Helps for Faith and Patience in Times of Affliction, Part 3 · Section 3
Now to proceed to the laſt words in this Verſe:
2 COR. iv. 18.
But to the things which are not ſeen, for they are eternal.
THIS is another Act of Faith: Faith enables the Soul not only to look off from things which are ſeen, for they are temporal; but alſo to look unto thoſe things which are not ſeen, for they are eternal. We look; the original word is foreign, proſpicio, to look ſeriouſly, diligently, earneſtly, to look upon a thing as his mark and ſcope, to look with ardent deſire to attain that which he looks for. Now ſaith the Apoſtle, We look not on thoſe things which are ſeen, temporal things, as our mark and ſcope, with ſuch eagerneſs and diligence to attain them; we ſee not ſuch worth and excellency in them, as to ſpend our beſt Thoughts about them, and our ardent Affections upon them; no, no, but we look on things not ſeen; we look on unſeen things as infinitely more worthy, and more highly meri…ing our beſt Thoughts and Affections; for thoſe …ſeen things are eternal things, and therefore more worthy of our Affections.
Two Points of Doctrine ariſe hence.
Doct. I. That truly-gracious Souls do moſt ſeriouſly mind, and moſt diligently intend and aim at unſeen eternal things; upon theſe their thoughts are mainly and moſtly fixt, and about theſe their greateſt Care and Study is employed.
Doct. II. That the due minding of, and meditating upon unſeen eternal things, will much help to ſupport the People of God under all their Sufferings in this World.
Doct. I. Firſt, That truly-gracious Souls do moſt …eriouſly mind, and moſt diligently intend and aim at …ſeen and eternal things.
Here we muſt enquire,
1. What thoſe inviſible eternal things are.
2. The Reaſons of the Point.
1. What they are. They are things not ſeen, and they are eternal; unſeen to the bodily Eye; oppoſed to the viſible things of the World, Ri…es, Honours, Pleaſures, Friends, Health, Liberty, &c. thoſe good and evil things of this World; theſe we look not unto, but to inviſible, and they are,
1. Firſt, The Inviſible God, whom no man hath ſeen, nor can ſee with bodily Eyes; Coll. 1. 15. 1 Tim. 1. 17. Moſes ſaw him that is inviſible. Heb. 11. 27. We, ſaith the Apoſtle, look unto him, Mic. 7. 7. I will look unto the Lord, Pſal. 34. 5. Gracious Souls make God their aim, and their end, how to ſerve, and pleaſe, and glorifie him, and how to have Communion with him, and to enjoy him. This is the chief Study, Care, and Labour of gracious Souls, to be accepted with God, and to bring Glory to him, 2 Cor. 5. 9. We are always looking to God, to his Precepts, to obey them, to his Promiſes to believe and reſt upon them; to his Providences, to obſerve and comply with them, anſwering them by ſuitable Duty.
2. Secondly, We look unto our Bleſſed Jeſus, the Image of the Inviſible God, the eternal Son of God; He was once viſible, and ſeen in the Fleſh, and ſhall be ſo again at his ſecond coming, Acts 1. But now we ſee him not, yet now we believe in him, and look on him by Faith: And that we may look upon and behold this unſeen Jeſus, and by Faith and Love, to enjoy Union and Communion with him, to know him living in us, and to have fellowſhip with him in his Death and Reſurrection, and in his Life, to receive of his fulneſs Grace for Grace: This the Saints aim at, and ſpend their Thoughts and Cares about, and make this the main and principal work of their Lives; Phil. 3. 8, 9, 10. That they may be joyned to Chriſt, married to him, engrafted into him, partake of his Spirit, Life, and Grace; that they may be conformable to him, and enabled to walk as he walked; that he may ſup with them, and they with him; that he may dwell in their Hearts by Faith, and take up his abode with them, and manifeſt his Love unto them; that they may grow up in all things like unto him. Theſe are the Aims, Intentions, Deſires, Prayers, Longings, and conſtant Endeavours of truly-gracious Souls. Not to be rich, and great, and honourable in the World, but to partake of the unſearchable Riches of Chriſt, to get and poſſeſs Jeſus, this Pearl of greateſt …, to be rich in Faith, to have a clear Title to …e Crown of Life, which Jeſus hath purchaſed … promiſed; to live in Chriſt, and to pleaſe, ho…ur, and enjoy Jeſus. This is their Chief La…ur.
3. The holy Spirit is inviſible and eternal; the …cious Influences and Operations of the Holy …hoſt on the Hearts and Spirits, (though the …ects may in ſome ſenſe be ſaid to be viſible, … of eternal efficacy) yet the Operations are in … ſence inviſible; the Graces of the Spirit, …ch I take to be thoſe Waters of Life, which our …d ſpeaks of, John 4. which ſpring up to Eter…al Life; the Joy, the Comforts of the Spirit, the …aintings, teachings, guidings of the Spirit; the …ineſs and ſealings of the Spirit; all theſe are in…able and eternal things; and theſe are the things …hat natural men cannot know nor diſcern, 1 Cor. 2. …1, 13, 14. Strangers intermeddle not with this by, becauſe Strangers to it: It is hidden Manna: …at theſe are the unſeen things, that gracious …als mind, ſeek, and breath after, and always …g for: Oh, that they may be filled with the …pirit, filled with the Graces and Comforts of the Spirit, and enjoy Communion with the Spirit.
4. The Word of God, the glorious Goſpel, that is inviſible and eternal, not in the Letter of it, for that is to be ſeen in the Book, but the Myſteries of …t are hidden Myſteries; Matth. 11. 25. Theſe things are hid from the wife and prudent of the World. It's true, the ſound of the Goſpel is gone …ut abroad throughout the World; but the power and efficacy, the vertue and inward workings of it, the ſweetneſs of it, that is inviſible to the Eye of the Body, and hidden to the World, 1 Cor. 2. 9, 10. God reveals thoſe things to his People by his Spirit: The infinite Beauty of Chriſt, his tranſcendent Excellencies, the Beauty of Holineſs, the ſurpaſſing ſweetneſs of the Promiſes, the glory of Heaven, with many, many other unſpeakable Excellencies, which are held out in the Goſpel; all which bodily Eyes cannot ſee, nor carnal Hearts underſtand.
The powerful enlightning, quickning, transforming, nouriſhing, ſtrengthning, refreſhing, and comforting power and vertue of the Goſpel, but very few ſee and feel; none but ſuch as are ſpiritualized, and whoſe Underſtandings are ſavingly enlightned; Eph. 1. 17, 18, 19. There are great and glorious things repreſented in the Goſpel; but Men's Underſtandings muſt be enlightned before they can ſee them: Life and Immortality is brought to light by the Goſpel; Heaven and Hell opened in the Goſpel, but not to be ſeen by the bodily Eye. Hence the Goſpel is ſaid to be hid, 2 Cor. 4. 4. and this word abideth for ever, 1 Pet. 1. 25. and it is an everlaſting Goſpel. Now, ſaith the Apoſtle, we look to the Word of God, and mind the glorious Myſteries of the Goſpel, and feel the ſweet and powerful effects of it; we deſire the ſincere milk of the Word, that we may grow thereby; we eſteem the Word of God above our neceſſary food; Job 23. 12, 13. and it is ſweeter to us than the hony or hony-comb, Pſal. 19. 9.
5. We look unto, and mind all the exceeding great and precious Promiſes which are in the Word of God; the vertue, ſweetneſs, and good of them are all inviſible to carnal Eyes. Tell a carnal man of the goodneſs and ſweetneſs of the Promiſes, it is a Riddle to him; give him preſent Enjoyments, he never taſted any ſweetneſs in them; but true Chriſtians look on them as exceeding rich things, and look up to them, and embrace them, and live upon them; they could not …re without them: The Promiſes are dry Breaſts … carnal Hearts, they can draw no vertue from them; but they are full Breaſts to gracious Souls: …il. 27. 13. I had fainted, unleſs I had believed, (that …, in the Promiſes) to ſee the goodneſs of God in the … of the living.
The Promiſes, That God will be our God in Chriſt, and our Portion, and exceeding great Re…ard, Gen. 17. 1. That He will be a Sun and a …ield to us, give us Grace and Glory, and will with-hold no good thing from us; Pſal. 84. laſt. …romiſes of Pardon, of Peace, of Holineſs and …eſſedneſs, of Reſt for our Souls, Mat. 11. 28, 29. Promiſes of his good Preſence with us in all our …roubles; of Supports, Supplies, and of a gracious … out of all; gracious Souls trade in the Promiſes, converſe with the Promiſes; theſe they mind …nd reſt upon, and find Sweetneſs and Comfort in.
6. And Laſtly, We look unto all thoſe great and glorious things which the Great God hath prepared for us from the foundation of the World, and which our moſt dear Lord Jeſus hath purchaſed for us by his moſt precious Blood. Oh, the great and glorious things which God our Father …ath prepared for us! that bleſſed Viſion of God, that Kingdom of Heaven, that Life eternal, that Crown of Glory, of Life, of Righteouſneſs, that inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that ſa…th not away; that far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; that everlaſting Reſt; all theſe things are inviſible and eternal; And unto theſe …ſeen and eternal things, we, ſaith the Apoſtle, …, and ſet our mind upon. And alſo the great and glorious things which our Lord hath purchaſed; as Peace with God, his Favour, Acceptance with him, Adoption, Sonſhip, Heirſhip, Remiſſion of Sins, an heavenly Inheritance; theſe are all inviſible and eternal things, great and wonderful things, things of the greateſt excellency and higheſt concernment; And, ſaith the Apoſtle, we that are Gospel-christians, we look to theſe things; upon theſe we spend our moſt ſerious thoughts, and our beſt affections; theſe poſſeſs our hearts and minds, and we live in the continual proſpect of theſe unſeen and eternal things.
Before I come to the Reaſons of the Point, a little more to open this Act of gracious Souls, and the Object of it.
I. For the Act, Looking; which may note theſe things.
1. It notes Reality, it is no Fancy, Dream, or empty Imagination, but we look, we ſee, we behold them; the Eyes of our Underſtandings being enlightned, and our Minds illuminated by the Spirit of God; and having the Spirit of Faith in us, we diſcern and behold thoſe inviſible and eternal things: Heb. 11. 1. Faith is the ſubſtance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not ſeen. We do as fully believe them, as if they were viſible to our Bodily Eyes.
2. It notes Certainty; what we ſee with our Eyes, we are certain of; we are fully perſwaded of them, Heb. 11. 13. hence this Sight is called Knowledge, 2 Cor. 5. 1.
3. Fixedneſs; it is not glancing, or caſting an Eye on them, but we look on them, that is, fixedly and ſtedfaſtly; we aim at them; we lock on them as our Mark and End. Thus for the Act.
II. For the Object; they are things that are not ſeen: What they are, hath been ſhowed; the Properties are theſe:
1. They are ſpiritual things; ſo in their Nature, and revealed by the Spirit, 1 Cor. 2. 8. and they are ſpiritually diſcerned, and not otherwiſe.
2. They are all high, great, and glorious things; yea, the higheſt, the greateſt, and the moſt glorious things: All other things are but Droſs and Dung in compariſon of them.
3. They are the choiceſt and the beſt things, moſt worthy of our Hearts and Minds, and of our choiceſt Affections: What is the Chaff to the Wheat? What is the Droſs to the Gold? What is Earth to Heaven, or the Creature to God?
4. They are Heart-transforming, Heart-gladding, Heart-elevating, Heart-ſtrengthning things, 2 Cor. 3. 17, 18. 1 Pet. 1. 8. Theſe things looked unto by the Eye of Faith, will change the Heart, and cauſe joy unſpeakable and glorious.
5. They are real, ſolid, ſubſtantial things, not Shadows, as viſible temporal things are; Hebr. 10. 34. They joyfully took the ſpoiling of their goods, for they were but Shadows, Trifles; becauſe they had in Heaven ſubſtantial things. The things of this World are all vain, lying Vanities, things that are not; Prov. 23. 5.
6. They are Soul-ſatisfying, and Heart-contenting things; ſuch as have them ſhall never thirſt more, John 4. 14. that is, inordinately and immoderately after Earthly things.
7. And Laſtly, They are eternal things, permanent, abiding, laſting, everlaſting things; eternal Life, eternal Glory; everlaſting Conſolation, everlaſting Reſt: We ſhall ever be with the Lord.
O my Soul! Can I be a true Chriſtian, and be a Stranger to this Practice of converſing with thoſe inviſible eternal things? Can I be regenerate, born of God, born from above, and be a Stranger to this Practice? Can I be quiet in Conſcience, ſo long as I live in the neglect of this? Can I groundedly hope to live and converſe with God and Chriſt for ever hereafter, and be ſuch a Stranger to this converſe with him here? Can I have any Support in Trouble without this? Can I have any true Comfort in Life or Death, or bid Sickneſs or Death welcome, and be a Stranger to this? Certainly no: Therefore, O my Soul, labour for more familiar Acquaintance with thoſe inviſible eternal things, and exerciſe thy ſelf more in the Meditations of them.
The Grounds and Reaſons of the Point, Why gracious Souls do moſt ſeriouſly mind, intend and aim at inviſible eternal things.
Reaſ. I. Becauſe they are commanded ſo to do, Col. 3. 1, 2. Set your affections upon things above, not on things below, Mat. 6. 19, 20. Lay up for your ſelves treaſures in Heaven, not in Earth, 1 Tim. 6. 19.
II. Becauſe truly-gracious Souls are endued with inviſible, divine, and eternal Principles, which do encline, diſpoſe, and ſuit them to thoſe inviſible and eternal things: Jam. 1. 17, 18. They are begotten of God, born of God; their extraction is heavenly; 1 Pet. 1. 23. 2 Pet. 1. 4. They muſt needs mind God, for they are begotten of him, He is their Father, they have his Image on them; and they muſt needs mind Chriſt, for he is formed in them; and the Spirit, for they are born of the Spirit: Heaven is their Father's Houſe, their own Home, their Inheritance; the Principles of the Divine Nature enclines and diſpoſeth them to mind things above. As they that are after the fleſh, do mind the things of the fleſh, ſo they that are after the ſpirit, do mind the things of the ſpirit; for this is the characteriſtical difference between the carnal and the spiritual man, Rom. 8. 5, 6. 1 John 5. 4. Every thing acts according to its Principles. If Men and Women have no other Principles in them, but ſuch as they brought into the World with them, which are only earthly, and have no other Spirit than the Spirit of the World i… them; they cannot mind heavenly things, for ſuch as is the earthly, ſuch are they that are earthly; Heavenly things are contrary to their Natures, and to their Principles, and therefore they cannot mind them. But holy Souls have Principles of the Divine Life, and they live the Life of God.
III. Becauſe their Hopes are ſet, grounded, fixed on thoſe inviſible eternal things; their hopes are not in this Life, but in God, in Chriſt; Glory, Heaven, and Eternal Life, are the Objects of the hopes of all truly-gracious Souls; 1 Cor. 15. 19. Rom. 5. 2. Heb. 6. 18, 19. Tit. 2. 14. Tit. 1. 2. 1 Pet. 1. 13. 1 John 3. 3. We muſt needs mind them, and ſet our Affections upon them, becauſe we hope to enjoy them for ever. Phil. 3. 20, 21.
IV. Becauſe the People of God have had experience in ſome meaſure of the ſweet and powerful Influences and Operations of thoſe inviſible eternal things on their own Hearts and Spirits; they have taſted that the Lord is gracious; they have had fellowſhip with the Father and the Son, in ſome degree; they have been made partakers of the Holy Ghoſt, in many ſaving fruits and effects on them; they have felt the power, efficacy, and comfort of the Word and Promiſes; and they have in ſome meaſure received the firſt-fruits and earneſt of their Inheritance; Rom. 8. 23. Eph. 1. 13, 14.
V. Becauſe by all theſe things gracious Souls live, and in all theſe things is the Life of their Souls: Their Life is hid with Chriſt in God, and ſhould they not mind God and Chriſt? Chriſt liveth in them, and they in him, Gal. 2. 20. They live in the Spirit, and walk in the Spirit, Gal. 5. They live by, and live upon the Promiſes, Job 23. 12. They live by Faith, in the purchaſed, promiſed, prepared Inheritance; they live in hope of Eternal Life, Tit. 1. 2. and rejoyce in hope of glory, Rom. 5. 2: They live in hope of a better Reſurrection; they groan after their Houſe in Heaven; they ſeek a Country, an heavenly; and therefore they cannot but mind and intend, look unto, and aim at thoſe inviſible eternal things. Our natural Life, much leſs our ſpiritual Life, doth not conſiſt in the things which we poſſeſs; that is, in viſible temporal things; for, in God we live, move, and have our being.
VI. Becauſe theſe inviſible eternal things are the only things that are ſuitable and ſatisfying to the Souls of gracious perſons; Earthly things are not ſuitable to Heaven-born Souls; Riches, Honours, Pleaſures, not ſuitable, nor ſatisfying to immortal Souls, which are begotten of God: Earthly things are no Bread for Souls; Iſa. 55. 2, 3, 4. John 6. 27. They are all but Aſhes, but Wind, Huſks, Chaff, not Food for Souls; theſe are ſuitable to the Body, Meats for the Belly, and the Belly for Meats; but God, and Chriſt, and the Word, &c. for the Soul, for the renewed gracious Soul; other things will not content it.
VII. Becauſe theſe inviſible eternal things are the beſt, the choiceſt, the chiefeſt, the moſt excellent things, the principal things, as all will confeſs, and therefore moſt worthy to be minded and looked after; Phil. 4. 8. GOD and Glory, Heaven and Happineſs, are the beſt things for certain, Heb. 10. 34. & 11. 16. The Saints Happineſs lies in thoſe inviſible eternal things: They may be happy without viſible temporal things, but they can never be happy without the other: And indeed, all viſible temporal things are not worth minding at all in compariſon of the other. Oh, that we could believe this, and act accordingly.
VIII. Becauſe thoſe things are moſt ſure and certain, incorruptible and undefiled, and that fade not away, Matth. 6. 19. nor moth, nor ruſt, nor thieves can ſpoil us of theſe; 1 Cor. 9. 25. Heb. 11. 9, 10. & 13. 14. 1 Pet. 1. 4. Pſal. 48. 14. This God will be our God for ever. None can ſay ſo of Relations or Poſſeſſions, of Health, Wealth, or Liberty. Jeſus Chriſt is the Believer's for ever; their Joy is everlaſting, none can take it from them; their Peace is everlaſting, their Kingdom everlaſting.
IX. Becauſe by minding of, and by ſetting their Affections upon thoſe inviſible eternal things, they are much freed and diſcharged from the Snares, Fears, Cares, Sorrows, Entanglements, Incumbrances and Temptations, that accompany the minding of thoſe viſible temporal things. Nil ſentit in Nervo, cum Anima ſit in Coelo.
Oh, the intolerable Burthens, the unavoidable Snares, Cares, and Fears that attend theſe earthly things! how are the Minds of Men rack'd, tortured, diſtracted, diſtempered, macerated with theſe? while they mind them eagerly and inordinately, What croſs Paſſages fall out? what Diſappointments do they meet with? how ſtrangely are mens Minds bewitched with theſe things? what unruly Paſſions are oftentimes ſtirred up, and thence they break out into many uncomely words and actions, piercing themſelves thorow with many Sorrows, 1 Tim. 6. 10. Againſt this our Lord caution'd his Diſciples, Luk. 21. 34. Take heed, leſt at any time your hearts be overcharged with ſurfeiting, and drunkenneſs, and cares of this life. And by theſe worldly entanglements many times God is forgotten, Conſcience wounded, Peace broken, Guilt contracted, Duty neglected, and Sorrows multiplied.
But now, when we can get off our Hearts from Earthly things, and can get them up above theſe things, and can fix our Minds upon thoſe high and heavenly things; how are our Spirits diſcharged and diſburthened, and our Minds eaſed and quieted: Pſal. 63. 5, 6. My ſoul ſhall be ſatisfied as with marrow and fatneſs: When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night-watches.
O, the ſweet Peace and Tranquility of Mind that thoſe enjoy, that look above, and live above, and have their converſation in Heaven; who walk with God, and talk with God, and conſtantly converſe with things above: To be spiritually minded is life and peace, Rom. 8. 6.
X. Becauſe by this minding Heavenly things the Saints get good Proof and Evidence of their Title unto, and of their Intereſt in God and Chriſt, and to thoſe inviſible eternal things; 1 Joh. 5. 4. Col. 3. 1, 2, 3. Joh. 3. 6. 1 Cor. 15. 48. This is a good Proof that we belong to God and Heaven, becauſe we mind them, and ſet our Hearts upon them.
XI. Becauſe by the minding of thoſe things above, the People of God are wonderfully ſupported under all their Troubles in this Life; and by their Heavenly-mindedneſs their Troubles are alleviated and ſweetned to them; as in the Text and Context: We faint not, while we look not at thoſe things which are ſeen, for they are temporal; but at thoſe things which are not ſeen, for they are eternal. By our looking off from temporal things, and by our looking on upon eternal things, we are ſupported under all our Sufferings.
XII. And Laſtly, Becauſe this is the way to ſalvation: For if the end of thoſe who mind earthly things be Deſtruction, as Phil. 3. 19. then the end of thoſe who mind Heavenly things, muſt be Salvation.
Thus much for the grounds of the Point.
Q. But wherein conſiſts this Duty of looking unto inviſible eternal things? What is this minding of them? And how muſt this Work be managed?
Anſ. 1. It conſiſts in the diſtinct knowing, and right underſtanding of thoſe inviſible eternal things; to know God and Chriſt, the Myſtery of God and Godlineſs, Col. 2. 3. Epheſ. 1. 17, 18. Let us pray as the Apoſtle doth there; That the God of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, the Father of glory, would give unto us the ſpirit of wiſdom and revelation, in the knowledge of him: That the eyes of our underſtandings may be enlightned, &c.
2. In a full perſwaſion of Heart, of the Reality and tranſcendent Excellency of thoſe inviſible eternal things, that they are indeed the moſt real, the moſt ſubſtantial, and the moſt excellent things, infinitely ſurpaſſing all temporal things; Phil. 3. 8, 9. Pſal. 73. 25. If we believe not this, and be not fully perſwaded of this, that Heavenly things are incomparably better than Earthly things, we ſhall never ſet our Hearts upon them.
3. In the frequent and lively Actings of Faith, Love, Deſire, Hope, Hungrings, Thirſtings, Pantings, Breathings, Longings and Expectations upon and after thoſe Heavenly things; Pſal. 42. 1, 2. & 63. 1, 2, 3, 8. Iſa. 26. 9. Oh, that I had a clearer, fuller ſight of God, more acquaintance with my Bleſſed Jeſus, more ſpiritual reliſh of Divine things, more experience of the ſaving workings of the Holy Spirit, more ſenſe of the fatherly love of God in Chriſt: Oh, that I had clearer Evidences of my title to Everlaſting Reſt: Oh, that the Love of God may be ſhed abroad on my Heart abundantly: Oh, that I could taſte more ſweetneſs, and feel more Power in the Word and Promiſes: Oh, that I could converſe more with God, and have my Converſation more above. Thus holy Souls pant and breath after God and Heavenly things.
4. In eſteeming, prizing, valuing thoſe inviſible eternal things above all earthly temporal things; Pſal. 30. In God's favour is life; Pſal. 63. 3. His loving-kindneſs is better than life; Pſal. 4. 6. Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. This will put gladneſs into our hearts, more than the encreaſe of corn and wine.
5. In applying and appropriating theſe inviſible eternal things to our own Souls; My Lord, and my God, my Jeſus; The kingdom prepared for me, the crown belongs to me.
6. In frequent converſing with them by meditation, contemplation, conſideration; ſpreading and ſpending our moſt ſerious Thoughts, and our moſt fixed and deepeſt Cogitations on them, and never leave thinking and thinking, pondering, muſing, ruminating and dwelling on them, until our Hearts be warmed; and our Affections kindled, our Deſires enlarged, and our Delights raiſed. Pſal. 37. 5. Delight thy ſelf in the Lord. Pſal. 104. 34. My meditation of him ſhall be ſweet. Alas, we have ſo few, and ſuch ſhort, and inconſtant, and unfixed Thoughts of God and Chriſt, of Heaven and Glory, that our Hearts are not affected, nor raiſed and enflamed.
7. And laſtly, In a converſation ſuitable to thoſe inviſible eternal things: Phil. 3. 20. the Apoſtles and Primitive Chriſtians had their Converſations in Heaven. This alone is true, real minding of, and converſing with thoſe Heavenly things, when we live the life of God, live like God, like Jeſus, walk in the Spirit, to be holy in all manner of converſation; 2 Pet. 3. 14. 1 Pet. 1. 18, 19. To be like Chriſt in Meekneſs and Humility; Matth. 11. 28. and in Purity; 1 John 3. 3. in contempt of the World, and Vanities of it; in Heavenly-mindedneſs. And thus we ought to look unto and mind inviſible and eternal things, and this will bring true Joy and perfect Peace. Iſa. 26. 3. Pſal. 112. 6, 7.
Moreover, I conceive, that the Apoſtle and Primitive Chriſtians did look alſo unto the inviſible eternal Evil things, and ſpent ſome Thoughts upon them; as, The Terrour of the Lord, Everlaſting Deſtruction, Eternal Death, the Wrath to come, &c. Theſe things they minded two ways.
1. By way of Praiſe and Thankſgiving, admiring the Love and Grace of God in Chriſt, by which they were delivered from thoſe inviſible eternal Miſeries, which their Sins had deſerved; as we find often in their Praiſes.
2. In their Diligence to eſcape thoſe eternal Evils, labouring for the aſſurance of their full deliverance from them; conſtantly exhorting all men to give all Diligence, that they might not fall ſhort of their Everlaſting Reſt.
But principally, I think, they looked unto thoſe inviſible eternal Good things, to ſecure their Title to them, and Intereſt in them; and ſo minding them, as ſtill to preſs forward towards the Mark of the Price of the high Calling; and with the forethoughts and fore-ſights of them, did ſupport their Spirits under their Troubles, and ſweeten their paſſage through this preſent evil World.
So much for the Doctrinal part.