 1 John 5.4 Heb. 11. Isa 43.21 Titus 2.14 Luk. 1.74 75. and the Apostle spends an whole chapter in setting forth the virtue of it Besides it is the pleasure of God to form a people for himself that they may in this world shew forth his praise and hath redeemed us to be a peculiar people to himself that we may serve him in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life He would have our light shine so before men that they seeing our good works may glorify our father which is in Heaven so that we do hereby keep up his Honour and a Remembrance of him in the world We have hereby likewise some prelibations or foretastes of future Glory which as I have already said we are not capable of without Holiness Numb 13.23 God would have some of the fruits of the Land of Canaan brought to the people in the Wilderness that seeing what goodly fruit it was they might be the more encouraged to go to possess it notwithstanding the difficulties and dangers that they were to encounter with and there is nothing that doth more raise our thoughts of future Glory than the earnest that we have of it here which we can no more understand without Holiness than we can the sweetness and virtue of Wine by hearsay without tasting We have hereby likewise a more lively sense of the Goodness of God to us in delivering us from the sinful state wherein we are by nature than we could have if we were perfected at once at death If a man be suddenly surpriz'd with an Apoplexy and immediately at once recovered from it he hath not such a sense of the Mercy that he hath received therein as one that is recovered by degrees from a Fever or some other Disease wherein he hath felt much of pain sickness weakness and hath not only known what it was to be revived by Cordials to be helped by Friends to to be eased by rest in his bed but after his recovery he can reflect with pleasure upon his former condition when it is past and more prize his present Ease and Health So those who have with the Apostle groaned under a body of sin and death will not only reflect with pleasure upon the supplies of God's Grace which they have had to strengthen them in their Spiritual conflict and to fortify them against temptations but will afterwards with more thankfulness acknowledge the goodness of God in giving them the victory through our Lord Jesus and bringing them into a state of perfection where they shall be freed from all annoyance of sin and temptations which they could never have so well understood had it not been for the experience which they had in that middle state wherein they found such a conflict while they were under cure and recovering by degrees So that it is a great mistake in any to think that holiness is not necessary if we may be justified without it or that justification is our great priviledge and holiness a burden imposed upon us which we must be content to submit to in consideration of so great a favour as the pardon of our sins Holiness is rather our honor and happiness Rom. 6.22 1 Thes 1.10 Acts 3.26 the prest of fruit of our being the servants of God here and Christ doth not only save us from our sins in delivering us from the wrath to come but by blessing us in turning us from our iniquities Thus have I briefly touched several things which more Learned men have treated of with more clearness and acurateness but I have not written to supply the defects of others or to add to what they have done but considering that this small Treatise might fall into the hands of some to whom it may not happen to read larger and more learned Books I have adventured to write something which I hope may be of some use to them for the right understanding of the important truths therein handled desiring my Readers candidly to interpret what hath been well intended and to bear with that weakness which I am as ready to own as any can be to charge upon me FINIS
Death gave up their hopes Luke 24.20 And the Greeks looked upon it as an absurd ridiculous thing to believe in a Crucified Person and worship one as God that died the most Infamous death of men Therefore it was needful to caution them against such a Temptation by encouraging them still to believe on him tho' he did leave them and by such an infamous Death And doth after his Resurrection upbraid them for their folly in being so slow of heart to believe because this was but according to what the Scripture had foretold that he must suffer before he entred into his glory Luke 24.26 The Scripture was to be fulfilled in some thing which did not seem in themselves so necessary as the parting of Christ's Raiment and not breaking his bones Joh. 19.24 35. But But as we speak of some things that are necessary not only by vertue of a Command or because they are required but as a mean in order to an end So the Scripture was to be fulfilled in this not only to save its veracity or that it might not be broken Joh. 10.35 Heb. 2.10 but in order to the bringing of his people to glory For he had continued alone if he had not died and been buried Joh. 12.24 and would not have had such a numerous seed As a Grain of Wheat if it die in the earth that is corrupts and spears and brings forth much fruit otherwise it abides alone Gal. 3.13 So Christ was to be made perfect through suffering and was to become a Curse for us that he might deliver us from the Curse So that they were still to believe in him notwithstanding all seeming discouragements Indeed we are ready to be troubled at many things which if well considered may rather encourage our hopes The Sense which we have of our own vileness and unworthiness and the conflict which we find in our own Souls do many times discourage us as if it were not for such to come to Christ Whereas the former should as the Law be our School-master to bring us to Christ The greater our Sin is the more need we have of pardon Psal 25.10 We may plead the greatness of our Sin as an argument for the pardon of it and the pardon of great Sinners will best answer God's end in the Pardon of Sin Ephes 2.7 Therefore this is the best qualification to fit us for Christ which is not to make him willing to accept of us but to make us willing to accept of him He must not find us new Creatures but make us such Ephes 2.10 And the conflict which we find in us as it may be is an evidence that there is in us a Principle of Spiritual Life resisting our natural corruption I now shall shew you that Faith is the most effectual remedy against trouble The Apostle prays that the Romans may be filled with all joy and peace in believing Rom. 15.13 That is that they might abound with the greatest measure thereof as this expression in Scripture frequently signifies not all sorts or kinds of any thing but an high degree of any thing in its kind So all Faith and all knowledge 1 Cor. 13.2 are not all kinds of Faith but the greatest measure or degree of that Faith which he there speaks of that is the Faith of Miracles Or of such knowledge as he there treats of In like manner we are to understand all Wisdom So by believing we are not only kept in perfect Peace Col. 1.9.3 16. but rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory Joy is more than Peace Isa 26.3 1 Pet. 1.8 Psal 34.2 Psal 43.4 we may thereby not only have our minds quieted and composed but may make our Boast of God and with David call him our exceeding joy I will first give you some general Proofs that it is so and then shew you how it is so We find in the Old Testament that this was the chief remedy that the People of God did in all their troubles betake themselves to not only by what virtue the Apostle ascribes to their Faith Heb. 11. but by the frequent use which David makes thereof when at any time he was in any fear or trouble when fear was on every side Psalm 31.13 14. Psal 42.11 while men took counsel together to take away his Life he trusted in God and stirs up himself to this when he was cast down or disquieted And what time he was afraid that is whensoever he was so he would trust in God Psalm 56.3 And whereas it may seem to some that this doth not so well agree with what he saith of the righteous man Psal 111.7 That he shall not be afraid of any evil tidings his heart being fix'd trusting in the Lord These places shew that tho good men may unavoidably be surprised with sudden fear yet Faith is the way to cure it We see by experience that there are some sudden motions of the affections which prevent all reasonings of the Mind As we sometime start at what we do unawares hear or see but our fear is over as soon as we can recollect our selves and either see that there was no real danger or secure our selves against it So when we apprehend any sudden danger which may alarm our fear all is quiet when we can by Faith betake our selves to God as our refuge or cast all our care upon him And as this was the remedy which good men did then betake themselves to Isaiah 12.2 so under the New Testament Christ imputes the inordinate cares and fears of his Disciples to the weakness or want of Faith So he reproves the weakness of their Faith when they were too sollicitous about the things of the World or the necessaries of this life Matth. 6.30 One would think that it were one of the best uses or advantages of riches to free us from sollicitous cares and that a man might with him in Luke 12.20 dismiss all further care about these things when he is richly stored with them But we have seen often that Faith is more effectual for this end Heb. 13.5 and that a Promise is better security than a great Estate So when Peter was so afraid upon the Water Christ upbraids him with the weakness of his Faith And when they were in a storm and thereby put into a great fright Christ asks them according to one Evangelist Mark 4.40 Luke 8.25 How it was that they had not faith and according to another Where their Faith was they had it not actually at that time As some Philosophers make Knowledge to consist in Remembrance as if that were not to be accounted Knowledge which is only habitual and not ctual However tho they had Faith yet they had it to seek as a Work-man that when he should use a tool it is laid out of the way and so at present wants the benefit of it As a man
Matt. 26.70 74. And on the other hand we see what account Paul gives of himself Phil. 3.5 6. Tho he was then in the gall of bitterness and the bond of iniquity and reckoned that he was then the chief of sinners So that in judging our selves or others we must use much caution and have respect not to our present frame or practice as it may be at some times but to what is the ordinary habitual frame of our hearts or course of our lives Gold may sometimes be so sullied with rust and dust as it may look worse than Copper doth ordinarily and on the other hand Copper may be so burnished and embellished that it may look more bright and give a greater lustre than most Gold doth So that there is required both judgment and attention of mind to distinguish the one from the other 3dly We must have respect to natural temper in judging our selves or others As it is said A little Sugar will serve for sweet Wine and a little Grace makes much more shew in some than in others it is true all are defiled by original sin But whether there be as the Philosopher says a certain Genius as I may speak or disposition to vertue or rather something like vertue some mens natural temper is quick and soon moved others are as Doves or Lambs in their natural temper but meekness in these Creatures not being from choice and judgment is no vertue in them In judging our selves we must consider how Grace falls in with Nature or how it strives against it A gentle gale with the Tide or Stream may make good riddance but it must be a brisk gale to carry a Vessel against them One undertaking to tell what mens natural temper was by his skill in Physiognomy he being asked what he thought of a certain person said he was of a very ill temper and natural disposition those present derided him for being so mistaken in his conjecture they looking upon him as a person of such an excellent temper But he himself did vindicate the man and told them he had judged right for his natural temper was very bad but he had corrected it by Philosophy Now there might be more of moral vertue in him than in Vespatian who for the sweetness of his Nature was called the Darling of mankind A little Grace will make a great shew in some Natures when a far greater measure will make but a little shew in others where it hath no help from Nature 4thly We must consider the circumstances wherein persons are what are their temptations on one hand and their advantages on the other hand Some enjoy more health than others when it is not because they have stronger bodies or are of a more hail constitution but it is by reason of their circumstances one can command his business and that he goes out only at seasonable times or he is so accommodated as to secure himself against the injury of the weather they work only so as may be for their health and need not tire themselves or over-heat themselves they have wholsome Diet and they have Cordials by them to relieve or fortify Nature when it is too hard put to it And by these means those who are more weakly prevent sickness whereas others tho they be naturally stronger are forced to be out at all hours in all weathers to endure heats and colds eat and drink what they can get have little wholesome diet if they ayl any thing have no Cordials or Remedies at hand to help themselves So it is with men in respect of their Souls some have a competent Estate and are put neither upon the temptations of adversity nor prosperity while others through straits in their Estates are put upon mean things and sometimes upon sinful shifts And others are rich and in great places and others are hardly able to judge of their temptations how hard it is to be high in the World and not high-minded to exercise sobriety and temperance in plenty and abundance Some have little to do in the World abroad or at home in trading or in their Families have few to deal with few Children or Servants others must go into all companies converse with all sorts of persons meet with provocations from some temptations from others to comply with their sinful humours for their own advantage they may have unfaithful Servants undutiful Children and so more trial of their Grace more exercise for it and so may discover some weakness of Grace tho not the want of it So some may have the advantage of good conversation may live in good Families or Neighbourhoods where they have good examples to provoke them to love and to good works and are oft called upon and admonished if they fail in any thing they may live under a lively Ministry whose Sermons may be as nails to fasten Eccles 12.11 as goads to excite or quicken they may have good books to read and time and opportunity to read them which is a great help to Christians whereas on the other hand some persons are cast into prophane places or Families or company where they meet with those that will be drawing and enticing them to sin scoffing at them threatning discouraging them and it may be such as they have some dependance upon they seldome hear an awaking Sermon or sound doctrine 2 Tim. 4.3 Ephes 4.29 such as may breed good nourishment or such discourse as may minister grace to the hearers seldom meet with a good book or it may be if they do cannot read it It is true we must hold fast Christ's Name and not deny his Faith even where Satan dwells and hath his seat Rev. 2.13 But we cannot expect that Grace should thrive much under such Discouragements and Disadvantages CHAP. VI. I Shall proceed yet further to shew how Christians that are sincere may be distinguished from others tho they have their sinful Infirmities We sometimes observe Persons of Good Families reduced to straits and go meanly but yet if they come to beg at our Doors if we meet them in Company we see something in them which bewrays or discovers what they are either in their Gesture Speech Civility So those that are born of God it may be in shew or appearance fall far below their Rank they may have sinful Infirmities Rom. 7.15 c. they may find Evil present with them when they would do good they may be led Captive to the Law of Sin which is in their Members they may not do the Good which they would but the Evil which they would not but yet the Spirit lusts against the Flesh they hate the Evil which they do they would do the Good which they do not they bewail their Bondage to Sin long to be delivered from the Body of Death and are thankful that they are so far delivered from it by Jesus Christ These things I confess discover our Spiritual State chiefly to our selves but it is that which
I would help Christians in Again you may observe a difference betwixt Persons that are nice and neat in their Nature and Temper and those that take care only to make a good shew The former would not only appear neat outwardly but they are uneasy if they have any thing about them which is not neat and cleanly Again tho they may think themselves more obliged to go according to their Rank when they are Abroad or in Company yet you shall never surprize them in any sordid or unhandsome Dress The latter care not what they wear so they have something that is fine to cast over all Their Natures will bear sordidness and nastiness if they can hide it and if they can appear Fine abroad care not what they wear at home So sincere Christians take heed to their spirits Matth. 2.15 Psalm 51.10 and pray daily that God would create in them a clean heart and renew in them a right spirit Their secret sins are a trouble and burden to them Psalm 19.12 They would especially let their light shine so before men that seeing their good works they may glorify their father which is in heaven Matth. 5.16 But yet they will walk in the midst of their Houses with a perfect heart carry themselves amongst Servants and Children as remembring that they are under the eye of God and should be Examples of Holiness to those under their own Charge Psal 101.2 Matth. 23.27 Luke 11.44 Whereas others are like painted Tombs and whited Sepulchres which within are full of rottenness and dead mens bones So they put on their best Dress when they go out that they may make a fair shew before others but surprize them at home when they do not study their Carriage and they are quite other manner of Persons and care not how they appear in their own Families before their Servants and Children Again We may observe That some Persons have Tertian or Quartan Agues on the intermitting days they are ordinarily as well as other Persons but we must not therefore conclude when we see them wdl that they have lost their Ague or are cured for when the Fit-day comes they are as bad again as ever yet he that is cured may once in a long time perhaps on occasion if he have some way neglected or disorder'd himself have some remembrance of his Ague as we speak in a Fit and away So in this case we sometimes see Persons abstain from Sin and carry themselves very well for some time together but this is only an Intermission they have been kept from Temptations or Occasions of Sin but when they meet with an Occasion or Temptation they are the same Persons that they were and so toties quoties as we say as oft as they meet with occasion they fall again into Sin these are not cured but those that are freed from their Disease may perhaps at some time be overtaken with Sin and we cannot determine how oft but if the general tenor of their Lives be as becomes the Gospel tho they do Sin 1 John 2.1 they have an Advocate with the Father CHAP. VII I Will now shew you some Characters whereby you may make some Judgment of your Spiritual State And amongst many which others lay down I shall insist only on some few which are most easy to be discerned in our selves I never study to speak I will not say all that may be said but all that I can say on any Subject remembring that of the Orator Dictis est electio modus for tho I reckon not my self among Learned men yet I would follow them at a distance And 1. Observe what it is that you are chiefly guided by in the general course of your Life What we chiefly mind doth influence us in all the passages of our Lives And they that are after the flesh mind the things of the flesh and they that are after the spirit Rom. 8.5 the things of the spirit That is those in a Natural state chiefly mind that is savour and relish set their affections on are taken up in the pursuit of carnal things The same word is used Matth. 16.23 Phil. 3.19 John 3.5 Rom. 8.1 Col. 3.2 So those that are born of the spirit walk after the spirit are led by the Spirit Savour and Relish set their Affections on seek after Spiritual things Now let us examine what it is that doth chiefly influence us in the several turnings of our lives We consider what will stand with what will chiefly further that which is our great concernment not what should be so but what we really make so In chusing Callings or Imployments Relations Places of abode let us consider what we look chiefly at what sways us most therein whether we chuse such a Calling or way of Life which will most advance us in the World wherein we are most like to get great Estates to live at Ease in Pleasure or whether in our choice we consider rather what will most help us or least hinder us in the way to Heaven where we are like to meet with fewest Temptations I deny not but we may consider how to live so as we may be in a capacity to give rather than to receive Acts 20.35 1 Thes 4.12 That we may walk honestly towards them that are without having lack of nothing but may pay every one their own and be burdensome to none But that which we should and shall seek in the first place if our hearts be right within us is the kingdom of God and his righteousness Matth. 6.33 Not for worldly advantage chusing for our selves or ours such Imployments or Callings as may take up our time so as we cannot wait upon the Lord without distraction 1 Cor. 7.35 or which may cast us upon Temptations to excess man-pleasing or other like Sins which may deprive us of the benefit of the Ordinances of God and force us to live amongst Idolaters or Heathens If any say some must follow such Callings leave them to such as mind earthly things and govern themselves thereby So it is in chusing Relations Let Persons deal plainly and faithfully with themselves and they may know what it is that makes Matches for them by their choice therein We may see to allude to the words of Joshua whom they chuse to serve Joshua 24.15 Whether their God is their Belly and they chuse to live at Ease and in Pleasure whether they be covetous Idolaters and look chiefly after great Estates whether they do as those that chuse chief rooms at feasts Luke 14.7 Crowding to get as high as they can to get as near as may be towards the upper end of the World I allow it to be not only lawful but prudent for Persons so far as they can to match within their own Rank But as our Saviour saith in another case These things ought ye to have done Matth. 23.23 and not to leave the others
are ready to faint and be discouraged Now Faith according to the Description given of it serves us as a Telescope or Perspective Glass discovering to us the things which we see not and making things seem near which are afar off We thereby have as full certainty of the things of the other World as if they were evidently set forth before your eyes to use the Apostles words Gal. 3.1 Yea the things of eternity are hereby brought near to us and seem to us as at hand and thereby our Affections are much abated to the things of this World The time being short and the fashion of this World passing away we may rejoice in the good things of it as if we rejoiced not and mourn for the evil things of it as if we wept not moderate both our Joy and Sorrow the end of all things being at hand and we being even ready to enter upon the borders of Eternity 1 Cor. 7.29 c. And that we may the better understand how Faith brings things nearer to us or makes them seem at a less distance let us consider that God being Eternal and seeing all things at one single view one day is with him as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day and tho we are indeed finite Creatures and measure Time by Succession yet taking a view of Eternity and looking to the things that are Eternal the things of this World are nothing compared therewith and the time of this Life but as a moment in comparison with the days of Eternity We may observe That Old men that have lived long in the World make nothing of Seven years yea reckon Twenty years but a short time when Younger persons look upon it as a long time Those that are of narrow minds and consider no more than what they have seen and have never gone far from home look upon Twenty or Thirty miles as a long way But those that have travelled to the Indies or Thousands of miles from home reckon Twenty or Thirty Miles as nothing yea those that have by the Study of Geography or looking on Globes or Maps observed the vast Compass of the World would account so many Miles as a very small matter and a great Traveller would think himself as good as at home if he were within so many Miles of it So tho we were never taken up as Paul into the Third Heaven yet the Description which we have of it in the Scriptures may sink the things of this World quite below our Consideration Those that write Descriptions of other Countries give us an Account ordinarily of the Scituation of the Place the Compass or Extent of it the Nature of the Soil the Commodities that it affords the Healthfulness of the Air the Genius or Temper of the People But the Countries so described are sometimes found to be but imaginary Vtopia's or meer Fancies And others when we come to see them fall far short of the Description which we had of them and deceive our Expectations But as we have by Faith a full Assurance of future Glory the Scripture being no cunningly devised fable 2 Pet. 1.16 so we are assured it will not deceive our Hopes or fall short of the Account which we have of it in the Scrpitures As Luther would say Christ and Heaven are not capable of an Hyperbole For tho it is true that may be said of them which is false yet their true and real Worth will exceed whatever the Tongue of Men and Angels can speak of them The report which the Queen of Sheba heard of the Glory and Wisdom of Solomon in her own Country exceeded her belief but what she found when she came to see far exceeded the Report 1 Kings 10.7 c. The one half of it had not been told her So glorious things are spoken of the City of God Christ tells his Disciples There were many Mansions in his Fathers house enow to receive not only the innumerable Company of Angels but the General Assembly of that great multitude which no man can number of all nations and kindreds Rev. 7.9 Psalm 16.11 and people and tongues There is fulness of joy and pleasures for evermore And it is not as some places where there is plenty of all things but the Air is bad so as the Inhabitants are but short-liv'd Isaiah 33.24 Rev. 21.4 but there the inhabitants shall not say they are sick There will be no death nor sorrow nor crying nor pain I will not take upon me to set forth particularly the greatness of this Glory It being that which eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor hath entered into the heart of man 1 Cor. 2.9 And that which God hath prepared that he might therein shew the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy which he hath afore prepared unto glory Rom. 9.23 We must not consider things absolutely but comparatively and this will much alter our Account of them Let us observe the Account which the Apostle gives of his own Sufferings and his Fellow-Christians they were pressed out of measure above strength insomuch that they despaired even of Life and for his own part Acts 20.23 bonds and afflictions did abide him wherever he went and we have a particular Account of his Sufferings 2 Cor. 11.23 c. But when he comes to speak of these things comparatively see how he changes his stile in one of the highest strains of Rhetorick that is to be found in Scripture or any other Author These afflictions which in themselves were so grievous and did often return upon them as the clouds return after the rain were but light and for a moment 1 Cor. 4.17 compared with that far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory which they wrought for them observe how he raises his strain he begins high yet how many notes doth he rise Glory a weight of glory an exceeding weight of glory a more exceeding weight of glory a far more exceeding weight of glory yea once more a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory and tho the word Hyperbole be twice used in the Greek there is no Hyperbole or Excess in the Apostle's Speech he doth use the word again and again to make an attempt at expressing the greatness of glory as if it were accumulated or heaped up yet he cannot thereby reach the thing it self which he would express and tho there seems to be a Meiosis or diminution in the former part of the verse as if he did not justly rate the sufferings of this life he speaks only of what they are comparatively Num. 13.33 as the Israelites were but Grashoppers compared with the Giants we should learn from such language in Scriptures to Habituate our selves to lower and meaner thoughts of the things of this world and higher thoughts of those things of the world to come Zech. 1.12 The Angels complain of the time wherein God had indignation
against Jerusalem it was threescore and ten years but when it is compared with the everlasting kindness wherewith he hath mercy on his people it is but a little wrath and for a moment Isaiah 54.8 Children look but a little way before them and it seems hard to them to be kept to their books and to School-discipline or to hard labour under a severe master and they consider only the present ease and pleasure of others that are left to themselves But their wiser parents look further and consider how short a time they are at School or at an Apprentiship in comparison with the rest of their lives what Preferments what Riches many attain to by a good improvement of that time and on the contrary what Straits what Miseries many are reduced to that trifle away their younger years But there is a far greater disproportion betwixt the things of this life and that which is to come and as great a difference betwixt their duration and continuance Now by Faith we take a view of the things that are not seen which are eternal and are as sure of them as if we saw them as if we were with Paul caught up into Paradise 2 Cor. 12.4 to see the glory of Heaven or as if we had some place opened to us to look into the Lake that burns with fire and brimstone for evermore as the Prophet had a place opened through the wall to see the Abominations that were done by the house of Israel Ezek. 8.7 c. Now while we do by Faith look to these things and while we see the time of this life but as an handbreadth to Eternity Psalm 39.5 Rom. 8.18 we shall reckon the sufferings of this present life not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us nor any way answerable to those miseries which poor sinners must be tormented with night and day for ever and ever Rev. 20.10 Therefore as in our spiritual combat we should take to our selves Faith as a shield to hold up against the fiery darts of the wicked Ephes 6.16 so we should take it to us as a Perspective-glass through the help of which we shall not only see afar off beyond time to Eternity but it will bring the things of the world to come nearer to us and make them seem as at hand for tho they be not really nearer yet that distance of time which they are at from us will seem as nothing when we compare it with that Eternity which is beyond time wherein we must be for ever happy or miserable according to what we propound to our selves as our chief end And let us but consider what is the principle that all the world is acted by what is the spring that moves the several wheels that are moving some one way and some another or what is it that as it is said concerning Noah doth comfort men concerning their work and toil of their hands but the hopes of future Advantages Honour Riches for these the Soldier exposes himself to a thousand hardships and hazards The Merchant leaves his Friends and Country try and commits himself to the waves runs the risque of suffering Shipwrack being taken by Pyrates and subjected to perpetual Slavery And if we do run the like hazards for the profession of Religion which men seldom do let us by this Perspective look before us not only to the recompence of Reward which will abundantly answer all our losses and sufferings but to the penalty that we shall incur if we do not by patient continuance in well-doing wait for Honour and Glory and Immortality there being no middle place between Heaven and Hell And let us but consider the difference betwixt our case and the case of those that endure such hardships and run such hazards for the things of this world The Apostle sets it forth in two things borrowing a similitude from things then in use amongst them one did strive for a corruptible crown 1 Cor. 9.25 26. a Garland of Flowers or Lawrel the other for a crown of Glory that fades not away 1 Pet. 5.4 The one did run uncertainly the other with more assurance of success So here there is no comparison betwixt what we shall receive through Faith and Patience and what men receive as the reward of their labours and sufferings here in this world either for the nature or for the continuance of it and we are at greater certainties about it Here the race is not to the swift Eccl. 9.11 nor the battel to the strong nor bread to the wise nor riches to men of understanding nor favour to men of skill but time and chance happens to all But if we be stedfast unmoveable abounding always in the Lord's work we may know that our labour shall not be in vain in the Lord. 1 Cor. 15.58 I should here conclude but that as the Apostle would provoke the Jews to emulation by the Gentiles so I would by a Heathen Rom. 11.14 provoke Christians to look by Faith to the things which are not seen which are eternal Seneca in the beginning of his Preface to his Natural Questions shews That as there is a difference betwixt Pholosophy and other Arts so there is a difference betwixt that part of Philosophy which respects men and that which respects God This latter he saith is more high and sprightly and supposes something greater and more beautiful which Nature hath placed out of sight and unless he might be admitted to these things he should not think it worth the while to be born or to take such pains and adds O how contemptible a thing is man if he do not raise up himself above human things If an Heathen could speak thus what a shame is it for us that have the help of Divine Revelation to fall under the reproach and censure of those that mind earthly things It is by faith alone that we can look to those things out of sight let us thereby raise up our selves to take a view of the other World both the good and evil things of it and this will so raise and enlarge our minds that we shall have meaner thoughts of the things of this life and not concern our selves so far in the pursuit of the good things of the world or in the avoiding the evil things of it as thereby to be taken off from minding those things that are above or so as to run the hazard of falling short of that rest which we have a promise left us of entring into CHAP. X. HAving treated thus far of the nature of Faith and the benefit and advantage that Cristians have thereby I shall now add something for encouraging persons to believe and for directing them the rein And whereas some speak of the Souls preparation for Christ I will endeavour to shew you briefly and plainly what is required in order to believing And first there is nothing to be done