Helps for Faith and Patience in Times of Affliction, Part 3 · Section 4

Helps for Faith and Patience in Times of Affliction · Part 3 · Section 4

p. 179The Application.

Firſt, For Information. 1 Inference. Hence appears the extream Folly and Madneſs of People by Nature, who look at, mind and aim only at viſible temporal things, but totally neglect Inviſible eternal things. God, Chriſt, Heaven, is not in all, ſcarce in any of their Thoughts; Lovers of themſelves, of their own things, of Profits and Pleaſures, more than of God, Phil. 1. 21. 2 Tim. 3. 4. that make themſelves the Mark they aim at; but the Glory and Honour of God, the pleaſing and enjoying him, are ſtrange things to them, things they never minded, never thought on: God complains of this againſt the Jews, Hoſ. 8. 12. I have written to them the great things of my Law, but they counted them as strange things. So may Jeſus Chriſt juſtly complain of Men under the Goſpel; I have revealed the great and glorious Myſteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, the Myſteries of Salvation, the unſearchable Riches of the Grate and Love of God in the Goſpel. Life and Immortality is brought to light by the Goſpel; the true and only way to Heaven and Eternal Life, to Everlaſting Happineſs, is clearly made known in the Goſpel; the only Means to get an Intereſt in the great God, in Jeſus Chriſt, in the New Covenant; how to get Pardon of Sin, Peace with God; how to be juſtified, ſaved, and glorified for ever; All theſe things are fully and clearly revealed in the Goſpel. The inviſible eternal things of the World to come, which are the greateſt Realities p. 180and Excellencies, the choiceſt, greateſt, and beſt things. But woe, and alas! how little are thoſe things minded? It is Corn, Wine, and Oyl; Who will ſhew us any good, any viſible temporal good?

Now, is not this extream Folly and Madneſs, for reaſonable Creatures, made for God, made capable of enjoying God, and all thoſe inviſible eternal good things; for them thus to labour and pant after the Duſt of the Earth, to ſpend their Thoughts, Minds, and Strengths upon that which cannot ſatisfie, which will not endure; but thus to waſte precious Time, and Breath, and Spirits for periſhing fading things, and neglect inviſible eternal things; the incorruptible Crown, that fadeth not away, the undefiled Inheritance, the everlaſting Kingdom, eternal Life and Salvation; not to look on thoſe, nor mind them, nor labour for them: Yet this is the common neglect of the World. It is amazing Madneſs, aſtoniſhing Folly. Thus God expreſſeth, Jer. 2. 11, 12, 13. Be aſtoniſhed, O ye heavens, at this; be ye horribly afraid; be ye very deſolate, ſaith the Lord: For my people have committed two evils; they have forſaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out Ciſterns, broken Ciſterns, that can hold no water. Prov. 1. 20, 21, 22. Yet ſuch is the Madneſs of all by Nature, and it is greatly to be lamented.

This ſhews alſo the blindneſs and darkneſs of Men by Nature, that they cannot ſee the excellency of thoſe inviſible eternal things, nor their own abſolute neceſſity of them, and concernment in them: The God of this World hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, leſt the Light of the glorious Goſpel of Chriſt, who is the Image of God, ſhould ſhine into them: This glorious light p. 181ſhines upon them, and ſhines into many of their Heads; this Light they cannot reſiſt; but it ſhines not into their Hearts, to transform and change them, as it doth into the Hearts of God's Elect; and it's greatly to be lamented; 2 Cor. 4. 4.

2. Inf. Secondly, Hence appears the beguiling, bewitching nature of the World, that it ſhould ſo ſtrangely win and gain the Hearts and Affections of Men and Women, and ſo eaſily prevail with them, while God and Chriſt are offered to them, and are not embraced: Heaven gates are opened to them, and they invited, entreated, perſwaded by Promiſes, by Threatnings, commanded to come and enter, but they will not; they make light of it; no Perſwaſions will prevail; they turn the deaf Ear to all: But for the World, how ſoon are People perſwaded to embrace it, to follow hard after it, to count no Time nor Pains too much to attain it?

What is there in thoſe viſible temporal things, in thoſe glittering vanities, that ſhould ſo allure, entice, and ſeduce rational Souls, and ſuch as profeſs that they believe all thoſe better things? But indeed, they do not believe them, whatever they profeſs: Infidelity is the Root of all; Men do not believe what they profeſs to believe. It were impoſſible that the World ſhould be ſo heartily, ſo eagerly follow'd and purſued, if the vanity and vexation of it, the emptineſs and inſufficiency of it, the uncertainty and tranſitorineſs of it, were indeed believed: It were impoſſible that the great and glorious God, the Alſufficient Good, that bleſſed Jeſus, that Heaven and Eternal Happineſs, ſhould be ſo ſlighted and neglected, if they were truly, really, and heartily believed.

p. 182It is moſt ſtrange, and yet moſt true, that People ſhould yield up their Hearts unto, and ſpend their beſt Affections upon the things of this preſent evil World, and can think and ſpeak delightfully of them, but have no mind to think or ſpeak of eternal things. Oh, this beguiling, bewitching, and deceiving World! and, oh, theſe corrupt, carnal, deceitful Hearts of ours, that ſuffer the World thus to deceive us!

It coſt the Heart-blood of Chriſt to deliver his People from this preſent evil World, Gal. 1. 4. Could we apprehend the Miſchief this World hath done us, and doth ſtill do us, we ſhould have but little kindneſs for it; and if once we could attain the Aſſurance of our title to that World above, we ſhould not care how ſoon we were gone out of this.

3 Inf. Thirdly, Hence appears the Unreaſonableneſs of immoderate Worldly Joy, Sorrow, Fear, Cares about viſible temporal things. Being they are but temporal, paſſing, tranſient, momentany things, why then ſo much care to get and keep them? Why ſo much fear of loſing them? Why ſo much Joy in poſſeſſing? and, why ſo much Trouble in parting with them?

Why ſo much Care and Fear about Life it ſelf, which is but a Vapour? Jam. 4. 14. Alas, we rejoice in things of nought, and are grieved for the loſs of Shadows; for ſuch, and no better at beſt, are all viſible temporal things, in compariſon of inviſible eternal things. Let us all bewail this Folly: O, when ſhall we be wiſe? How long ſhall we ſimple ones love this our ſinful Simplicity? Prov. 1. 22. Oh, how long e're we be able to diſcern between Good and Evil? till we know the one thing needful, p. 183and approve and purſue the things which are moſt excellent? and give up our Hearts entirely to God and Chriſt?

4 Inf. Fourthly, Hence appears the abſolute Neceſſity of Regeneration: Seeing we are by Nature ſo ignorant, dark, blind, ſtupid and dead, that we cannot ſee nor underſtand the things of God, nor the things that belong to our own Eternal Peace: Therefore we ſhould earneſtly ſeek and pray for Renewing Grace, and that Chriſt would give us the Light of Life; and that God would beget us anew, and give us his ſanctifying quick'ning Spirit, and infuſe new ſpiritual Principles of the Divine Nature into our Hearts, and thereby take us off from inordinate minding viſible temporal things, and turn our minds another way, even towards Himſelf, and towards Chriſt and Heaven, that there we may center and place all the Affections of our Hearts, all the Deſires and Delights of our Souls: This muſt be done by the mighty power of God, and we muſt ſeek him diligently, to effect this work upon us; and we muſt alſo attend on his Word preached and read, and diligently and conſcientiouſly read the Word, ſearching the Scriptures for this very end and purpoſe, and ſervently beg God's Bleſſing on the Word, that it may prove to us a Word of Grace, a renewing, converting, ſanctifying Word, the Seed of Regeneration. Jam. 1. 17, 18. Of his own will begat he us, by the word of truth. John 17. 17. Thus muſt we Labour to be regenerated, or elſe we ſhall never get off our Minds from earthly things.

p. 184Second Ʋſe; by way of Examination.

We All hope to go to Heaven when we dye, and to enjoy all thoſe inviſible eternal good things, do we not? Let us be ſo kind to our own Souls, as to try our Title, and the grounds of our Hopes: Sure here is one Mark, by which we may know whether our Hopes be well grounded or no; to wit, by our Heavenly-mindedneſs. What do we aim at mainly, mind chiefly, look on, and look after principally? Is it Heaven or Earth? Viſibles or Inviſibles? Let us examine our ſelves: Which way runs the Stream of our Thoughts, the Current of our Affections, the Tide of our Diſcourſes? Which way runs it ſtrongeſt, ſteddieſt? Put this Queſtion cloſe to our Conſciences, and require a direct Anſwer: Let us not dally and ſhuffle, but be ſerious. Our Apoſtle makes this a diſcriminating Character of a Child of God, of one in Chriſt, and above the power of Condemnation, of one that is born again: Rom. 8. 5. They that are after the fleſh, do mind the things of the fleſh; the Profits, Honours, Pleaſures, Eaſe, Health, Liberty, of the Fleſh; that is, they mind theſe things mainly, moſtly, principally, chiefly; moſt heartily, moſt ſeriouſly, moſt affectionately, moſt delightfully. Theſe viſible temporal things lye moſt upon their Thoughts, and lye neareſt their Hearts. This is their Character, and it appears in all their Words and Actions.

But they that are after the Spirit, that is, are born of the Spirit, born of God, are in Chriſt, they mind the things of the Spirit; the grace, the work, the witneſs, the comfort and joy or the Spirit; they mind the things which the Spirit hath revealed in the Word; God, and Peace with him; p. 185Chriſt, and Union with him; God's Covenant, and Intereſt therein; Eternal Life, and Title thereto; theſe inviſible eternal things, they mind theſe mainly, chiefly, moſtly, principally, moſt heartily, affectionately, and moſt delightfully and conſtantly. This is their Character, and this is manifeſt alſo in their Words and Actions. Now, let us try our ſelves; What Character have we? Which of theſe two? If we will not do ſo much for our own Souls, as to take a little pains in trying, we have not much love to them. A man may know very much of his State by this: And is it not worth a little Labour, to know whether we be in Chriſt, or no; and whether we ſhall be Saved or Damned eternally? Let us put it home to our Conſciences: Say, O my Soul! what doſt thou mind moſt? What are thy Thoughts moſt exerciſed about? Whereupon are thy Affections moſt fixedly ſet? This is a ſearching mark; oh, that we did all try our ſelves by it! we ſhould be much more heavenly than we are.

The beſt of us all will have cauſe of ſhame and ſorrow, cauſe of ſelf-ſuſpicion and jealouſie, when we ſtrictly compare our ſelves with this Rule; we ſhall find our Hearts ſo earthly, ſo carnal, our Minds ſo fleſhly, ſo ſet upon viſible temporal things, but our Thoughts on inviſible eternal things; ſo ſhort, ſo weak, ſo inconſtant, ſo ſeldom, ſo ſoon tired, and our Affections ſo unſetled, ſo unfixed, that we ſhall have great cauſe to bewail our ſelves, and cry out with St. Paul, O wretched man that I am, who ſhall deliver me from this body of death: Rom. 7. 24. And this will make us cry to God alſo, to renew the Spirits of our Minds, and to transform the Image of our Minds; and this ſhould make us look up to God's Covenant p. 186for new Hearts, for Hearts joyned and united to the Lord, Pſal. 86. 11. Pſal. 57. 7. & 108. 1. Oh, what cauſe have we to bewail the frequent departings and wandrings of our Hearts from God, their ſlidings from God, and to cry with holy David, Quicken me, uphold me. Our Hearts are not fixed nor ſtayed on God; we do not abide with God.

Third, Ʋſe of Exhortation,

To this great Duty of moſt ſerious minding of, and looking unto inviſible eternal things. O, let us mind, and look unto, and aim at God, Chriſt, the Spirit, the Word, the Promiſes, the great and glorious things purchaſed by Chriſt, and prepared for us in the other World: Oh, mind the full enjoyment of God and Chriſt in Heaven for ever and ever; to dwell with him, in whoſe preſence is fulneſs of joy, and at whoſe right hand are pleaſures for evermore. Let us mind eternal things in good earneſt, with all our Hearts and Souls; Look off, look off viſible temporal things, ſhut your Eyes to the World, turn away your Eyes from beholding Vanity: But open your Eyes towards Heaven, hold your Eyes to inviſible eternal things.

Here I ſhall ſhew,

I. The Hinderances to this Duty.

II. Means to help us to perform it.

III. Motives to perſwade to it.

I. The Hinderances, which are many, and which muſt be avoided.

1ſt, Hinderance is, living in any known or beloved Sin; this will keep us down from heavenly Meditation, Heb. 12. 1. No looking unto Jeſus p. 187except we lay aſide the Sin that doth ſo eaſily beſet us; in ſome, Paſſion; in ſome, Wearineſs of well-doing; in others, Pride or Covetouſneſs, is the Sin that doth eaſily beſet them: This muſt be hid aſide, whatever it be; it muſt be repented of, and reformed, 1 Theſſ. 5. 22. Abſtain from all appearance of Evil; Sin interpoſeth between God and our Souls, and hides his Face from us: If we would mind the Heavenly Word of God, ſo as to profit by it, in hearing or reading of it, we muſt lay aſide all known Sin; 1 Pet. 2. 1, 2. Sin divides us from God and heavenly things. If we regard any Iniquity in our Hearts, God will not hear our Prayers. The ſacrifices of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord.

2ly, Worldly Cares, Fears, Joys, Sorrows: If we ſuffer theſe to take up our Hearts, and to fill our Minds and Thoughts, there will be no room for heavenly things: We muſt therefore be watchful, to caſt out, and keep out thoſe bad gueſts; Luke 21. 34. Phil. 4. 6. Be careful in nothing: If our Affections be ſet on viſible temporal things, they cannot be ſet on inviſible eternal things. No man can ſerve two Maſters, God and Mammon, ſaith our Lord. If the World be Maſter of our Hearts and Minds, of our Thoughts and Affections, then ſurely they cannot be ſet on GOD, and things above.

3ly, Worldly Company, where is nothing but Earthly Diſcourſe. They that are of the Earth, are earthly: Worldly Company will cool the Affections, and dull and deaden the Heart, and draw it from God: Therefore is that Exhortation and Prohibition, Eph. 5. 11. Have no fellowſhip with the unfruitful works of darkneſs, but rather reprove them. True Chriſtians are Chriſt's Doves, his Turtle-Doves, p. 188they have no Society with the Birds of Prey; They are Chriſt's Sheep, what have they to do among Swine? They are his Children, what have they to do among his Enemies? We are not aware of the very great miſchief that carnal company doth bring to our Souls. If at any time we have had any communion with God in any Ordinance and Duty, and then preſently go into vain carnal Company, we ſhall quickly loſe all ſavour and reliſh of God and Heavenly things; as if you eat Hony, and preſently eat Gall after, you loſe all the taſte of Hony: And that's not all, but by being in worldly Company, you will ſoon be infected, and will bring away on your Spirits the ill ſavour of the Earth and filthy World; as a man that comes out of a Garden of ſweet Flowers, goes and wallows on a ſtinking Dunghil. The beſt of us ſhould not go into worldly Company, but as Phyſicians into a Peſt-houſe, when lawfully called, and with our Preſervatives with us: We having ſo much Fleſh and Earth in us, Worldly Company will make us more fleſhly and earthly.

4ly, Pride and High-mindedneſs. God reſiſteth the proud, 1 Pet. 5. 5. Pſal. 10. 4. There are many precious Promiſes made to the humble; Job 22. 29. God will dwell with the humble, teach them, ſave them: None have ſo ſweet Communion with God as humble Souls. Heavenly things and humble Souls are things very ſuitable and agreeable one to the other.

5ly, Sloth and Idleneſs. 'Tis eaſie, we ſay, to go down the Hill, but not ſo eaſie to go up: 'Tis eaſie, becauſe natural, and uſual, and ordinary, to mind viſible temporal things; but there muſt be Pains-taking, Induſtry, and Labour uſed, to raiſe up our Hearts to inviſible eternal things; a stirring p. 189up our ſelves, 2 Tim. 1. 6. And we muſt often call upon our own Souls, and provoke one another, and ill too little. We muſt have Reſolution and Zeal.

6ly, The greateſt Hinderance of all is Ʋnbelief. Men do not fully believe, nor are fully perſwaded of the Reality and tranſcendent Excellency of inviſible eternal things: This is the grand Impediment; Why is not the great God, the good God, the Fountain of all Goodneſs, the Alſnfficient Good, minded, thought on, loved, feared, truſted, ſerved no more? but becauſe He is not believed, He is not believed to be that which he is indeed, and which he hath revealed himſelf to be, Heb. 11. 6. He that cometh to God, muſt believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently ſeek him. Oh, the curſed rooted Atheiſm and Unbelief that is in all our Hearts, more or leſs!

Why is not Jeſus Chriſt, Precious Jeſus, Bleſſed Jeſus, Lovely, altogether Lovely Jeſus, the Brightneſs of his Father's Glory, the Chiefeſt of Ten thouſands, the faireſt of all the Sons of Men, is whom dwells all fulneſs; oh, why is he no more minded, thought on, ſpoken of? why no more admired, loved, and ſought after? but becauſe He is not believed. To them, to all them that believe, he is precious, moſt precious, 1 Pet. 2. 7.

And why is not Heaven and Happineſs that far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, that Everlaſting Reſt, in the full and perfect enjoyment of the Bleſſed God for ever, thought on, minded, and laboured after more? but becauſe theſe things are not fully believed. O curſed Unbelief!

Men believe that Life, Liberty, Health, Honour, Eſtate, &c. are good things, and therefore they mind them, and labour after them, and p. 190count no Pains too much to obtain them, labouring as it were in the Fire to get thoſe things. Thoſe that believed thoſe better things in the other World, counted thoſe viſible temporal things of this World, but Toyls and Trifles; Heb. 10. 34. 2 Cor. 5. 1, 2, 3, 4. So Heb. 11. throughout. It is our Unbelief is the cauſe, why God, and Chriſt, and Heaven have ſo little of our hearts and minds, ſo little of our thoughts and affections: Oh, let us all bitterly bewail our Unbelief: Lord, ſubdue and pardon it.

Theſe are the Hinderances.

II. The Means to help us to this Work, that we may moſt ſeriouſly and moſt heartily mind inviſible eternal things.

1. Firſt, We muſt labour clearly to know and underſtand the Truth and Reality, the exceeding Greatneſs and Excellency of thoſe inviſible eternal things; as was hinted before: Our ignorance of them is much the cauſe why we mind them no more. Ignoti nulla Cupido. No man minds or loves what he knows not.

Let us ſet our Hearts in earneſt, to conſider what it is to enjoy God, who is All-fulneſs; what it is to have Fellowſhip with the Father and the Son; what it is to have Communion with the Holy Ghoſt; to have the gracious Preſence of the Holy Spirit; to feel the Work, the Witneſs, the Sealing, the Joy, the Conſolation of the Holy Spirit; all which all true Chriſtians know and feel in ſome meaſure, and rejoice in them;

p. 191Conſider alſo what it is to live in Chriſt, and to have Chriſt to live in us, to dwell in our Hearts, to manifeſt his Love to us; to come in to us, to ſup with us, and we with him; to take up his Abode with us; what it is to know the Power of his Death, and the Vertue of his Reſurrection; to be made one with him, joyned, married to him, made one Spirit with him; and what it is to be made like him here, and what it is to be made like him hereafter, both in Soul and Body, …ad to appear with him in Glory at laſt, and to be for ever glorified with him; what it is to ſee this Face, and to dwell in his preſence for ever. Oh, cheſe are the only things that are worthy of all our Hearts and Minds, moſt worthy of all our Affections and Deſires, of all our Labourings, Longings, Pantings, Breathings, Hungrings, and Thirſtings of Soul: Oh, ſhame on us all, that we ſpend our Affections on Toys and Trifles, on Dreams, Fancies, and Shadows! Oh, that ſuch Folly and Madneſs, ſuch Brutiſhneſs ſhould poſſeſs us! Let us lament and lament it. And let us labour to know and underſtand thoſe high and excellent things, and let us be fully perſwaded of them, and of their infinite worth and value. Theſe things are worth glorying and rejoycing in. Jer. … 23, 24. Let not the wiſe man glory in his wiſdom:—But let him that glorieth, glory in this, that he underſtandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord, which exerciſe loving-kindneſs, judgment, and righteouſneſs in the earth; for in theſe things I delight, ſaith the Lord.

Let us conſider alſo the exceeding-great and precious Promiſes, and what our Bleſſed Jeſus hath purchaſed, and what God hath prepared for his People in the other World; and let us ponder upon, p. 192and by Meditation work theſe things into our Hearts and Minds: Labour for a diſtinct knowledge of all thoſe things: Labour to prove your particular Right and Title to all thoſe inviſible eternal good things, and then you will mind them indeed: A bare Knowledge of them, without an Intereſt in them, will do you no good.

No wiſe man will much mind thoſe things in which he hath no Intereſt; let us then ſearch, and try, whether we have any true Title to theſe things; whether we have any good and ſolid ground to hope, that we ſhall one day be poſſeſt of them, and ſhall certainly enjoy them: Then we ſhall think of them, and ſpeak of them with Joy and Comfort; when we can ſay with Paul, There is laid up for me a crown of righteouſneſs: And we know, that when the earthly houſe of this tabernacle is diſſolved, we have a building of God, an houſe not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

We all hope to enjoy that promiſed purchaſed Inheritance, all hope to ſee God in Glory, and to be happy; but let us try our Title by the Word of God, by that Word which muſt judge us all at the laſt day. We may eaſily deceive our ſelves, as thoſe in Matth. 7. 21, 22. and as the fooliſh Virgins; no Deceit ſo eaſie, nor ſo common, nor ſo dangerous, for it is irrecoverable, and a little ſerious tryal might prevent this Self-deceiving; Self-ſearching may prevent Self-deceiving and Selfundoing. Briefly then, let us ask our ſelves,

Is Jeſus Chriſt ours? Then All is ours; All depends on this. If Chriſt be ours, God is ours; Pardon, Life, Salvation, Heaven and Earth is ours. 1 Cor. 3. 22, 23.

Are we Chriſt's, really and ſincerely his? Then He is ours: My beloved is mine, and I am his. Are p. 193we his, all we are, his? Hearts, Heads, Tongues, Time, Talents; are we all his?

Are we new Creatures? 2 Cor. 5. 17. If any man be in Chriſt, he is a new creature. Mark it, a new Creature; all old things are paſs'd away; and behold, all things are become new; new Inſides, new Out-ſides, new Principles, new Ends, new Affections, new Deſires, new Delights, new Company, new Language; all new, if new Creatures.

Have we the Spirit of Chriſt in us? If any man have not the ſpirit of Chriſt, the ſame is none of his, Rom. 8. 9. Doth Chriſt live in us? Is Chriſt moſt precious to us? Do we believe in him? Let us try the truth of our Faith; doth it purifie our Hearts? Doth it work by Love, by Love to Chriſt, to all that hath the Image of Chriſt on it? Doth it overcome the World? Doth it ſupport under Trouble? Let us ſee that it be Faith unfeigned, the Faith of God's Elect.

Have we with all our Hearts choſen the Lord for our Portion, and placed our Happineſs in him, fixed our beſt Loves, Deſires, and Delights in him, and have we reſigned up our whole ſelves cordially and unreſervedly to him?

Have we broken our League with all Sin, and with all the Idols of our Hearts? Do we hate and deteſt all Sin, and do we keep a continual watch and war againſt all Sin?

Have we an equal reſpect to all God's Commandments? Can we deny our ſelves, and part with all things for Chriſt?

Are we the Heirs of the Promiſes? If we be really Chriſt's, then are we Heirs of the Promiſes; Gal. 3. 29.

p. 194Are we the Children of God? If Children, 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 nightwatches. And v. 7, 8. Becauſe thou haſt been my help, therefore in the ſhadow of thy wings will I rejoyce. My p. 195ſoul 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 Con…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 p. 196night 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 p. 197pious 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 work, to converſe with God and Heaven in the Creatures: As for inſtance; When we ſit down at Table, remember, p. 198there is a time coming, when we ſhall ſit down with Chriſt, and eat and drink at his Table, in his Kingdom; that is, we ſhall enjoy free and intimate Communion with him in Heaven: And let us labour to raiſe our Hearts from temporal to ſpiritual things, and be much in praiſing, adoring, and admiring God in the Creatures.

6. Be convinced alſo, that all our happineſs and comfort, both here and hereafter for ever, lyeth not in any, or all, of the ſenſible temporal things, but all lyeth in thoſe inviſible eternal things: It lyeth not in having Honours, Riches, Pleaſures, &c. for a man may be happy without them, as Job and Lazarus were; and miſerable with them, as Haman, Ahab, Dives, and others were. Pſal. 144. 15. Yea, happy are the people whoſe God is the Lord. Happy indeed, if God, Chriſt, and Heaven be ours, happy for ever, or elſe miſerable for ever.

7. And Laſtly, Let us labour to be renewed in the Spirit of our Minds, or elſe we ſhall never ſeriouſly and heartily mind inviſible eternal things; as was ſhewed before. We muſt get thoſe inviſible eternal Principles of Renewing Grace planted in our Hearts, the Divine Nature, the Life of God, the Spirit of our heavenly Father, to renew our Spirits, or elſe we ſhall never mind thoſe things in good earneſt; for which purpoſe, let us go to God, call, cry to him for Renewing Grace, Pſal. 51. 10. Let us look up to, and lay hold on God's Covenant, Ezek. 11. 19. go to the Promiſe, Luke 11. 13. If you, being evil, know how to give good things to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give his spirit to thoſe that ask him? A precious Promiſe indeed; let us reſt upon this p. 199Promiſe, and moſt earneſtly beg God to perform it to us. Old Bottles will not hold new Wine, nor old Hearts retain Heavenly things: New Hearts we muſt have, heavenly, holy Hearts, or we ſhall never mind heavenly things as we ought.

III. Motives to this Duty.

1. Conſider, that thus to look unto, and mind inviſible eternal things, is the expreſs Character of every true Chriſtian. No man can approve himſelf to be a true Chriſtian, and be a total Stranger to this Work; for, to be a true Chriſtian, is to be like Chriſt. Now Jeſus Chriſt minded thoſe inviſible eternal things, as is moſt evident in the whole courſe of his Life; his Heart was in Heaven while his Body was on Earth, John 3. 13. Shall we profeſs our ſelves Chriſtians, and not be like Chriſt, nor have the Character of Chriſtians?

2. Conſider, this will be a ſure ſign and clear evidence to us, of our intereſt in, and title to all thoſe inviſible eternal good things in the other World; Matth. 6. 20, 21. Where the Heart is, there the Treaſure is. If our Hearts and Minds, Thoughts and Affections are on God, on Chriſt, and Heaven, it is a ſure ſign that theſe are ours. An heavenly Mind is as good a ſign that we belong to Heaven as any is; as was alſo ſhewed before.

3. This will begin our Heaven upon Earth; theſe heavenly things minded, affected, delighted in, will yield ſuch joy and comfort, as to begin our very Heaven here; when Faith and Hope, Joy and Praiſe, Love, Deſire and Delight are exerciſed on God, and on Chriſt, and Glory, we ſhall be filled with Joy and Peace; as, Rom. 15. 13. 1 Pet. 1. 8. p. 200Pſal. 31. 7. Oh, then let us labour to begin our Heaven here, by our Heavenly-mindedneſs.

4. This will yield Contentment and Comfort, Satisfaction and Peace to our Souls in every condition: It will ſweeten every bitter Cup: To think on God as our Father, and on Chriſt as our Redeemer, Head, and Husband, and on all the ſweet Promiſes, of which we are Heirs, what comfort will this bring to our Souls? Lam. 3. 33. He doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men. Iſa. 63. 9. In all their afflictions he was afflicted, and the Angel of his preſence ſaved them: in his love, and in his pitty he redeemed them, and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old. Rom. 8. 28. All things ſhall work together for good to them that love God. With many other exceeding great and precious Promiſes, which our good God hath made, that our Faith might feed upon them, and find ſatisfaction, or elſe our Souls would faint.

5. This will fit us for every Duty to God and man: The more we think on God and heavenly things, the more conſcientious ſhall we be in our Duties to Man; becauſe it is for the Lord's ſake, from whom we look for the Reward; as the Apoſtle ſpeaks to Servants, Eph. 6. 5, 6, 7. And for Duties to God, it will make us ſerve God cheerfully, delightfully, and conſtantly, having the Glory of God, the enjoyment of him, and the Recompence of Reward in our Eye: Oh, how will it quicken, raiſe, animate, and encourage us! For why are all thoſe great and glorious, inviſible, eternal things propoſed, and promiſed to us, but that we ſhould mind them, aim at them, and live in the lively hopes, and comfortable expectations of enjoying them? Heb. 11. 6, 24. & 1. 1, 2, 3. 1 Cor. 15. laſt. Therefore be stedfaſt, unmovable, always abounding in p. 201the work of the Lord, foraſmuch as ye know your labour ſhall not be in vain in the Lord.

6. This will ſerve to encreaſe and ſtrengthen Grace; for the more we mind thoſe inviſible eternal things; the ſtronger will be our Love, our Faith, our Hope, and our Patience; yea, the more heavenly and ſpiritual we ſhall grow; and the more uſeful, ſavory, and profitable in all our Diſcourſes. By our heavenly-mindedneſs we ſhall ſmell of Heaven in all our Converſes and Communications, to the advantage of others.

7. This is one principal way of enjoying Communion with God here in this World; for by this we open our hearts to God, raiſe up our Deſires after him, ſpend our Thoughts and Affections upon him; and in theſe heavenly Meditations God communicates his Light and Love, his Grace and Peace to our Souls. By theſe Meditations on inviſible eternal things, our Souls converſe with God, talk with God, walk with God, have our converſations with God; and this is moſt ſweet and contentful to gracious Souls; this is to live in God, and to live the Life of God; and it is the ſum of all our happineſs here and hereafter. The enjoyment of God's good preſence here, in acts of Communion with him, will produce greatneſs of Joy; and the enjoyment of God's glorious preſence hereafter, in the uninterrupted Acts of Communion with him in Heaven, will produce fulneſs of joy, and pleaſures for evermore, Pſal. 16. laſt.

8. By this looking to, and affectionately minding inviſible eternal things, we ſhall be more and more changed into the image and likeneſs of them. 2 Cor. 3. 18. We all with open face beholding as in a glaſs, the glory of the Lord, are changed into the ſame image, from glory to glory, even as by the ſpirit of the p. 202Lord. Theſe believing, loving ſights of heavenly things will change us into the image of them.

9. By this we ſhall be made more and more willing and deſirous to leave this World, and to go to a better. Compare this Text with the beginning of the next Chapter, 2 Cor. 5. 1, 2, 3. the Apoſtle having ſaid, We look not on viſible temporal things, but on thoſe things which are not ſeen, which are eternal; preſently adds, for we know that when the earthly houſe of this tabernacle is diſſolved, we have a building of God, an houſe not made with hands, eternal in the heavens; for in this (Houſe) we groan earneſtly to be clothed upon with our Houſe which is from Heaven. And this made Paul deſire to be diſſolved that he might be with Chriſt, which was far better, or beſt of all; Phil. 3.

Certainly, ſuch as really apprehend, and truly believe thoſe inviſible eternal things, and their title to them and portion in them, will be really willing to dye, that they may enjoy them, knowing that they lye on the other ſide of Death, and cannot be enjoyed, but by dying, and after Death, Death being the In-let to all that purchaſed, promiſed Glory. Now, the more we do ſeriouſly think and meditate on thoſe glorious things, the more willing we ſhall be to leave all thoſe fading, vain, and vexing Comforts, to enjoy thoſe eternal Delights: And it is a great Mercy and ſweet Priviledge to be willing to dye; and I know nothing will more effect this willingneſs in us.

Now, let all thoſe Motives effectually perſwade us to draw off our hearts from thoſe viſible temporal things, and to ſet our Affections upon things above. How long ſhall vain Thoughts lodge within us? how long ſhall this preſent evil World gnaw and feed upon our Spirits, conſuming and waſting them, p. 203and eating out our time and ſtrength? how long ſhall the God of this World blind our Minds, and the Duſt of it fill our Eyes? how long ſhall we miſplace our Affections, and miſtake our Reſt? Our Reſt is not here, our Heaven and Happineſs is not here; Earth is going from us, and we from it, and ſhall we hug what we cannot hold? Shall we kiſs and embrace that which is withering in our hands, and dying in our arms? Are there not infinitelybetter things to be minded? Duke de Alva wickedly ſaid, when one told him of an Eclipſe that was then preſent, I have ſo much to do on Earth, I have no leiſure to mind Heaven. O, that it may not be ſo ſaid of any of us.

Let us call to mind what thoſe inviſible eternal things are aforementioned, as God, Chriſt, the Holy Ghoſt, the Promiſes, the Purchaſed Inheritance, the Glory of Heaven, &c. withal, let us mind Chriſt's ſecond Coming to Judgment, the manner and end of it, 2 Theſſ. 1. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. which the Apoſtle often ſpoke and wrote of, and minded, Tit. 2. 13, 14. the glorious Appearing of the great God and our Saviour; the Reſurrection of the Body, and the manner of it, 1 Cor. 15. the full Redemption and glorious Manifeſtation of the Sons of God; the happy uniting of the Souls and Bodies of the Saints after ſo long a Separation; and the uniting and ſolemn Marriage of both to Chriſt, the King of Glory; the paſſing of the Saints into Heaven with Chriſt in Triumph; their living for ever with God, ſeeing his Face, and knowing him as we are known: Oh, that we could mind theſe things, and ſet our Faith and Love, our Hopes, D…ſtres, and Delights on work upon theſe things, what ſweet Contentment, what Soul-refreſhing Joy and Comfort would ſuch thoughts yield to our Souls, even p. 204in the midſt of all our Troubles? No wonder we are ſuch Strangers to the Joy of the Lord, becauſe we are ſuch Strangers to God himſelf, and to the great things of his Kingdom.

I ſhall conclude this Uſe with that of the Apoſtle, 2 Pet. 3. 14. Wherefore, beloved, ſeeing that ye look for ſuch things, be diligent, that ye may be found of him in peace, without ſpot, and blameleſs. Be diligent to prepare for the enjoyment of all thoſe great and glorious things, and to ſecure our title to them; which Preparation conſiſts in two things mainly, as expreſt in that Scripture,

1.

In a ſtate of Reconciliation with God.

2.

In a ſpotleſs, blameleſs Converſation.

1. In a ſtate of Reconciliation with God. Be diligent, that ye may be found of him in peace: There will be a moſt ſtrict and accurate ſearch made at the laſt day; all thoſe that look for thoſe inviſible eternal good things at laſt, muſt be exceeding careful about this, to make this the Mark, Deſign, and Aim all their Life, and at Death, that they may be found in a reconciled ſtate, in a ſtate of Peace with God. This is the critical point, the main hinge, whereupon hangs all the ſafety and happineſs of a Man or Woman for Eternity: Not whether rich or poor, high or low, honourable or contemptible in this World, the Differences and Diſtinctions will ſignifie nothing then; nor whether Presbyterian or Independent, &c. but whether reconciled to God or no. This ſtrict ſearch will be made by the Lord, who cannot be blinded nor deceived.

And the conſideration of the iſſue of this ſearch ſhould quicken us to diligence in our Preparation, which ſhall be, 1ſt, on them that ſhall then be found not reconciled; the danger will be to their whole p. 205man, Soul and Body, Depart ye curſed, &c. moſt dreadful, and moſt intolerable. 2dly, On them that are found reconciled, their Comfort will be unſpeakable; the Lord Jeſus will own them all, as the Purchaſe of his Blood, and will embrace them all, Come ye bleſſed of my Father, &c. and will commend them, Well done, &c. and will crown them with a Diadem of Eternal Glory.

Oh then, let us preſently engage all the Powers of our Souls, in ſtriving to be found of God in Peace. And if we will be found of God in Peace at that day, we muſt.

1. Fall out with all Sin, and make an open breach with all Ungodlineſs, and all Worldly luſts, Tit. 2. 11, 12. No Peace with God, ſo long as we have Peace with any Sin: We muſt ſearch for our Sins of Heart and Life, heartily repent of them, declare open War againſt them all, not regarding any Iniquity in our Hearts, but hating and mortifying all. Go to God, to give you ſound Repentance; Acts 5. 31. & 3. 19.

2. Fall in, and cloſe unfeignedly with Jeſus Chriſt, the only Peace-maker, accepting him on his Terms, taking him for Only Lord and Saviour, reſigning up our whole ſelves unto him in all things, giving him the Preheminence in us, and over us, and heartily ſubmitting to his government by his Word and Spirit. Thus by true Repentance and Faith we are to make our Peace with God. And this 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. p. 206Job 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?

p. 207Haft 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 p. 208God) 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 Ʋſe, 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 p. 209Comfort 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 the Reality of p. 210thoſe things, Who hath believed our Report? Iſa. 53. 1. and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? to make Souls believe, and to work effectual Faith in them? Surely to very few.

A very bare hiſtorical Faith is wanting, but much more a cordial, practical Perſwaſion of thoſe things; for by true Faith we come to have an Intereſt in all theſe eternal good things, and if we had an Intereſt in them, we ſhould mind them more.

Thoſe inviſible eternal things ſpoken of in the holy Scripture, ſignifie no more to moſt of us, than thoſe Mountains of Spices, and Mines of Gold do, that are in the Indies, which we never hope to ſee or poſſeſs, and for which none of us will part with our poor Cottages: Alas! alas! it were impoſſible, if we did really believe thoſe things above, and that they may be had by us, but that we ſhould take more pains to get a Title to them, and having once got a Title, ſurely we ſhould mind them more than we do.

Now the grand Reaſons why we that profeſs that we know and believe thoſe great things of the other World, yet take ſo little pains to be aſſured of our Right to them, are theſe, viz. our falſe Faith, our falſe Hope, and our inordinate Love of the World. Cou'd we get theſe three Thieves out of our hearts, it wou'd be otherwiſe with us.

1. Our Falſe Faith, building our Faith on the Mercy of God, and Merits of Chriſt in general, not conſidering whether thoſe Conditions are wrought in us, to which the Mercy of God is promiſed, and to which the Merits of Chriſt do belong. Iſa. 1. 16. & 55. 7. Rom. 8. 9. 2 Cor. 5. 17. 1 Cor. 6. 17. Heb. 5. 9. Matth. 11. 28, 29. & 16. 24. & 10. 34. By all which places we ſhall find, that the Mercy of God belongs to the penitent returning p. 211Sinner, and that thoſe only can truly claim an Intereſt in Chriſt, that ſubmit to his Yoke, that have his Spirit, that are new Creatures, that deny themſelves, and give up themſelves to the Government of Chriſt.

2. Our Falſe Hope; that deceived thoſe eminent Profeſſors in Matth. 7. 21. and the fooliſh Virgins, Matth. 25. and which deceives all Hypocrites and formal Chriſtians, that build their Hopes upon outward Profeſſion, Priviledges, the performance of religious Duties, outward Reformation, &c. not minding that expreſs word in 1 John 3. 3. Every one that hath this hope, (that is, to ſee Chriſt in Glory, and to be made like unto him) purifieth himſelf, even as he is pure. Col. 1. 27. Chriſt in you the hope of glory: Not Chriſt without you, profeſſed by you, but Chriſt in you, formed in you, dwelling in your Hearts by Faith, living and reigning in you by his Word and Spirit, that is the Hope of Glory, the true and only ground of true Hope of Glory.

3. Inordinate Love of the World. 1 John 2. 14, 15. If we be friends of this world, we are enemies to God: Too much love of Life, Liberty, Eaſe, Relations, &c. our Hearts are let out ſtrongly after theſe, therefore our good God doth oftentimes ſtrip his deareſt Children of theſe, in love to their Souls, to take off their Affections from them, that they may place them on better things, where they are better beſtowed.

III. It is Lamentable alſo, that thoſe inviſible, eternal, great and glorious things ſhould be no more minded, thought upon, conſidered, and ſpoken of by Profeſſors, that hope ſhortly to enjoy them. God, Chriſt, Glory, Heaven, are ſeldom in mens p. 212Minds and Thoughts: What are moſt Peoples Morning and Evening Thoughts? Pſal. 49. 11. What vain Thoughts lodge in our Hearts? Jer. 4. 14. Oh, how little talk is there of theſe things amongſt us? Is God our Father? Is Chriſt our Head and Husband? Is the Holy Ghoſt our Counſellour and Comforter? Is the Word of God our Rule and Guide, our ſpiritual Food and Nouriſhment, our Comfort and Conſolation? Are the Promiſes our great Charter, Heaven and Glory our Inheritance? And do we indeed hope to enjoy all theſe things for ever and ever, and yet think no more, and ſpeak no more of them? Can this be ſo? Can our hopes be good and well grounded? Let us not deceive our ſelves.

IV. It is Lamentable, that thoſe great things ſhould be no more laboured after: Joh. 6. 27. Labour not for that meat which periſheth, but for that which endureth to eternal life. Prov. 2, 2, 3, 4. Iſa. 55. 2, 3. We labour for that which is not Bread, not Bread for our Souls; and ſpend that which is better than Mony, our Spirits and Time, for that which doth not, cannot ſatisfie. Why ſhould viſible temporal things have ſo much of our hearts, heads, tongues, hands, time, ſtrength and all, and thoſe inviſible eternal things have ſo little? Is there any colour of Reaſon for it? Are not thoſe inviſible eternal things infinitely better than the other? Certainly it is, becauſe they are not known nor believed, nor minded, that they are no more laboured after.

How do we diſhonour God, and Chriſt, and the Promiſes? how do we undervalue Chriſt's Purchaſe, and Eternal Life, when we lay out our ſelves ſo much for the World, and ſo little for theſe? p. 213How ſhall we eſcape, if we neglect ſo great ſalvation? Heb. 2. 3.

V. It's lamentable alſo, that the loſs of the means of the diſcovery of thoſe inviſible eternal things, ſhould no more affect and trouble us: Lam. 1. 7. Jeruſalem remembred in the days of her affliction all her pleaſant things, that ſhe had in the days of old. A Famine of the Word is the worſt, Amos 8.

VI. And it is lamentable, that thoſe who know, believe, deſire, and labour after thoſe things themſelves, ſhould be no forwarder and readier to commend thoſe things to others, and ſhould take no more pains to perſwade and draw others to look after them: Oh, how few cry out to others with holy David, Come, and I will tell you what God hath done for my ſoul?

VII. And no leſs lamentable is it, that thoſe who claim an Intereſt in all thoſe great and glorious good things, and hope to enjoy them hereafter, that thoſe perſons ſhould no more expreſs the power of them in their Lives; that they ſhould no more rejoyce in them, and be no more raiſed in their Spirits, and gladded in their Hearts with the fore-thoughts of them; and that they ſhould live no more comfortably upon them: It's ſad, that thoſe thus intereſted in God, and Chriſt, and Glory, and that are the Expectants of that far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, ſhould not live better lives, more exemplary, ſhining, profitable, joyful lives: We that look for ſuch things, what manner of perſons ought we to be in all manner of holy converſation? It's ſad alſo, that ſuch ſhould bear up with no more ſtrength, holy courage p. 214and confidence, in the midſt of the Troubles of this ſhort Life, ſeeing they hope for ſuch glorious things in the other World: 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 Ʋſe, 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, p. 215and 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 …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 …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. …1, 2, 5. compared. Watch againſt vain thoughts, and ſtrive in God's ſtrength to draw up your …earts to Heaven, and hold them there.

4. Seriouſly and often conſider the great and …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 p. 214better 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 Ʋſe 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 p. 217Throne 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 …, p. 218Ver. 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. So Heb. 10. 34. They took joyfully the ſpoiling of their goods, knowing in themſelves they had in Heaven a better, and a more enduring ſubſtance. So Heb. 11. 9, 10, 13. they endured the condition of Strangers and Pilgrims (uſually a ſad and troubleſome condition) becauſe they looked for a City, an inviſible eternal City: They embraced the Promiſes, and minded them. And to this our Lord leads us, in pronouncing thoſe Bleſſings, Mat. 5. 10, 12. That great ſhould be their reward in Heaven.

Reaſ. 1. Becauſe the bleſſed tendency, the powerful efficacy, and ſweet fruits of all a Chriſtians Troubles, as to our part, much depends on this Work and Duty performed by us. Let us mind this: What is the tendency and fruit of a Chriſtian's Troubles? See the foregoing Verſe, They work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. A bleſſed tendency indeed, ſweet fruit!

Q. But how are Afflictions uſeful and effectual to produce thoſe ſweet fruits?

Anſ. Some things are done on God's part, and ſome on our part: On God's part, He makes Afflictions uſeful, to fit us for that weight of Glory, as was ſhewed before, by following thoſe Afflictions with the Bleſſing of his Word, and Power of his p. 219Spirit, and ſo makes them uſeful to thoſe happy ends, Pſal. 94. 12. as, 1ſt, By diſcovering, imbittering, and cleanſing them from Sin, Deut. 8. 2. Gen. 41. 21. 1 Kin. 17. 18. Iſa. 59. 11, 12. 2ly, By drawing Souls nearer to God, Pſal. 142. 4, 5. Pſal. 31. 11, 12, 13, 14. 3ly, By crucifying their Affections to the things of this Life. 4ly, By making them more diligent and ſerious in their preparation for that ſtate of Bleſſedneſs. Thus God bleſſeth Afflictions.

But all doth not lye on God's part; this Bleſſing is attained by us, while we look not at thoſe things which are ſeen, which are temporal; but at thoſe things which are not ſeen, which are eternal. Thoſe Bleſſings of Afflictions are not received, nor thoſe Benefits and Advantages obtained by us, while we ſtand looking and muſing, poring and pondering open thoſe things which are ſeen. So long as our Hearts and Minds are ſtill fixed upon our viſible Loſſes and Croſſes, and upon the earthly Comforts that we are deprived of; and ſo long as our Thoughts and Affections are ſtill ſet on and glued to thoſe viſible temporal things, ſo long we go without thoſe Bleſſings and Benefits: But we muſt look off thoſe things, and look up, and mind and meditate on thoſe inviſible eternal things; we muſt ſet Faith and Love, and Hope on work, in viewing and reviewing, in conſidering and contemplating, in apprehending and applying that far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. Now, while we do ſo, we are in the right and realy way to obtain the rich Bleſſings of all our Afflictions, and ſo we receive Comfort and Support under them all.

p. 220It is the plentiful Harveſt hoped for, and believed, that ſweetens the ſtormy Seed-time. It 'is a dangerous miſtake, to expect too much from the Creature, and too much comfort here in this World, for here is not our Reſt. All men would have Peace, Comfort, and Happineſs, but they would have it from the Creature, rather than from God. Pſal. 4. 6. Believers themſelves, that would have their Comforts from God, yet would have them here alſo, and would not ſtay for them till hereafter, ſaying with the Diſciples upon the Mount, It is good to be here; whereas here in this World we are to have but ſips, crumbs, drops, glances, glimpſes; at moſt, but ſome Firſt-fruits of Canaan; that far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory is reſerved for the other World. The Inheritance is reſerved in Heaven for us; 1 Pet. 1. 4, 5. and we muſt wait, for our Harveſt is not here; we are not come home. It doth not yet appear what we ſhall be, the quiet and peaceable Fruits of Righteouſneſs come not till afterwards; the great Reward, the full Reward, is in Heaven, not here.

2d Reaſon is, Becauſe (as I think) the Work of Saving Faith (by which mainly we are ſupported) doth not conſiſt only in looking backward on the Croſs of Chriſt, and his payment of our Ranſom by his precious Blood; but alſo in looking forward on the Crown of Chriſt, and the Glory he hath purchaſed for us. Heb. 11. 1. Faith is the ſubſtance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not ſeen. Saving Faith is, not only to believe what our dear Lord hath already done on Earth for us, in the great work of Redemption; but alſo unfeignedly and firmly to believe thoſe things which p. 221we never ſaw nor did ever Man ſee, and to hope and look for them ſo really, as to let go all worldly Hopes and Happineſs, rather than hazard the loſs of thoſe inviſible things. This is an eminent part of Faith, whereby the Juſt do live; 1 Pet. 1. 8.

It is upon our clear Apprehenſions and firm Expectations of that unſeen and eternal Felicity, in the full enjoyment of the Bleſſed God, that both our Peace and Safety doth depend.

We can have no ſolid Peace, while we look for much Comfort and Content from the Creature, in this our preſent Pilgrimage and Priſon; for in doing ſo, we looking for more in the Creature than is in it, we loſe our Comforts, and then complain for want of them; for our looking for ſo much from them, and looking ſo much on them, provokes God to take them from us; and when they are gone, we are troubled.

If eternal Joys, and everlaſting Conſolations were more in our Minds, if the Joy of our Lord, Matt. 25. 21. were more in our Thoughts and Affections, ſurely ſpiritual Joy would more at preſent abound in our Hearts: Rom. 15. 13. The God of conſolation would fill us with joy and peace in believing: Believing Apprehenſions of thoſe inviſible eternal Joys, would breed in us ſome refreſhing Joys for the preſent. So 1 Pet. 1. 8. No wonder we are ſo comfortleſs, and walk ſo ſadly, while thoſe things which ſhould raiſe us and comfort us, are ſo little in our Minds and Thoughts, and we ſuch Strangers above. We muſt needs faint when we lay by our Cordials, and make no uſe of them, and when we lay by our Supports, and mind them not. Temporal things moſt needs affect us and afflict us, p. 222when eternal things are out of ſight, and out of mind.

Mark this: When Chriſtians do not only let fall their expectations and hopes of the unſeen promiſed Glory, and let the thoughts of them decay and dye away in them; but alſo heighten their hopes and expectations from the Creature, and earneſtly and eagerly purſue the ſame; then do they moſt certainly prepare for their own Diſquiets, Fears and Troubles, and with both Hands draw Calamity on themſelves, becauſe they forſake the fountain of living waters, and hew out to themſelves ciſterns, broken ciſterns, that will hold no water. All Creaturecomforts are at beſt but Ciſterns, and when too much loved, but broken Ciſterns, in which are no Waters of true Conſolation to be found; Jerem. 2. 13. To ſeek Content here, in any thing out of God, and beneath him, is to ſeek the Living among the Dead: The Work of Faith is, to look upwards, to look within the Veil, to look to Jeſus, Mic. 7. 7.

The right and ready way to preſent Peace is, looking ſtedfaſtly (not to preſent things, but) to that future Reſt and Happineſs, to the full enjoyment of God in Heaven. Thus our Lord takes off his Diſciples from their Heart-trouble, John 14. 1, 2. of which Text I have written a Diſcourſe at large.

Let us conſider how this looking unto thoſe eternal things is expreſſed: 2 Tim. 4. 8. it is, loving the appearance of Chriſt: Tit. 2. 13. Phil. 3. 20, 21. 1 Cor. 1. 7. 2 Cor. 5. 2, 3. Rom. 8. 23. waiting, hoping, haſtening unto, groaning after that Glory.

p. 223Whoever meets with a diſtreſſed, diſconſolate, complaining Chriſtian, you ſhall find, that one or both of theſe things is manifeſt in him; either he hath low Expectations from God hereafter, or he hath high Expectations from the Creature here; either he looks too much on things viſible and temporal, or too little on things inviſible and eternal; and indeed, he that doth the one doth the other; for, the too much minding viſible temporal things, hinders the true minding of inviſible eternal things.

If we examine matters aright in our own Souls, we ſhall find, that this is the main thing that begets in us, and keeps us under, ſo many Troubles and Diſquiets; either, that we do not, or will not ſeriouſly and believingly engage our Hearts and Minds in the meditation, conſideration, and application of all thoſe great and glorious things, which God hath promiſed, and which Chriſt hath purchaſed; or elſe we will needs mind and expect what God hath not promiſed, nor Chriſt purchaſed, a total freedom from Troubles, Sickneſſes, Loſſes, &c. God hath no where promiſed, nor hath Chriſt purchaſed it: and then we complain, when we miſs of our groundleſs Expectations.

Either we are ſtill poring and thinking on our Creature-comforts and Enjoyments, and looking for much from them and in them, much comfort, help, ſweetneſs, ſatisfaction, reſpect, kindneſs, from them; or elſe we are grieving and mourning for the loſs and want of them; all which thoughts do but ſowre, imbitter, wound and weaken our Spirits; or elſe we do but too ſeldom think of the infinite Goodneſs, Love, Mercy, Tenderneſs, All-ſufficiency of God and Chriſt, and of the Glory of Heaven; which Thoughts would ſweeten, alleviate, and mitigate p. 224our Sorrows, and help much to ſupport our Spirits under all our Afflictions.

We are grieved and troubled for Loſſes and Croſſes, for loſs of Relations, for Sickneſs and Pains, Diſappointments, Unkindneſſes of Friends, Diſeſteem in the World, &c. Let us conſider, whether God hath promiſed, or Chriſt purchaſed any Freedom from thoſe: Have any of the Saints been freed from thoſe? And, why ſhould we expect to be free? But if we make Promiſes to our ſelves, and then our own Promiſes deceive us, whom can we blame for that?

Nay, do we not, as it were, neceſſitate God hereby, to imbitter all our Earthly Comforts to us, and to make every Creature a Scorpion to us, becauſe we will make them our Gods? We have leſs Comfort in them than we might have, becauſe we would have more in them than we ſhould: We might have more kindneſs from Friends, more ſweetneſs in our Relations, &c. if we looked for leſs.

Scarce any Comfort we have, but one time or other becomes a Scourge to us, becauſe we fooliſhly made it an Idol to us. Iſa. 2. 22. Ceaſe ye from man, whoſe breath is in his noſtrils, for whereof is he to be accounted? Jer. 17. 5, 6, 7. We can never expect ſo little from the Creature, but we ſhall be ſure to find leſs than we looked for: But ſuch is the Goodneſs of God to his People, that we can never expect ſo much from him, but we ſhall be ſure to find more.