Invisible Realities, Sermon 2
SERMON II.
2 Cor. 4.18.
While we look not at the things which are ſeen, but at the things which are not ſeen; for the things which are ſeen are temporal, but the things which are not ſeen are eternal.
SEcondly, The things of the great Day of Judgment are unſeen things, things which are not ſeen. There ſhall be ſuch a Day as this, a general Judgment of all Men; Acts 17.31. Becauſe he hath appointed a Day in which he will judg the World in Righteouſneſs, by that Man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given Aſſurance unto all Men, in that he hath raiſed him from the Dead. 2 Cor. 5.10. For we muſt all appear before the Judgment-Seat of Chriſt, that every one may receive the things done in his Body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Mat. 12.36. but I ſay unto you, That every idle word that Men ſhall ſpeak, they ſhall give Account thereof in the Day of Judgment. There ſhall then be ſuch a Day, a Day of Judgment; and I ſay, the things of that Day are unſeen, are things which do not appear, therefore it is called the Day of Revelation; Rom. 2.5. But after thy hardneſs and impenitent Heart, treaſureſt up unto thy ſelf Wrath againſt the Day of Wrath, and Revelation of the righteous Judgment of God: foreign, Patefactionis, the Day of the Manifeſtation of the righteous Judgment of God; in this Day the righteous Judgment of God ſhall be fully manifeſted, and appear to all Men in this World. Eccleſ. 8.14. There be Juſt Men unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the Wicked: again, there be wicked Men to whom it happeneth according to the work of the Righteous. And upon this the Juſtice and Equity of God is oft-times queſtioned, and accuſed, by the Raſh and Prepoſterous Judgment of Men; Good Men are apt to think they have hard Meaſure, and ill Men are ready to think that God is ſuch a one as themſelves; but there ſhall be ſuch a Revelation of the righteous Judgment of God, as ſhall ſet all Matters and Men too to Rights, and it ſhall appear to all that the Judgment of God is Righteous, and the Heavens ſhall declare his Righteouſneſs; for God is Judg himſelf, Pſal. 50.6. i. e. (as Diod.) God's Juſtice ſhall in this Judgment of his be manifeſted to all the World, as plainly as thoſe things which from Heaven are ſeen here upon Earth.
And when theſe things are tried,
The Heavens ſhall record
That God is Juſt, and all muſt bide
The Judgment of the Lord.
It will be, I ſay, a Day of Revelation, Ambae civitates (terrena & coeleſtis) temporalibus vel bonis pariter utuntur, vel malis pariter affliguntur, donec ultimo Juditio ſeparentur, & percipiat unaequaeque ſuum finem, cujus nullus eſt finis. Aug. De Civit Dei, Lib. 18. Cap. 54. O the righteous Judgment of God ſhall be ſeen as clear as the Light at Noon-day, in that Day: So this Day is in Scripture called,
1. foreign
2. foreign
3. foreign
foreign
The Revelation
Appearing
Manifeſtation
of Chriſt.
All which Phraſes import a detection and uncovering of Chriſt in that Day, behind what has been or is ſeen in this Life: It will be (I ſay) the foreign, the Revelation of Chriſt; 1 Cor. 1.7. Waiting for the Revelation of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt; 2 Theſſ. 1.7. The Lord ſhall be revealed from Heaven; 1 Pet. 1.7. At the appearing of Jeſus Chriſt; ver. 13. At the Revelation of Jeſus Chriſt. The original word in all theſe Places, ſignifies an opening, an uncovering, a drawing the Vail from over that that's covered, that it may be ſeen. Such will this Day be, detectio occultarum rerum Chriſti, an uncovering of his hidden Glory.
2. The foreign, the appearing of Chriſt; 1 Tim. 6.14. 2 Tim. 4.1. The word ſignifies a bright or clear Appearing, or ſhining out; and it will be a glorious appearing, or foreign, as the words are, Tit. 2.13. the glorious Appearing of the Great God, and our Saviour Jeſus Chriſt.
3. The foreign, the Manifeſtation of Chriſt; Col. 3.4. 1 Pet. 5.4. 1 John 3.2. But we know that when he ſhall appear, we ſhall be like him, for we ſhall ſee him as he is. The Word imports an Illuſtration, a Manifeſtation by clear Light, of ſomething hid in Darkneſs; Chriſt ſhall at this Day come as out of Darkneſs into Light. O Sirs, there will be thus a glorious Revelation, a glorious Appearing, a glorious Manifeſtation of Chriſt in this Day, ſuch as was never ſeen in the World to this Day, nor ever ſhall be ſeen before that Day. Remember this, my Friends, there will be a great and notable Day of Judgment, and the things of that Day are unſeen things. There was a great Diſcovery of things at Chriſt's firſt coming in the Fleſh, that had been hid from Men of all Times and Ages, and kept unſeen till then; Rom. 16.25. According to the Revelation of the Myſtery which was kept ſecret ſince the World began; here foreign, an opening of the Secret, that there had been Silence about, that there had been nothing ſaid of in the World, from the beginning to that Day; So Col. 1.26. Even the Myſtery, which had been hid from Ages and Generations, but now is made manifeſt to his Saints: here again we have a Myſtery which hath been, foreign, a hidden Secret: Thus the Redemption of the World, the calling of the Gentiles were a Myſtery hid from Ages and Generations, and either not known at all as among the Gentiles, or opened more obſcurely in the dark glaſs of Types, Shadows, Prophecies as to the Jews: but this great Myſtery thus covered from all, was opened and uncovered at his firſt Coming; and therefore, Luke 10.23, 24. ſaith Chriſt, Bleſſed are the Eyes that ſee the things that ye ſee. For I tell you, that many Prophets and Kings have deſired to ſee thoſe things which ye ſee, and have not ſeen them; and to hear thoſe things which ye hear, and have not heard them. 1 Tim. 3.16. God manifeſt in the Fleſh, the accompliſhment of Types, the fulfilling of Prophecies. And as there was thus a great ſeeing of things before unſeen, at the firſt Coming of Chriſt in the Fleſh, ſo there ſhall be a greater opening of things at Chriſt's ſecond Coming to Judgment, that have been hid from all Ages (… mundi initio) from the Beginning, are hid from the preſent Age, and that ſhall be hid from all following Ages, and not be ſeen till that Day, that Great Day of the Lord reveal them. O, Sirs, the things which the Scripture reports unto us of this Day, are all to us unſeen things.
I.
1. The coming of Chriſt riding through the Clouds on his Chariot of Glory.
2. The thouſand thouſands of Angels that ſhall miniſter unto him.
3. The Multitude of Saints that he ſhall bring with him.
4. The Glory that he ſhall appear in, are things which are not ſeen.
II.
1. The great White Throne.
2. His ſitting upon the Throne of his Glory.
3. The ſounding of the Trumpet.
4. The opening of the Graves.
5. The riſing of the Dead in numberleſs numbers all the Earth over; When the Sea ſhall give up its Dead, Rev. 20.13. are things which are not ſeen.
III.
1. The gathering of all Nations, all Men that ever were, now are, or hereafter ſhall be, before him.
2. The ſeparation of the Sheep.
3. The Collocation, the placing of them.
4. The opening of the Books, that will lay open all the Thoughts, Words, and Works of all Men.
5. The ſtanding of the Dead both great and ſmall at the Judgment-Seat of Chriſt.
6. The Judging of the World in Righteouſneſs.
7. The Promulgation of the final Sentence.
8. The Execution of it, in ſending away one part with a Go ye Curſed into everlaſting Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels, in welcoming another part, with a Come ye Bleſſed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the Foundation of the World; are things which are not ſeen: O Sirs, theſe, theſe are unſeeen things.
IV.
1. The Wailings of Sinners, when they ſhall ſee the Lord Jeſus revealed in flaming Fire from Heaven.
2. The wringing of Hands when they ſhall ſee the Books opening before all the World.
3. The fearful Tremblings, when they ſhall hear themſelves doomed to everlaſting Burnings.
4. The dreadful Cries and horrible Noiſe of Wailings and Lamentations that they ſhall go away with, when they are going to the eternal Priſon, are unſeen things. We ſee enough and too much of the mad Mirth, and ringing Shouts of Profane Creatures now, when they are met about their Recreations: O but we ſee not how their Chear will change, the Cry, the Cry, the doleful Cry, that will be among this ſort of Perſons, in this great Day of Wrath, and Revelation of the righteous Judgment of God Almighty.
Theſe things, Sirs, and many other things of this great Day, which the Scripture tells us of, are to us things which are not ſeen. This is the ſecond thing, pray remember it, there ſhall be a Day of Judgment, and there are great things to be ſeen at that Day, which now are not ſeen, which ſhall not be ſeen till this Day appear and bring them into Sight: Saints ſhall ſee that they have never ſeen before; Sinners ſhall ſee that they have never ſeen before, all the World ſhall ſee that which was never ſeen before.
Thirdly, The things of Heaven are unſeen things, things which are not ſeen; theſe are chiefly meant in the Text, by the things which are not ſeen, as both the antecedent and conſequent words ſhew; and theſe are unſeen things, I ſay, things within the Vail, as the Apoſtle's Phraſe is, Heb. 6.19. an expreſſion uſed in Alluſion to the moſt Holy Place in the Tabernacle and Temple, wherein were the Ark of the Teſtimony, the Mercy-Seat, the two Tables, the Pot of Manna, Aaron's Rod, the Golden Cenſor, before which there was a great Vail drawn, that none might ſee them, but only the High Prieſt, who entred once a Year; Exod. 26.31. And thou ſhalt make a Vail of Blue, and Purple, and Scarlet, and fine twined Linen of cunning Work: with Cherubims ſhall it be made. In alluſion to this (I ſay) the things of Heaven are ſaid to be within the Vail, i. e. covered and unſeen. As there was a Vail between the People, and that which was in the moſt Holy Place, ſo there is a Vail between us, and that which is in Heaven.
1. The things in Heaven which are ſet down in Scripture by the Names; (1.) Of a better Countrey, Heb. 11.16. A Countrey where there is no Hunger, Rev. 7.16. no Death, Rev. 21.4. no Night, Rev. 21.25. no Curſe, Rev. 22.3. (2.) By the Name of Paradiſe, the Place where there is fulneſs of Joy, and Pleaſures for evermore, Pſal. 16.11. (3.) By Chriſt's Father's Houſe, John 14.2. In my Father's Houſe are many Manſions. (4.) By a City which hath Foundations, whoſe Builder and Maker is God; a City whoſe Foundations are precious Stones, Gates Pearls, Streets pure Gold, Porters Angels, and that hath no need of the Sun, neither of the Moon to ſhine in it; for the Glory of God doth lighten it, and the Lamb is the Light thereof, Rev. 21.23. (5.) By an Inheritance, an Inheritance that is incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reſerved in Heaven, 1 Pet. 1.4. (6.) By a Kingdom, a Kingdom of Heaven, a Kingdom of God, a Kingdom of Chriſt, a Kingdom that cannot be moved, a Kingdom that is Eternal, Everlaſting. (7.) By a Crown of Righteouſneſs, of Life, of Glory. (8.) By Glory, Heavenly Glory, an exceeding and eternal Weight of Glory. I ſay, the things of Heaven ſet out by all theſe Names and Titles, are all unſeen things.
And ſo alſo, Secondly, the things which are ſhadowed out to us,
(1.) By the World to come; (2.) The New Heavens; (3.) The New Earth; (4.) The Throne of God, and the Lamb; (5.) The Temple of God; (6.) The pure River of the Water of Life, clear as Chryſtal; (7.) The Tree of Life, which bears twelve manner of Fruits, Rev. 22.2. are unſeen things.
And, Thirdly, the things ſet out,
(1.) By ſitting down with Abraham, Iſaac, and Jacob, in the Kingdom of Heaven; (2.) By ſitting with Chriſt in his Throne, as he is ſet down with his Father in his Throne; (3.) By being called to the Marriage-Supper of the Lamb; (4.) By eating and drinking at his Table in his Kingdom; (5.) By eating the hidden Manna, are all hidden unſeen things.
Fourthly, we ſee not yet what it is,
(1.) To ſee God; (2.) To ſee his Face; (3.) To ſee him face to face; (4.) To know as we are known; (5.) To be before the Throne of God; (6.) To have him that ſitteth on the Throne to dwell among us; (7.) To walk with him in White; (8.) To follow the Lamb whitherſoever he goeth; (9.) To have the Lamb which is in the midſt of the Throne to feed us, and to lead us unto living Fountains of Water; (10.) To be made Pillars in the Temple of God, and to have the Name of God, and the Name of the City of God, which is new Jeruſalem, and Chriſt's new Name written upon us; (11.) To be ever with the Lord; (12.) To have him all in all: all theſe things are things which are moſt clearly reported to, and moſt ſurely believed among the Saints, but are not yet ſeen▪
Fifthly, And ſo;
(1.) The Life of Saints that's hid with Chriſt in God; (2.) The Hope of Saints that's laid up in Heaven; (3.) The Glory to be revealed in Saints in Heaven; and (4.) The Inheritance of all things, are yet out of ſight.
O Chriſtians, (1.) You that are going for Heaven to Day, have not ſeen what a Country, City, Kingdom, Company you are going to, what things you are going to ſee. (2.) You that have ſeen ſomething of the workings of Grace in your Hearts from Heaven, have ſeen nothing of the Preparations of Glory for you in Heaven.
Theſe are things which Eye hath not ſeen. O be ſtedfaſt, be immoveable, ſtabliſh your Hearts until the Day break, and the Shadows fly away, the Day when all theſe unſeen things ſhall be ſeen and enjoyed for evermore: this Day will bring to light and into ſight more than our thoughts can at preſent reach.
Fourthly, The things of Hell are unſeen things, things which are not ſeen: as Heaven, ſo Hell is hidden from the Eyes and ſight of all the Living. The Greek word foreign denotes a place unſeen; and our Engliſh word Hell is from Hil, an old Saxon word, that ſignifies to be hid, hilled over or covered: ſuch is that Place, ſuch are the things of that Place, things which are hill d over, things which are not ſeen.
1. The things in Hell which are ſet out in Scripture by the Names of,
(1.) The ſecond Death; (2.) The bottomleſs Pit; (3.) Of Perdition; (4.) Of Deſtruction; (5.) Of Damnation; (6.) Of the Wrath to come; and (7.) Of the Wine-preſs of the Wrath of God Almighty, are things which are not ſeen.
Theſe dreadful Expreſſions are Expreſſions that carry in them Rivers of unſeen Woes, Seas of unſeen Vengeance; yea whole Oceans of unſeen and unutterable Torments.
2. The things ſhadowed out to us,
(1.) By Darkneſs, outer Darkneſs, everlaſting Darkneſs; (2.) By Chains, Chains of everlaſting Darkneſs; (3.) By the Wine of the Wrath of God; (4.) By a Worm, a Worm that ſhall never die; (5.) And by a Fire, a Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels, a Furnace of Fire, a Lake of Fire, a Furnace and Lake of unquenchable and everlaſting Fire; I ſay, the things ſhadowed out by all theſe to us, are unſeen things.
O Sirs, you that live impenitently and ſecurely in Sin, that Scoff, and Swear, and Drink, and Whore, and profane the Lord's day, and make light of Threatnings, Warnings, Admonitions, as if you had made a Covenant with Death, and were at an Agreement with Hell, as they who ſaid, Iſa. 28.15. We have made a Covenant with Death, and with Hell are we at Agreement: when the overflowing Scourge ſhall paſs through, it ſhall not come unto us; for we have made Lies our Refuge, and under Falſhood have we hid our ſelves: that is, as if they had ſaid, Death and Hell are at amity with us, we fear no more harm from them than we do from thoſe that are in League with us, than we do from Confederates, we are at Agreement with Hell, Hell ſhall not hurt us: or as if they had ſaid, we are in no more fear of Hell, than we are in fear of our Confederates; for Hell is but a Fable, a Bug-bear, to fright Children and Fools; let Preachers ſay what they will, we care not for Hell, either it is not, or it is not ſo terrible as they tell us. Are you of this Temper, Sirs? do you live looſely and profanely, ſecurely and careleſly in a ſinful State and Way, and yet ſay we have made a Covenant with Death, and are at an Agreement with Hell, we fear not Hell, we care not for Hell?
(1.) Either it is not; Or (2.) we ſhall eſcape it; Or (3.) it will not prove ſo hot as we are told: why I ſay your Covenant with Death ſhall be diſannulled, and your Agreement with Hell ſhall not ſtand; you'l find there is a Hell, and this Hell will be what now you are told of.
Alas, alas, you have not ſeen what it is, (1.) To be turned into Hell; (2.) To go into Perdition; (3.) To be puniſhed with everlaſting Deſtruction from the preſence of the Lord; (4.) To fall into the Condemnation of the Devil; (5.) To be thrown into the great Wine-preſs of the Wrath of God; (6.) To be caſt alive into the Lake of Fire, burning with Brimſtone; (7.) To be tormented Day and Night for ever and ever; (8.) To feel an endleſs Rain of Snares, Fire and Brimſtone, and a burning Tempeſt; (9.) To ſuffer the Vengeance of an Eternal Fire; (10.) And to have the Smoke of your Torment aſcend for ever and ever.
You have not ſeen theſe I ſay, you ſee not what is lying in their Womb, but they will come in ſight; and know to day, that as light as you make of them, they will cauſe you change Chear for ever; Mat. 25.30. There ſhall be Weeping and Gnaſhing of Teeth: this is their Caſe who are now in outer Darkneſs; and tho you may laugh at it now, it will be your Caſe there, there's no laughing or jeſting in Hell, but only weeping and gnaſhing of Teeth. Pray think of it you that are going for Hell, you little think what a Place and Things you are going to, what you ſhall both ſee and feel there: the things thereof are things that are not ſeen; and it's not ſafe to make light of that you ſee not, nor good to praiſe Hell before you have try'd it, and wo to you if you come to try it once, for that once will be for ever.
Thirdly, The third Queſtion under the Doctrine is, how theſe things are unſeen. You ſee there are unſeen things, and what theſe unſeen things are, the things of Death, Judgment, Heaven, and Hell. Now the next inquiry may be this, in order to the clearing of the Point, (viz.) How they are unſeen, or what this imports or implies that they are not ſeen.
Now this Phraſe implies theſe four or five things, (viz.) That they are things which,
1. Are not ſeen with Eyes of Fleſh, they are not ſeen, that is, they are not viſible to our bodily Eyes, not beheld with the Eye that looks upon viſible Objects, and things under the Sun; Eye hath not ſeen them. My Beloved, your Eye hath ſeen a great Number, and a great variety of Objects, you are not able to tell how many Things, and how many kinds of Things you have ſeen ſince you begun to look out at theſe Windows; but I can tell you what you have not ſeen: among all the Things which you have ſeen Day after Day, you have never ſeen the things of Death, the things of Judgment, the things of Heaven, nor the things of Hell, theſe have all along been out of your ſight.
(1.) Haſt thou ſeen great Things, great Tranſactions, great Revolutions? thou haſt ſeen no ſuch great Things, as the Things of the great Day of the Lord. (2.) Haſt thou ſeen good Things, Things that were exceeding amiable, lovely, and deſirable in thine Eye, that thine Eye was much taken with? yet thou haſt ſeen no ſuch good, lovely and deſirable Things, as thoſe of Heaven and Glory are. (3.) Haſt thou ſeen ill Things, Things that have been Dreadful, Terrible, Aſtoniſhing and Amazing to thee, that have frighted thee, that have put thee into a Conſternation? why, yet for all that thou haſt ſeen no ſuch terrible or aſtoniſhing Things, as the things of Hell and Damnation: this is one, theſe things are not ſeen by the Eye of the Body.
2. It imports, that theſe unſeen things are n t known, they are not ſeen, that is, they are not fully known and underſtood by us: as they are things which are not ſeen by the Eye of Fleſh, ſo they are things which are not ſeen fully by the Eye of the Mind; the Eye ſees them not, neither doth the Mind reach them proportionably to the Nature of them. Alas, it's but a little that we underſtand of theſe things, our Knowledg of them is mighty obſcure, dark, confuſed, and imperfect, as Job ſays of the Knowledg of God; Job 26.14. Lo, theſe are but parts of his Ways, and how little a Portion is heard of him? the Thunder of his Power who can underſtand? i. e. all that we hear and know, and conceive of God, is little, low, and nothing to what he is; all our Thoughts, Meditations, Apprehenſions, are infinitely below his infinite Majeſty. So may I ſay of theſe unſeen Things, lo, theſe are part of them, theſe Things we have hinted at; but how little a Portion is heard of them? it's but little, very little, exceeding little, that we do or can conceive of unſeen Things to what they are, and what we ſhall find them to be. The Italians have a Proverb, Qui Venetias non videt non credit, & qui aliquandiu ibi non vixit non intelligit. So it is in this Caſe, he that hath not ſeen theſe Things not ſeen, cannot believe enough of them; and he that hath not had ſome Experience of them, cannot underſtand them as they are.
One of the Fathers branches things under three Heads.
1. Things that are known. 2. Things that are knowable, that may be found out by Search and Enquiry. 3. Things that are neither known, nor knowable, but reſerved for another World: and of this ſort are theſe unſeen Things, they are not now known, or knowable, but the Knowledg of them is reſerved for another World. Alas, the Secrets of Nature are much above us, there are many thouſand Things there that we either have no Knowledg of, or know but very darkly; the Secrets of Grace are more above us, but the Secrets of Glory are moſt of all above us, the Knowledg of them is too wonderful for us, we cannot attain unto it. Says Zophar, Job 11.7, 8, 9. Canſt thou by ſearching find out God? canſt thou find out the Almighty unto Perfection? It is as high as Heaven, what canſt thou do? deeper than Hell, what canſt thou know? The Meaſure thereof is longer than the Earth, and broader than the Sea.
It's as high: What's as high? Why God's Perfection, this is as high. So may I ſay here, canſt thou find out unſeen Things by ſearching to Perfection; alas, no, no, they are as high as Heaven, what can we do? deep as Hell, what can we know?
Paul, who was a Man of eminent Attainments, extraordinary Revelations, and ſtood on a higher riſe of Ground than any now living; yet tells us, that he ſaw but foreign, (modo imperfecto) in part, he ſaw but the back-parts of unſeen Things; 1 Cor. 13.9. We know in part, and propheſy in part. Ver. 11. When I was a Child, I ſpake as a Child, I underſtood as a Child, I thought as a Child. He compares all the Knowledg he had attained of theſe Things, to that he had of things in the World when he was a Child. Children have but weak and ſhallow Conceptions and Apprehenſions of things, ſuch as they are aſhamed of, when they grow up to be Men. Why there is (in many reſpects) as great Difference between the Apprehenſions we have of unſeen Things now in this World, and the Apprehenſions we ſhall have of the ſame Things in the other World, as there is between the Apprehenſions of Perſons whilſt but Children, and when come to be Men. Alas, Sirs, when you hear Men of the largeſt Abilities diſcourſing of theſe Things, they do but even liſp, and ſtammer, and ſpeak half words, and bits of Sentences, as Children; they do but talk of them as blind Men do of Colours, or as you do of far Countries, and Rarities in them that you have never, never ſeen.
O the things of Heaven are other things, and the things of Hell are other Things than you or I think, unknown Things! we ſee not (when our Conceptions are moſt accurate and elevated) a thouſandth thouſandth part of that Glory that is prepared for the Saints in Heaven; nor yet a thouſandth thouſandth part of that Shame, Wo, and Wrath, that is prepared for Sinners in Hell. Heaven is not only commenſurate to our greateſt Hopes, but as far above them, as it is above the Earth; and Hell is not only anſwerable to our greateſt Fears, but as far beyond them as the Eaſt is from the Weſt. Says Moſes, Pſal. 90.11. Who knoweth the Power of thine Anger? according to thy Fear, ſo is thy Wrath. That is, the Wrath of God is every way anſwerable to the Fear that Men have of it; and not only ſo, but it is behind what we either fear or can know. Think on this under the moſt dreadful Conſiderations imaginable; and yet (when thou haſt thought the worſt, and all that is poſſible) according to thy Fear, ſo is his Wrath, and more than ſo when poured out to the utmoſt. This is the ſecond, they are not ſeen, that is, not known.
3. They are not experienced, they are not ſeen; that is, they are not try'd and felt by Experience, we have not had a trial of them by Taſte or Feeling. This Phraſe of ſeeing, is often put thus for feeling in Holy Scripture, as Lament. 3.1. I am the Man that hath ſeen Affliction by the Rod of his Wrath; as if he had ſaid, I have felt, endured, born Affliction. So Pſal. 90.15. The Years wherein we have ſeen Evil; ſuffer'd, felt Evil and Affliction. Jer. 20.18. Wherefore came I forth out of the Womb to ſee Labour and Sorrow? Rev. 18.7. Pſal. 27.13. & 106.5. and in many other Places, to ſee is to feel, and not to ſee is not to feel or experience. And thus this Phraſe may be taken here; and ſo in this Senſe, theſe things are unſeen things to us; there's not a Man among us to day, that has once ſeen them, that has try'd and had experience of them in himſelf, that can come out and ſay, I have gone through Death, I have been in Heaven, or I have been in Hell, and tried Things of another World. O Sirs, theſe things not ſeen are things we have not had an Experiment, a Proof, and Trial of; you have not had an Experiment of the things of Death, nor of the things of Judgment, nor of the things of Heaven, nor of the things of Hell. O think of it you that are drooping Saints, and Servants of God; you have not yet try'd, (1.) What it is to have God to wipe away all Tears from your Eyes. (2.) What it is to enter into the Joy of your Lord. (3.) What it is to receive your Inheritance, to put on your Crown, and to poſſeſs your Kingdom. (4.) What it is to ſee God face to face, and to follow the Lamb whitherſoever he goeth. (5.) What it is to be with Chriſt your Lord and Love in Heaven. I ſay, all theſe, and all the unutterable things of Heaven, are things you have not tried: a Trial of them would make the whole World of ſeen things a Wilderneſs, a Wearineſs to you. And O think of it, you that are daring Sinners, you that make nothing of Death, of Judgment, of Heaven, or Hell, I ſay again, think of it: you have not try'd the things you are making thus light of; you have not tried, I ſay, (1.) What it is to lie down in Sorrow. (2.) What it is to be driven away into outer and eternal Darkneſs. (3.) What it is to dwell with the devouring Fire, to dwell with everlaſting Burnings. (4.) What it is to be tormented with the Devil and his Angels. (5.) What it is to be puniſhed with everlaſting Deſtruction; had you ever tried theſe things, you would have other thoughts about them: they that are this Day trying them, and feeling what they are, are not making light of them; and O if you had been but a Year, a Week, a Day, or a Night, or an Hour in Hell, and ſeen what others are ſeeing, and felt what they are feeling, you would not think it a ſmall Matter to be damned. This is a Third; theſe things are unſeen, they are ſuch things that we have no preſent experimental Acquaintance with.
4. They are not preſent and entred on; they are not ſeen, that is, they are not yet in being as to us, we are not yet begun with them, and entred on them, we have them not preſent with us. This Phraſe of ſeeing, is uſed thus for enjoying, poſſeſſing, or having the Preſence of a Thing; John 3.3. Except a Man be born again, he can't ſee the Kingdom of God. Videre regnum Dei idem eſt ac intrare in illud; therefore it's ſaid verſe the 5th, Except a Man be born of Water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. Deut. 3.25. Moſes pray'd that he might ſee, i. e. enter into and come to poſſeſs that good Land. So alſo, Pſal. 36.9. In thy Light we ſhall ſee Light, (i. e.) have or enjoy Light. So Luke 17.22. The Days will come when ye ſhall deſire to ſee one of the Days of the Son of Man, and ye ſhall not ſee it, that is, when you ſhall deſire to enjoy one of theſe Days, to have the preſence of one of theſe Days, and ye ſhall not ſee it, that is, ye ſhall not enjoy one of them, ye ſhall not have the Preſence of one of them with you. And ſo in many other Places, to ſee a Thing, is to have it preſent and in poſſeſſion; and not to ſee a thing, is to have it abſent and unbegun with us. And in this reſpect alſo theſe things are unſeen things; that is, they are not begun with us, we are not entred on them, you and I are not yet entred on the things of Death, or the things of Judgment, on the things of Heaven, or on the things of Hell. O Sirs, the Saints Heaven, Harveſt and Happineſs is not yet begun, but to begin; the Saints Kingdom is not yet come, but to come. Tertullian in his Book de Spectaculis, diſſwading the Servants of God from them, hath this Motive, Noſtrae coenae, noſtrae nuptiae nondum ſunt; So I ſay, the Saints Happineſs is not yet, it's yet out of ſight, and to come: And ſo, Sirs, the Sinners and Ungodly's Hell, and Horror, and Torment, is not yet begun, but to begin. Do you ſee them Ranting and Revelling, Swaggering and Gallanting it out from Day to Day? O think it not ſtrange, for, I ſay, their Hell is not yet begun, they are yet in their Heaven, and their Hell is to begin; their Time, nay, their Eternity of Darkneſs, and Chains, and Fire, and Weeping, and Gnaſhing, are yet to enter on. O conſider it you that live ungodly, I may ſay to you, as the Apoſtle, James 5.5. Ye have lived in Pleaſure on the Earth, and been wanton; and nouriſhed your Hearts as in a Day of Slaughter. Ay but where is it, Sirs, that you have lived? is it not on Earth, that you have lived thus in Pleaſure? is it not on Earth, that you are living? it's on Earth, it's on Earth only, and beyond Earth there's an unſeen Hell. How will you live there? will you live in Hell as you have lived on Earth, in Pleaſures, in Jollity, in Delicacy? will you take up a ſenſual Life, a delicate way of living, when you are in Chains, in everlaſting Burnings, ſuffering the Vengeance of an eternal Fire, and drinking whole Cups, nay Rivers of the Wine of the Wrath of God Almighty? O thoſe will be no Delicacies then, your Heaven will be paſt, as Luke 16.25. Thou in thy Life-time receivedst thy good Things, and Lazarus evil Things: but now he is Comforted, and thou art Tormented.
5. I may add this: Unſeen things are things which are not conſidered, obſerved, or regarded; they are not ſeen, that is, they are not minded and regarded, or taken notice of by many. This Phraſe of ſeeing is uſed thus, for taking notice of, and care about a Matter; Pſal. 66.5. Come and ſee the Works of God, obſerve and mark them. So Mat. 22.11. And when the King came in to ſee the Gueſts, he ſaw there a Man which had not on a Wedding-Garment, when he came in to take notice of his Gueſts. Mat. 27.4. See thou to that, i. e. take thou care about that, look thou to that. So alſo verſe 24. See ye to it. And ſo here, we look (ſaith the Apoſtle) at things not ſeen, that is, we look at things that are little look'd at in the World, that are out of ſight, and out of mind with many; that many ne'r regard, or once trouble themſelves about. This is another, and in this reſpect alſo, theſe things of Death, Judgment, Heaven, and Hell, are as to many unſeen things; they mind them not, they take no more notice of them than if they were not: among the multitude of Thoughts that are within them and paſs through them every Day, there are none of this ſort, no ſerious pondering Thoughts of the things of Death, the things of Judgment, of Heaven, or Hell. O, Sirs, how many be there who have gone over twenty, thirty, forty Years, and yet, it may be feared, the Time is yet to come that ever they ſpent one ſingle Hour, Day or Night, Night or Day, one time or another, in ſerious Thoughts about unſeen things? pray look home, Sirs, to your own ſelves, and ſee what you have done in this Caſe. Theſe are, I ſay, with many unſeen things, things they are mindleſs of, and careleſs about.