Invisible Realities, Sermon 4
SERMON IV.
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.
WE now come to improve the Doctrine. The firſt Uſe ſhall be an Uſe of Information. Is it the great Duty and Concernment of Chriſtians to look at unſeen things? Then we may hence learn what things they are,
1. That our great Concernments are lying in; a Matter that few underſtand or take notice of as they ſhould, and therefore let their Time, and Thoughts, and Cares, and Endeavours, run out on that that is not the Matter, the Buſineſs, that their great Concern lies in, but on by-Buſineſſes and inconſiderable things, that are all nothing to the main. Pray Sirs, let us think of it, we are all buſy every day; one is planting, another is building, another is purchaſing, another is trading, another is tilling; one is doing this, another is doing that, and every Body upon the Matter is taken up with ſomething or other, of the things which are ſeen; yet, alas Sirs! our great Matters, our great Concerns, lie neither in one or another of theſe ſeen things that are temporal, but in unſeen things which are eternal. Think on it Soul, to day, I ſay to thee, that whatever it is which thou art about, and moſt taken up with, amongſt things which are ſeen, this is not thy Matter, this is not thy Buſineſs, this is not thy Great Concern, thou haſt a greater Matter, a greater Concernment than this to mind and tend, viz. thy future unſeen eternal Eſtate. I ſay, Soul, the thing is, what ſhall be thine eternal Condition, what thou ſhalt ſee in another World for ever. Thy great Concernments lie in the things that are yet out of ſight. This is one thing we may learn hence; and O that you would take it into your Thoughts, and ſay to your ſelves, where are we, what are we doing? what is this we are buſying our ſelves about? are we not out, and off our great Concernment? O our Matter is not, 1. Where we dwell, what our Habitation is while among ſeen things, but where we ſhall take up our Lodging, and make our Abode when we are come to unſeen things. 2. Nor how we are accommodated with Lands, Meat, Drink, Clothes, Money and other Conveniencies now while ſeen things are preſent, but how we ſhall be accommodated, what ſhall be our Portion, and where our Lines ſhall fall when we go to enter on and begin with things not ſeen, that we ſhall never end with. 3. Nor who are our Neighbours, our Friends and Relations, that we are now living and ſojourning among, converſing and companying with, but who we muſt come to ſee, and be in Company of, and ſpend Eternity with, when we go to change ſeen Neighbours, Friends and Relations, for others that are yet unſeen: They are thus our unſeen things, and not our ſeen things, our eternal things, and not our temporal things, that are our great Concernments; our main Matters lie in Matters that are beyond all that our Eyes ſee under the Sun. Alas, Sirs, it's a common thing with many to ſay, upon meeting with ſome ſmarting Croſs, or ſad Loſs in their Eſtates, Comforts, or Relations, O now I am undone, I am quite broken! and on the other ſide, if they meet with any ſpecial Succeſs in any of their Matters, or compaſs any of their Deſigns according to their Deſire, to ſay, O now I am made, now I ſhall be happy! But truly this is a great Miſtake, and you are much out when you ſay or think on this faſhion, for ſeen things can neither make you nor undo you, no body to this day was ever made or undone by them: they are unſeen things that will be a making or undoing to you; the unſeen things of Death and Judgment, of Heaven and Hell, are the making and the undoing things; and when theſe come in ſight, then you'l indeed be made, or undone, and that for ever.
2. We may hence ſee that we have been and are a great way out of the way of our Duty many of us, it has been our Duty to be much in looking at unſeen things. O but, Sirs, have we not been little in our lookings this way, and to theſe things? Pray, Sirs, look a little back and take a ſerious review of what is paſt, and what you have been eying and minding all along, and then tell me if among the many things that you have look'd at, theſe unſeen things have not had the leaſt room in your Eye; and then I fear there will be but few, very few, exceeding few (if they'l deal truly) who muſt not confeſs that they have been very guilty in this particular.
Alas, Sirs, not only our Rabble of profane and diſſolute Perſons, or our Crouds and Companies of mere Worldlings have been Strangers to the Practice of this Duty; but many that have looked towards Religion, have yet looked little towards this Duty: the Truth is, Sirs, there is little looking at unſeen things. O who almoſt, (1.) Puts a Price on theſe? (2.) Who carries them in his Thoughts? (3.) Who ſet them before them as their Mark and Aim? (4.) Who goes after them? Or (5.) Who is waiting with an earneſt expectation for them? Alas, ſeen things ſtand between us and unſeen things; and as they ſtand between us and unſeen things, ſo they come between us and looking at them; we look but little over them, or behind them. This is another thing; this Truth may convince a great many of us, that we are not looking the right Way, we are not looking at the right Object, or that which is our grand Concernment. Alas, Sirs, do we not Dine and Sup at our accuſtomed Times, go to Bed and riſe at our Hours, Converſe and Commune one with another as we were wont, Trade, and Till, and tend our Occaſions and Matters in the World Day after Day; but among all ſuffer Death to creep on us, Judgment to come towards us, and another World approach and haſten every Day, without taking them at all into our Eye, or looking at them on that manner that Matters of that Moment deſerve to be looked at? Truly, Sirs, this Text and Truth ſpeaks enough to ſhame us all: for where are the Men, the Women, the Chriſtians, the Profeſſors Young or Old, in one Condition or another, that can ſay, we look not at the things which are ſeen, but at the things which are not ſeen?
3. We may hence learn, that there are other things to be ſeen than thoſe that we have yet ſeen, or are ſeeing; we have not ſeen all that we muſt ſee: it was Solomon's Obſervation in his Time, that there was no new Thing under the Sun; Eccleſ. 1.9. The Thing which hath been, is that which ſhall be; and that which is done, is that which ſhall be done, and there is no new thing under the Sun: q. d. All things in this World have in all Ages been the ſame for Nature and Subſtance; there has been no Diverſity, Variety, and Novelty, ſave in outward Circumſtances and Appearances of things; that that is now, is but the ſame o're again (in another dreſs) which has been afore, and that which ſhall be, will be no more but the ſame o're again which now is; and there is nothing new under the Sun. This he puts to Men that may ſeem otherwiſe minded, viz. to name the thing that may ſeem to be new; Ver. 10. Is there any thing whereof it may be ſaid, ſee, this is new? and then conſtantly affirms that it hath been in former time, it hath been already of old Time, which was before us, and only ſeems new to us becauſe length of Time, and ſhortneſs of Life have put it out of our remembrance, as they will alſo do things that now are out of the remembrance of thoſe that are to come after: Ver. 11. There is no remembrance of former things; neither ſhall there be any remembrance of things that are to come, with thoſe that ſhall come after. Thus there is no new thing, but a circular Revolution and return of the ſame things in ſeveral Ages, ſomething diverſify'd in their Circumſtances. Ay but there are new things above the Sun in the other World, things that have never been ſeen, nor ever ſhall be ſeen under the Sun; you and I have things to ſee that have not yet been ſeen by us at any time. This is another thing we may learn hence; and O take notice of it every one of you that are hearing it, both Saints, and Sinners; remember it you that fear God, and let it encourage you, you ſhall ſee other things than you are ſeeing now from Day to Day in this Life. (1.) Are you ſeeing Creatures below your ſelves? you ſhall ſee your and their Creator in his Glory and Majeſty. (2.) Are you ſeeing Men made in your own Form and Likeneſs, compaſſed about with Infirmities, Corruptions, Temptations? you ſhall ſee the Holy Angels, and come to an innumerable Company of them. (3.) Are you ſeeing Sinners running to exceſſes of Riot, and living without God in the World? you ſhall ſee Glorious Saints ſtanding before the Throne, and ſerving God Day and Night in his Temple. (4.) Are you ſeeing Shame, and Reproach, and Contempt? you ſhall ſee Glory, and Honour, and receive a Crown of Glory that fadeth not away. (5.) Are you ſeeing Want, meeting with Poverty, Neceſſities, and Straits? you ſhall ſee endleſs Fulneſs, a bleſſed Countrey, where you ſhall never ſee Want of any thing again for ever. (6.) Are you ſeeing Labours and Travel? you ſhall ſee everlaſting Reſt. O, Sirs, you that are going for Heaven, have that to ſee that will make amends for all the Evil and Trouble you are now ſeeing: Heaven, Heaven comprehends all that Good that can poſſibly fall within the Compaſs of your Thoughts or Apprehenſions. And O remember this, you that forget God, you have a fine time of it (as you think) now, while you walk in the ways of your Heart, and in the ſight of your Eyes; and it were ſomething if you were never to ſee any thing but what you are now ſeeing. O but there are unſeen things, and you muſt ſee other things than thoſe you are now ſeeing from day to day: You are now ſeeing Peace, and Plenty, Pleaſure and Proſperity: Ay, but you have Trouble and Want, Pain and Torment to ſee. I pray think of it, you know the King of Babylon, when he was ſeeing the Pomp and Glory of his Royal Feaſt, had ſomething that he never thought of coming into his ſight, which put him under a great Conſternation; Dan. 5.5, 6. In the ſame Hour came forth Fingers of a Man's Hand, and wrote over againſt the Candleſtick, upon the Plaiſter of the Wall of the King's Palace; and the King ſaw the part of the Hand that wrote. Then the King's Countenance was changed, and his Thoughts troubled him, ſo that the joints of his Loins were looſed, and his Knees ſmote one againſt another. And now this ſtrange, this ſudden Sight, marred all his Mirth and Muſick: Lords and Ladies, Crowns and Kingdoms could not relieve him; but his Countenance changed, his Joints looſened, and his Knees ſmote one againſt another. Why, Sirs, this is your Caſe, your very Caſe this day; you are ſeeing your Comforts and Pleaſures, but have that to ſee that will marr all your Mirth for ever. O that you would conſider it this Day, if his Countenance was thus changed only upon ſeeing the Fingers of a Man's Hand writing over againſt him; O then how will it be with you, when you have the bottomleſs Pit, and all the tremendous things therein coming into your ſight? Well, Sirs, this is another thing you may learn hence; there are other things to ſee than are now ſeen.
Second Uſe, of Reproof. Is it the great Duty and Concernment of all to look at unſeen things? then this may reprove thoſe,
Firſt, Who look only at ſeen things, things which are in ſight, as the Gain, and Glory, and Pleaſures of this preſent World, but never look ſo far as another World, as unſeen things. And this is a very common thing many do on this manner: A great many muſt ſay, (if they'll ſay the Truth, and their Practices ſay it for them every Day) we look not at the things which are not ſeen, but at the things which are ſeen. Theſe are the things which we eye, and mind, and purſue, and are in travel after, early and late, how we may compaſs them, and come by them; I ſay, this is the common Caſe of a great many: I fear there is no want of thoſe here to day, who do on this faſhion, that have ſomething or other in their eye of the things that are ſeen. Now if thou be one of them, I would tell thee, and pray thee conſider it, that this Courſe is a
1. Brutiſh,
2. Paganiſh,
3. Faithleſs,
4. Fooliſh,
5. Ruining,
Courſe.
1. This Courſe is a brutiſh Courſe, proper for Beaſts, who have only Senſe to lead them, but no Reaſon to guide them; not at all becoming Men who are reaſonable Creatures. I ſay, it's the part of Brutes, who have no higher part than Senſe, only to look at ſeen and preſent things: thou degradeſt thy ſelf from the Degree and Excellency of a Chriſtian; nay, thou degradeſt thy ſelf from the Degree of a Man, and putſt thy ſelf into the Form of a Beaſt, while thou lookſt only at ſeen things; nay, thou throwſt thy ſelf below ſome Brutes in this, that being void of Reaſon, yet look further than only to what is juſt ſeen, and preſent. The ſilly Ant in Summer looks as far as Winter, Prov. 6.6, 7, 8. and the Stork, Jer. 8.7. knows its ſeaſon. And wilt thou be like the Beaſts? nay, worſe than the Beaſts that periſh? Shall the weak Ant, the poor Stork, the ſmall Crane, and the Turtle, and the Swallow, ſilly and contemptible Creatures, condemn thee? What an Abſurdity, what a Shame is this? What haſt thou Reaſon for, if thou wilt make no uſe of it, nor diſtinguiſh thy ſelf by it in thy Practice from a Beaſt, when God hath by giving it to thee, diſtinguiſh'd thee from them in thy Being? Pſal. 8.6. Thou madeſt him have Dominion over the Works of thy Hands, thou haſt put all things under his Feet.
2. This Courſe is a Paganiſh Courſe: if thou wert a very Pagan, one of the worſt of the Heathens, and among a Nation of Barbarians, thou couldſt but do on this Faſhion. Mat. 6.32. For after all theſe things do the Gentiles ſeek: After theſe preſent things, and after theſe ſeen things, theſe poor Pagans who are either wholly ignorant, and know nothing of theſe unſeen things, or at beſt have but very dark and imperfect Apprehenſions of them, and do but give a faint and weak Aſſent to them, are taken up with, and acquieſce in ſeen things: and ſhall there be no Difference? Shall Chriſtians who differ ſo far from Pagans in Profeſſion, agree with them in Practice? Shall Chriſtians now juſtify Heathens, and Heathens hereafter condemn Chriſtians? How great will that Condemnation be? O think of this you that never look further than you can ſee with Eyes of Fleſh; what a foul and groſs thing is it, that you who have the Goſpel, the lively Oracles of the living God, plain, open, Noon-day Diſcoveries of unſeen things, of unſeen things that are ſo great, ſo unavoidable, ſo near and Eternal, ſhould as the Gentiles only look at ſeen things?
3. This Courſe is a faithleſs Courſe. I know that you'l profeſs to have Faith, and ſay, that you are Believers: but pray, Sirs, what have you Faith for, or what uſe make you of it? Is not Faith the Evidence of things not ſeen? Doth it not lead to look at things not ſeen? Why, verily this is the Work of Faith, the Office of Faith: and therefore while you only look thus at things ſeen, and make them your Matters and Marks, you do proclaim your ſelves to be Men and Women void of Faith. O there's hardly a greater Argument of Infidelity than this; any thing that doth more ſpeak Perſons to be very Infidels than this; I would you would think of it. If you had but Faith as a Grain of Muſtard-ſeed, there would be ſome looking beyond things that are in ſight. And ſurely Sirs, if you be a faithleſs Generation now, you ſhall be a Chriſtleſs and Heavenleſs Generation to Eternity.
4. This Courſe is a fooliſh, a very fooliſh Courſe; this is another, it's brutiſh, and it's alſo fooliſh: for pray what are theſe ſeen things that you are ſetting in your Eye? they are but,
1ſt. The Footſtool of God; Iſa. 66.1. The Earth is my Footſtool. Sirs, all the Crowns, Thrones, Scepters, Robes, and other great things of the World, are but the Footſtool of the God of Heaven. Whatever thou lookſt on, and art ſet on here under the Sun, why it's but a piece of God's Footſtool; it's but what he puts and keeps under his Feet; and wilt thou ſet thine Heart on that he ſets his Feet on? What is Folly if this be not, to neglect looking after a Place before the Throne of God, only to gather up and fill thy Boſom with ſome Chips of his Footſtool, when and while thou haſt as fair an Opportunity for that as for this? None but Children and Fools would take up with painted Pebbles when they have pure Gold before them. What are they that chuſe to lie at the Footſtool, when there is open way of aſcending before the Throne?
2dly. This World is the Walk of the Devils, where God permits the Devil to have his Rounds from one Generation to another; Job 1.7. And the Lord ſaid unto Satan, From whence comeſt thou? and Satan anſwered the Lord, and ſaid, From going to and fro in the Earth, and from walking up and down in it. This is Satan's Walk, and here he walks not as an idle Spectator, but as a buſy Tempter and Deſtroyer, making it his continual Buſineſs to ſeduce, blind, harden, enſnare Men, and make them both as bad and as miſerable as himſelf. I ſay, the Earth is his Walk, and ſeen things in it are his Baits, his Snares, his Tools, whereby he deſtroys hundred thouſands of Souls: yea, while we look at ſeen things, reſt in ſeen things, content our ſelves with our ſeen things, he walks among them, and can in a Moment (if God but looſe his Chain) turn us out of all our ſeen things, as we may ſee in Job's Caſe; Job 1. 6, 7. And the Lord ſaid unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine Hand, but ſave his Life. So went Satan forth from the Preſence of the Lord, and ſmote Job with ſore Boils, from the ſole of his Foot unto his Crown, &c.
3dly. Seen things are the World's Portion, the Cruſt that God caſts out to Dogs, as Luther ſaid of the Turkiſh Empire. Job 9.24. The Earth is given into the Hand of the Wicked: he ſuffers them to have a poſſeſſion and uſe of the things thereof, and reſerves nothing of the things of the Earth from them, as things they may not ſhare in; what canſt thou name of the things here, that Wicked Men of the World have not had? The Apoſtle reduceth the things that are in the World, that are ſeen, to three Heads, 1 John 2.16. The Luſt of the Fleſh, the Luſt of the Eyes, and the Pride of Life; i. e. Pleaſures, Poſſeſſions, Honours: Now all theſe are the World's Portion, and Wicked Men have had a Fulneſs of them. (1.) Pleaſures; James 5.5. Ye have lived in Pleaſure on the Earth, ſays the Apoſtle, ſpeaking to wicked Men. (2.) Poſſeſſions; Job 21.13. They ſpend their Days in Wealth. Pſal. 73.7. Their Eyes ſtand out with Fatneſs, they have more than Heart could wiſh. (3.) Preferments; Dan. 4.17. The Moſt High ruleth in the Kingdom of Men, and giveth it to whomſoever he will, and ſetteth up over it the baſeſt of Men. Wicked Men have all along had, and have all theſe, O Soul, the things thou now ſeeſt, even the ſineſt, and faireſt, and fulleſt of them, are but things that many a Man has had, who is now in Hell, and things that many have who muſt never come to Heaven. (1.) Is it a fine Houſe that thy Eye is on? many a one has dwelt in a fine Houſe, who is now dwelling in Darkneſs. (2.) Is it fine Clothes thou lookſt at, how thou mayſt go Gallant, and be all in the Mode? Why, alas, many that have been clothed in Purple and fine Linen, and decked with all manner of Ornaments, are now ſwimming naked in Rivers or Fire and Brimſtone. (3.) Is it great Poſſeſſions thou art looking at, Houſes, Lands, Treaſures? why many a one hath laid Houſe to Houſe, and Field to Field, and Heap to Heap, that now lack a drop of Water. Now is it not a fooliſh Courſe to look only at, and keep an Eye on that which is no better than the Portion of the World, of the Men that muſt never come to Heaven? What thinkſt thou of it? art thou doing wiſely, while thou art going after nothing but what's ſeen, when there's nothing of that that's ſeen, but God allows it to thoſe that are going for, and muſt to Hell?
4thly. Seen things are the Subject of God's Curſe; this was laid upon theſe ſeen things as ſoon as Man was fallen. Gen. 3.17. Curſed is the Ground for thy ſake; the Ground, that is, all this viſible World, for thy ſake, propter te, i. e. propter peccatum tuum, vel quod attinet ad te (Piſcator.) Under this Curſe it lies to this Day, to the Men of the Earth, and with this it comes accompanied to their Door. (1.) Their Treaſures carry a ſecret Curſe in them. (2.) Their Poſſeſſions have a Curſe reſting on them. Prov. 3.33. The Curſe of the Lord is in the Houſe of the Wicked. Theſe ſeen things are left to be as Fuel to their Luſts, as Food to their Pride, and Covetouſneſs, and Luxury, as Snares to their Souls. Now, Sirs, is it not a fooliſh thing for Men to ſet their Eye on nothing but a Babyloniſh Garment, an Achan's Golden Wedg, an accurſed thing?
5thly. Seen things are Fuel prepared for Burning, combuſtible Stuff that Doomſday will make an end of; all theſe things that are now ſeen, are things that muſt all be burnt up before our Eyes. 2 Pet. 3.7. The Heavens and the Earth which are now, are reſerved unto Fire againſt the Day of Judgment. Ver. 10. The Earth alſo, and the Works that are therein ſhall be burnt up. Thus all theſe ſeen things are kept for Fire, a Fire is kindling in their Bowels that will turn them into cold Aſhes; think on this pray, a Fire is coming, a Fire is coming upon all the Gain of the World; a Fire is coming upon all the Glory of the World; a Fire is coming upon all the Poſſeſſions of the World; a Fire is coming upon all the Habitations of the World, nothing ſhall be left, nothing ſaved, not a penny of thy Money, not a Stick or Stone of thy Houſe, not a Foot of thy Land.
Well, this is a fourth thing; this Courſe is a fooliſh Courſe, for all theſe ſeen things are but the Footſtool of God, the Devils Walk, the World's Portion, the Subject of God's Curſe, Fuel for the Fire at Doomſday; and is it not a very poor ſorry Buſineſs, for Men and Women then to look no further than theſe, no further than the Footſtool? O that Men ſhould ſo far loſe themſelves, is both ſad and ſtrange!
5. This is a ruining and an undoing Courſe, many have been undone by it; and it's marked out as a way to Perdition, Phil. 3.18, 19. (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the Enemies of the Croſs of Chriſt; whoſe End is Deſtruction, whoſe God is their Belly, and whoſe Glory is in their Shame, who mind earthly things): Here the Apoſtle ſhews, that there were many who were walking towards Deſtruction, and whoſe Way would end therein. And he doth further particularly name ſeveral ſorts of them; and among the reſt you ſee this ſort of Perſons are one, who mind earthly things, who are wiſe about earthly things. Thus minders (I pray you take notice of it) of earthly things are marked for Deſtruction; that is, ſuch as only look after, are buſy about, taken up with, and aim at theſe Preſents and Viſibles. O, Sirs, this looking at ſeen things, is the loſing of the Soul and unſeen things for ever. It was a Saying that Sir Thomas Moore uſed, There is a Devil called Negotium, Buſineſs, that carrieth more Souls to Hell, than all the Devils in Hell beſides. O this Buſineſs, this minding of earthly things, this looking at ſeen things, undoes thouſands. Sirs, if you could ſpeak with many now in Hell, and ask them what was their undoing? they would ſurely tell you it was this: O this, this was our ruin.
(1.) We were thinking what we ſhould eat, and drink, and wherewithal we ſhould be clothed, when we ſhould have been making proviſion for our Souls.
(2.) We were plodding for Poſterity, when we ſhould have been preparing for Eternity.
(3.) We were ſurveying our Eſtates, when we ſhould have been looking into our Hearts.
(4.) We were caſting how to drive on our Bargains, to contrive our Buſineſs, and compaſs our Ends, when we ſhould have been working out our Salvation. And theſe, theſe things were our undoing; while we were thus buſy, early and late, about Earth, we loſt Heaven. When we were in the World, we minded ſeen things, we loved ſeen things, we were ſet on ſeen things; and when we came to leave the World, God told us we had that which we choſe: this would be the Language of many a Soul! And now, Sirs, will you take the way that many have met with ruin in, that is marked as a way to Deſtruction?
This is the firſt Word by way of Reproof, to thoſe who look only at ſeen things, at things which are in ſight. You ſee it is a Brutiſh, a Paganiſh, a Faithleſs, a Fooliſh, an Undoing Courſe: Will you continue in ſuch a Courſe? will you follow Pagans and Brutes? will you live as Men without Faith and without Knowledg? O learn this Leſſon, this Duty, to look not at the things which are ſeen, but at the things which are not ſeen.
Secondly, Thoſe are to be reproved by this Doctrine, who live as if there were no unſeen things, no Judgment to come, no Heaven, no Hell, nothing but what is ſeen, and what is preſent. My Beloved, there are multitudes of theſe in our Day: you ſhall not meet with many who will ſay, there are no unſeen things. But as one ſaith, Impuriſſima & profaniſſima illa vita quam maxima pars hominum ſectatur, perſpicuè indicat quod non ſentiant eſſe vitam poſt hanc. They live juſt as if they had no more to do, than to rant, and drink, and roar, and revel, and die, and ſo an End of all for ever; or as if they had nothing to do, but rake as much as they can of the World together, whether by Right or Wrong, and then die; behind which there is nothing. My Friends, are any of you of this Make of Perſons, ſuch as are lying in Wickedneſs, as giving your ſelves up to Profaneneſs? Pray tell me, what have you thought, what are you thinking of? Have you ever thought, or do you ever think in earneſt of unſeen things, or that there are any unſeen things; that there is any ſuch thing as a Judgment to come, or a Hell that the Wicked are to be turned into? I ſay, what do you think? Are there any unſeen things, or are there not? If you ſay that there are, and be perſwaded that there are things out of ſight, as you are told of, and as have been hinted to you from this Subject, then how can you, dare you live on ſuch a faſhion? Do you believe that the Lord Jeſus ſhall be revealed from Heaven, with his mighty Angels, in flaming Fire, taking Vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Goſpel of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt; who ſhall be puniſhed with everlaſting Deſtruction from the Preſence of the Lord, and from the Glory of his Power? as you have it 2 Theſſ. 1.7, 8, 9. Do you believe that the Kings of the Earth, and the great Men, and the rich Men, and the chief Captains, and the mighty Men, and every Bond-man, and every Free-man, ſhall hide themſelves in the Dens, and in the Rocks of the Mountains; and ſay to the Mountains and Rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the Face of him that ſitteth on the Throne, and from the Wrath of the Lamb: For the great Day of his Wrath is come, and who ſhall be able to ſtand? Rev. 6.15, 16, 17. Do you believe that the Ʋnrighteous ſhall not inherit the Kingdom of God? nor Fornicators, nor Idolaters, nor Adulterers, nor Effeminate, nor Abuſers of themſelves with Mankind, nor Thieves, nor Covetous, nor Drunkards, nor Revilers, nor Extortioners, ſhall inherit the Kingdom of God? 1 Cor. 6.9, 10. Do you believe that the Fearful, Ʋnbelieving and Abominable, and Murderers, and Whoremongers, and Sorcerers, and Idolaters, and all Liars, ſhall have their part in the Lake which burneth with Fire and Brimſtone? Rev. 21.8. Why then you muſt believe alſo, Sirs, that you are by theſe your doings, undoing your ſelves, damning your ſelves, ſinking your ſelves to Hell for ever. You muſt believe there is a time a coming on you, when you'l be put to cry to the Mountains and Rocks to fall on you, when you muſt be excluded from an eternal weight of Glory, and lie down in everlaſting Flames.
And if you ſay, or think there are no unſeen things, you'l be ſadly diſappointed and deceived, for (as you have here ſeen) they are both ſure and unavoidable, and alſo near unto you; and it's but a while and you will all be convinced, (and that beyond any poſſibility of ever making a queſtion of it again to Eternity) that Death is not the End of all things with you, that all's not done when the Body falls into the Duſt, but that there's then a Beginning, a beginning that ſhall never have ending, of things that now are out of ſight: pray think of it; and as you would not ſee everlaſting Sorrows, everlaſting Weepings, everlaſting Damnation, break with your preſent Courſes, and live as thoſe that look for the coming of things unſeen.